Te Mata Peak has made the headlines recently for a couple of matters, with the pleasing event to me by far being the successful purchase by the Te Mata Peak Trust Board of additional land of 8.5 hectares to create more public access.
The present area of Te Mata Parkwas part of the Te Mata block which reportedly had disputed ownership between two chiefs – Kurupo Te Moananui and Chief Te Hapuku.
Around late 1852, a reserve was carved out of the Te Mata block (which included the present Te Mata Park area) and originally called Karanema's Land and was likely a resolution to the dispute between the two chiefs. The straight boundary lines are an indicator of this of being European markings.
Karanema's Reserve, as it became known, was meant to be "for the descendants of Te Heipora for ever". Queen Te Heipora was Chief Te Hapuku's principal wife and Karanema was the eldest son of this marriage.
Tensions grew between both chiefs in 1856, and a battle broke out close to Pakiaka bush (near Whakatu) in 1857 between the two chiefs. The result of this skirmish was that Karanema's Reserve was purchased by the government, with payments made to both Te Hapuku and Te Moananui.
The land was then surveyed into town and suburban sections in 1859 and offered for sale in January 1860. Havelock, named after Sir Henry Havelock, was hoped to be settled by a "middle class devoted to agricultural pursuits".
John Chambers (1819-1897) had already significant land holdings in his Te Mata station, but he extended this when he purchased in 1862 the area now known as Te Mata Park.
This area of land was transferred to John's son Bernard (1859-1931) in 1880s when John Chambers divided up his land to his sons.
William Richmond (who many may remember the firm Richmond Meats) purchased part of this the land, including Te Mata Peak area in 1918 from Bernard – and the large price tag of around £100,000 (2019: $11.7 million) made news around New Zealand.
However, William, two years later in 1920, sold the present an area of 99ha back to three of John Chambers' sons – John, Bernard and Mason.
This appears to be the opening of the Te Mata Peak Road to the top around 1939. Photo/ Hawke's Bay Knowledge Bank, Wilson Collection, T2267
Their intention was to gift this to the people of Hawke's Bay, and they did this in 1927 by way of a trust deed.
In 1920 there was a private road that went up to the proposed Te Mata Park, but not up to the trig station at the top. Mason Chambers had, however, surveyed a route to the top of the peak.
Hastings mayor George Ebbett remarked at the time of the 1920 purchase that the possibilities were endless for the area, and that in the valleys and terraces trees of many kinds could be grown in the rich soil.
He also said someone would be able to drive to the park from the Hastings Post Office and be there in 20 minutes, with only another 5 to 10 minutes to the top of the hill.
It would not be until the 1930s that a road to the top of the peak was formed - and as can be seen in the photo – it was pretty rough!
The road was formed by relief workers as part of a work scheme during the Great Depression and it likely started around 1935/36.
In 1937, as the road crept further toward the top, the sustenance workers (the first Labour Government had changed the scheme's name) began to complain about the two mile (1.6 kilometres) walk up the peak to get to the construction site, and said they wouldn't work unless they had transport.
This raised the wrath in September 1937 of the Hawke's Bay County Council chairman, who stated "New Zealand was not made by men who were afraid of a two-mile walk".
The peak road was constructed by manual labour. Using labour-saving machinery such as graders would have shortened the process, but the objective at this time was to provide work for as long as possible.
* Signed copies of Michael Fowler's Historic Hawke's Bay book are only available from the Hastings Community Art Centre, Russell Street South, Hastings for $65.00.
* Michael Fowler FCA (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a chartered accountant, contract researcher and writer of Hawke's Bay's history.
