Golden Wedding of Mr & Mrs Liggins

Pioneers of Tokomaru District

New Zealand

Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of the wedding of Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Liggins, two of the pioneers of the Tokomaru district and who are amongst the best known and most highly respected settlers on this coast.

The couple were married at Hulland, County of Derby, England, by the Rev. Charles Evans, and came to New Zealand in the ship "British King" 39 years ago. On their arrival they went to Longburn, where Mr. Liggins took up the managership of the cheese factory, which had just been opened there consequent upon the commencement of the dairy industry in the surrounding districts. This position he relinquished after a period of five years service in order to take up dairying on his own account at Tokomaru.

At this time the construction of the Manawatu Railway had not been completed, and the roads, as may be expected in this period of the history of the Manawatu line, were little more than tracks. Mr. Liggins, by his indefatigable energy and perseverance, gradually worked up a reputation as a Friesian breeder, until now he is known in this connection all along the West Coast.

He is the owner of seven farms and is milking 500 cows, the majority of which are pedigree Freisians.

For a number of years, Mr. Liggins also devoted his attention to flaxmilling but, owing to the ravages of yellow leaf disease, he ceased growing flax, and is now using the land for dairy farming.

Mr. Liggins was the first man to put forward the proposal of the drainage of the Makerua district and is the Chairman of at present undertaking important banking and drainage work, estimated to cost £100,000. He is also a director of the Tokomaru cheese factory and a former director of the Rangiotu combined industries.

Mr. & Mrs. Liggins, in common with the other settlers in the district, shared many trials and privations that fell to their lot. When they went to Tokomaru they had the fellowship of six other settlers. To Mr. Liggins is due a great deal of the credit for the present state of prosperity of the Tokomaru district. At all times he has taken a keen interest in anything pertaining to the residents, and especially in regard to agricultural improvement he is responsible for the bringing of the district to its present state of prosperity.

Although 72 and 73 years of age respectively, Mr. & Mrs. Liggins are hale and hearty and enjoy the best of health. They have raised a family of four sons and three daughters, who are as follows :- Messrs. Charles William, Samuel Luke, John Henry and Joseph Huia Palmerston Liggins and Mesdames Catherine Harriet Williams (Tokomaru), Margaret Gardner (Pohangina) and Mary Edith Smith (Makerua).