Item 04: Memoirs of a Colonial Boy by Robert Joseph Stewart, ca. 1971 - Page 527
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north of New Zealand, a very scenic and historic part of the Dominion, with an almost sub-tropical climate, which made my work all the more congenial. Also, being based in the biggest city in New Zealand, where most of its manufacturing industry was concentrated, I was able to spend more time at home.
Actually New Zealand was a sportsman's paradise, where one could lead the sporting life of an English country gentleman on a very modest income. Up in the mountains deer were a pest, because of their destruction of the valuable forests just below the snow-line, by chewing bark off the trunks : hunters were encouraged to shoot them to any extent, the point 303 rifle being the popular firearm. Almost all the rivers, streams and lakes were well stocked with trout and there were no private fishing rights : a three-guinea annual licence permitted one to fish anywhere within reason. Many retired or wealthy gentlemen travelled from Britain, India and the Far East every year for the trout-fishing season, and groups of little two-man fishing lodges were available at rewarding sites for their accomodation. In my business errands to a very big sawmill I sometimes stayed overnight at the famous (Wally Taylor's) fishing lodges and hotel at Takarno on the Wanganui river, near where it issued from the south end of Lake Taupo.
The few pigs that Captain Cook had liberated ashore at the Bay of Plenty had increased to a large number of wild pigs, and these rather dangerous animals were hunted in the higher hills, at will, by enthusiasts with special pig dogs and three-o-three rifles.
Golf was a very popular game; even more so that tennis. The smallest town had at least a nine-hole course with proper greens and mown grassed fairways. There was a fine eighteen-hole championship course, "Hokowitu", at Palmerston North, one of the senior clubs. Because of the financial stringency imposed by the depression many members had resigned, reducing the membership to a great extent. Shortly after Madge and I became residents of Palmerston North, I was invited to join this club as a full