"One of George Bint’s grandchildren (sorry can’t remember who) gave us the following.

Philip and Charlotte Bint lived in Christchurch where they operated a laundry. George Bint delivered the starched fronts and stiff collars to the owners. He also served an apprenticeship to the boot trade.

 The Bint family took up 453 acres on Kohete Road, Taranaki in 1890. They arrived in New Plymouth by boat with vats for cheese making, cheese press, a separator called Alexandra, a churn, Swiss-made side saddle, stumping jacks and furniture. They moved to Ingelwood by train then carted by Joe George’s wagon to Kaimata past five houses and over three rivers which fortunately had bridges.

The house consisted of four rooms of adzed weatherboard, lined with scrim and newspaper. A shingle roof, iron chimney with bars across to hang the camp oven and big boilers for vegetables."   Ron & Rae Bint

Grandad George Bint was a hockey coach- most of his children played. He was a quiet little man – gentle. Maybe because Grandma Annie was the businessman (bossy) of the family. I never heard him be loud of talk.
Eric or I (3-4 years old) must have been loud mouthing, because he counseled us to say “wheelbarrow” next time, 2 or 3 times, result – me bursting out laughing instead!       Irene Hannam

George Bint  on the Flying Fox over Purangi

Purangi, a little settlement in the heart of inland Taranaki, was always a challenge to get to.  When the first European settlers hacked their way into their pre- purchased blocks of land, they carved out an eight-foot track that was suitable for sledging and pack horses only.

But then they had the problem of crossing the deep river.

Near the new settlement at Purangi, there was a ford across one part of the river and this was marked by large willow trees growing on each side, but the bank was steep and the clay slippery. Another way to cross was to almost fly over in a special chair. The settlers made a wire rope pulley system with a seat made from boards that was pulled back and forth high above the water. A reporter visiting in 1895 recommended it for travellers.

"Unless in exceptionally fine weather, tourists had better not attempt the ford as a great risk is incurred of being detained on the other side as the river rises very rapidly when rain sets in. The better plan is to leave your horse at Purangi and walk the rest of the journey, crossing the river on what is called the chair on a rope."

The chair was fastened to a rewarewa tree on one side of the river and a post on the other. The passenger was seated on a wooden plank hung by chains, which they used to pull themselves across. It was hard work and the sensation of being 80 feet (24.4 metres) in the air was something to get used to.

"It is to be hoped that a bridge will be built before long as the present means of crossing are both dangerous and may lead to loss of life," wrote the nervous reporter.

Taranaki News 15th of May 2010

Fred M., Laurie, Norman, Cyril, & Fred Bint at Annie's 80th. April 1958.

Elsie, Lily, Alice, Thelma, Myrtle, & Enid at Annie's 80th

Fay, Barbara, Brian, Marion, & Richard in 1993

Bay of Plenty Times 1909

George Bint in 1901

The Rawlinson's house on Tariki Road (from Charlotte Allman's album)

The young Porters - Edward & Elsie's children - from Charlotte's album.

** From information supplied by Fay Lewis and the late Irene Hannam

George Rawlinson and family had arrived at Taranaki in 1884 after May was born and was a neighbour of the Bint family..

Irene’s Hannam's father was Ray (Thomas Raymond Porter) born in 1906 the second son of seven. Her mother was Myrtle Bint the daughter of George Bint and Annie Rawlinson.  

The Porters had arrived at Mangapai Jetty in 1862 and tracked overland to Maunga Karamea..

"Ray and Myrtle moved to Waiotira after Eric and I were born (1929). The Porter farm had been divided between the three sons but Dad got his dander up when he could not develop it his way. He could have grouched because it was covered in fern, gorse and blackberry. Ps. Dad was the worker!"

Three of George Bint's children Elsie, Myrtle, and Cyril had married into the Porter family.

In the 1920’s the Auckland property was exchanged for land 120 miles North, at Maunga Karamea, part of the Whangarei District.

"George helped to cut and burn forest. What a waste!  Built their home, after living in a Ponga tree whare. (Forest hut, with Ponga fern branches for bed base on ground, replenished each day)."

" I’m sure the Maunga Karamea Mountain spewed most of its rocks on to the front paddocks of that farm!"

Their property was between the Porter farm and the Hannam farm.

"We moved from Waiotira late 1939 to Otaika, then to Whatitiri then back to a smaller farmlet at Otaika.

Dad’s (Ray Porter) head had a tumour." (He died in 1944, at only 38 years old)

Her husband Pat (Ramon Charles Hannam) was the eldest of the Hannam children.

She relates that Maunga Karamea was one of those areas where everyone seemed to be "a link in the family chain".

In 1950 Irene and Pat Hannam moved back to Taranaki "and added eight to the school roll"

Next letter dated 21st of July 2001

She (Irene Hannam) mentions a family reunion at Parua Bay, Whangarei in April 2000 at "our favourite family haunt"

"Perhaps I put off saying - Dad’s elder sister was not a beach lover, neither was their youngest brother. They were trustees of what we knew to be a " Forever Haven" for all the following generations. But they deeded it, or rather, deemed it their duty to sell. End of an era!"

Correspondence
My husband's mother is Alice McKenzie Price nee Bint, daughter of George Bint & Annie Elizabeth Rawlinson. George is the son of Philip Thomas Bint & Charlotte Allman. Philip Thomas Bint is the grandson of Thomas Bint. We live in Australia but the rest of the family is in New Zealand. We have just started researching the family for my mother-in-law's 90th Birthday in 2004.

Vivienne Price.   Dec. 2002