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TUTIRA 



Dropping from the Racecourse Flat we reached the primitive home- 

 stead of the 'eighties. It was situated then on the Piraunui flat at 

 the southern end of Waikopiro. The buildings were a weather-board 

 hut 15 feet by 12 feet, divided by a partition reaching half-way to the 

 roof. At one end was built the usual clay fireplace and iron chimney. 

 Camp ovens, go-ashores, and billies stood on the floor, or were slung 

 from bars above the empty hearth. Hung by wires from the roof, and 

 thus immune from rats, was suspended a stage on which lay flour and 

 sugar bags, currants, and other necessities of those Spartan days. Out- 

 side the house a small lean-to sheltered from the elements a barrel of 

 pickled wild pork. Bottles of yeast stood on the smoke-stained mantel- 

 piece. The architecture of our mansion was Noahian a door that 



Homestead of the 'eighties. 



is, with a window on either side. The door, I remember, was open 

 when we arrived, for inside were several foraging fowls, some of which 

 fled into the huge unswept hearth, stirring up the ashes in clouds, 

 whilst others attempted the window, several of the panes of which had 

 already been broken and were mended with brown paper or stuffed 

 with rags. The other buildings of the primitive homestead were an 

 ark, 6 feet by 9 feet, a whata or store-house on piles, empty now in 

 the station's dire extremity, and containing straps and pack-saddles. 

 In front of the door lay the wood heap, that adjunct to all homes of 

 early settlers ; alas ! that its litter of chips, fresh and white, or mouldy 

 and grey or brown with age, its ever- blunt axe, its larger logs so 

 comfortable for seats, are vanishing before new-fangled ideas of tidiness. 



