DEATHS.
BATES — At Colac Bay on Thursday, 11th May, 1922, Harriet, widow of the late Nathaniel Bates; aged 100 years. The funeral will leave the residence of Mr B. Hill, Havelock Street, Riverton, at 12 o’clock, noon, on Saturday, 13th inst., for the Riverton Cemetery. Friends please accept this (the only) intimation. — B. Hill, Undertaker. -Southland Times, 12/5/1922.
Harriet Bates (nee Watson) might not have been a century old when she died, according to more recent records, but she at least came close to it. She was the daughter of Robert Watson, a whaler and one of the first Pakeha settlers in the South, and Parure Hurahura.
DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN.
At the advanced age of 100 years Mrs N. Bates recently passed away at the residence of her daughter, Mrs A. Dandy, at Colac Bay. The deceased lady, who was born at Codfish Island in 1822, states the Western Star, was one of the Ngatihui Huirapa tribe, and is one of the last of that race. Her mother died when she was quite a child, and she then went to sea with her father, who was a whaler, and had many trying experiences in those days. When her father's boat left for England she was given in charge of the light-house keeper at Otago Heads. While there she witnessed the landing of the then famous trader, "Johnny" Jones, from Australia. She was then 14 years of age, and was supposed to be the last survivor of those who saw him arrive. Mr Jones was a merchant trading between here and Australia in the way-back days, and was looked upon as the king of New Zealand at that time, owing to the vast interests he had in this country. At the age of 18 she was married to Mr Nathaniel Bates. The ceremony took place at Ruapuke Island, and was conducted by the Rev. Wohlers. Whilst living at Ruapuke she was instrumental in quelling a disturbance between the natives of Codfish Island and those of Ruapuke. A Codfish Islander who was living at Ruapuke committed suicide owing to his attentions to a Maori maiden being rejected. The Codfish tribe believed him to have been murdered and sailed forth in their canoes to square accounts with the Ruapuke braves. On approaching the island and giving indications of their intentions to fight, Mrs Bates, who was quite a girl and a member of the advancing tribe, went to the beach and held counsel with her enemy's pah and were made welcome. A feast in lieu of a fight followed, and this tangi over the remains of the love-sick warrior lasted several days. Shortly after her marriage she and her husband went to live at Riverton. It was here that "Happy Moko,'' a well-known identity in the locality in those days, joined them, and together they went in for rearing pigs of the Captain Cook breed, which they sold to the sailing vessels that anchored off the Aparima, and in return got supplies of flour, coffee beans, etc. Mrs Bates then went farming up the Jacob's River at what is now known as Bates' Point. It was here that she proved herself, a veritable "Grace Darling." A waggoner named Rumage, from Queenstown, was crossing the river at high tide in the vicinity of her place when he got into difficulties, and Mrs Bates, seeing the accident, immediately put off in a boat to his assistance. After a strenuous pull she reached the unfortunate victim and extricated him from his perilous position, but not before his four horses were drowned, and the man almost exhausted. Shortly after this one of Mrs Bates' children became seriously ill, which necessitated a journey to Dunedin to see a doctor. Rumage was now able to repay Mrs Bates for her timely assistance, and put to sea in an open boat with Mr and Mrs Bates and child in order to proceed to Dunedin. The perilous journey there and back occupied six days, and was safely accomplished. Mrs Bates was the first woman to cross the old Riverton bridge, going over by means of planks while the bridge was in course of construction. Since her husband's death some 35 years ago, she has resided with her daughters. She had a family of eleven, 54 grandchildren and 53 great-grand children. -Mt Ida Chronicle, 7/7/1922.
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