Also see Thomas Mason

Hutt City Library Online Database
Main Title: Avalon Park close to the site of former Motutawa Pa
Imprint: 27-Nov-07
Notes: Indexes: Filing Cabinet
Summary: An application has been made to re-name Avalon Park after Motutawa Pa which was believed to lie “close to the intersection of Fairway and Taita Drives in an area presently known as Avalon Park”.
Language: English
Subject: Avalon-Motutawa Park
Parks and Reserves — Avalon Park
Heritage resources

Evening Post 24 December 1907
THE HOLIDAYS
…
On Boxing Days there will be a trotting meeting held at Petone recreation grounds, and the Catholic picnic at Father Lane”s grounds, Lower Hutt, to wind up with a dance in the Oddfellows” Hall, Lower Hutt. The usual harbour excursions will be run, and Wonderland and Day”s Bay grounds will each cater for the public with water and each cater for the public with water chutes and kindred amusements. Sea excursions to Picton will be run, and those who prefer a trip into the country will find Bellevue and Mason”s Gardens – at the Lower Hutt and Taita respectively – ready to receive them. In the evening all the place of entertainment will be open.

Evening Post 28 April 1909
THE HUTT RIVER.
PROPOSED EXTENSION OF BOARD”S DISTRICT
A public meeting to consider the question of extending the present River District is to be held at the Taita School at 7.30 p.m on Monday next. Yesterday Mr. Robert Stevens, chairman of the board, with the consulting engineer, Mr. Laing-Meason. M. Inst C.E., made an extended inspection of the land which it is proposed to bring under the River Board”s control, and they examined the river bank, and the overflow channels from which danger is apprehended. The recent very heavy flood in the river made it an easy matter to observe the height to which the flood waters had risen, and the chairman was strongly impressed with the seriousness of the situation. The flood mark made it very evident that an overflow had taken place into an old river channel about a mile northward of the Taita Hotel, and this old channel was traced from the river bank to the point where it crosses the main road near Mason”s Gardens. In the early days of settlement, this channel was the main branch of the Hutt River, and in times of flood it carried a very great volume of water into the Waiwetu River and inundated a large area of land in the lower valley. Should this occur again, and experts say it is quite possible, disastrous results would follow, and all the work erected by the board in its own district would be outflanked and rendered useless. It was observed, also, that much good land is being eroded by the river in every flood, and if the proposed new area was brought under the control of the board, all this loss of land would be prevented. After his inspection of the ground, the chairman was strongly of opinion that, both in the interest of the settlers in the area proposed to be included in the River District, and of the lower valley, the suggested extension of the district should be given effect to without any delay.

Evening Post 21 May 1918
CLASS B, 2nd DIVISION
WELLINGTON RECRUITING DISTRICT (No. 5)
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Barker, W. H., gardener, Gibbon”s Cottage, Main-road, Lower Hutt
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Baxter, G. J., market gardener, Park-avenue, Lower Hutt
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Buck, S. G., carpenter, Alicetown, Lower Hutt
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Cook, W. J., farm labourer, Nainai, Lower Hutt
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Copping, A., dairy and poultry farmer, Fry”s-lane, Lower Hutt
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Cummins, A. G., traveller, c/o Mrs. Kingan, Belmont-road, Lower Hutt
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Drewitt, J. L., roadmaker, Tilley-road, Paekakariki
..
Gribble, S., salesman, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt
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Haywood, G., market gardener, Mason”s road, Taita
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Hodgson, P. D”E, land agent, Main-road, Lower Hutt
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Judd. N. V., cabinetmaker, Downer-st., Lower Hutt
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Knight, W., poultry farmer, Knight”s-road, Lower Hutt
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McVicar, A., labourer, Hutt-road, Lower Hutt
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Mayr, H., farmer, Hayward”s, Hutt
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Natusch, C.A., clerk, Belmont, Lower Hutt
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Oswald, A. R., dairy-farmer, Waiwetu-road, Lower Hutt
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Pilcher, C. F., gardener, Epuni-street, Lower Hutt
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Ridyard, J. H., brass-finisher, 12, Harper-street
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Savage, G. H., saddler, 23, Ava-st., Petone
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Swaysland, E. B., carpenter, Epuni Hamlet, Lower Hutt
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Whitcher, C. S., carpenter, Epuni-st., Lower Hutt
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Evening Post 11 June 1920
“Act in Time” writes to The Post regarding a report the Mason”s Gardens, Taita, were to be cut up and sold, and the trees destroyed. “Is not this wonderful spot, with its magnificanet old trees, as much entitled to protection as any of our scenic reserves?” Inquires failed to elicit either confirmation or contradiction of the report, but many hopes were expressed that if any sub-division of the gardens were comtemplated, the public authorities would axt at once to save this this resort from destruction.

NZ Truth 20 April 1918
Gardens, Taita
type up

Evening Post 23 January 1920
Gardens, Taita
type up

Evening Post 16 June 1920
Gardens, Taita
type up

Evening Post 24 September 1920
Gardens, Taita
mentions selling 60 acres, near Mason”s Gardens

Evening Post 10 December 1920
Gardens, Taita