16.
My Husband's Early Life in New Zealand
Any change, even a change
for the better,
Is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.
Arnold Bennett
During the early 1 950s New Zealand extended
its immigration scheme to fill the many vacant Jobs
created by this country's post-war economic prosperity.
British migrants, displaced Europeans, Pacific Islanders
and some 36,000 Dutch settlers, all healthy, young
individuals, were needed to develop and populate this
land. An injection of vigorous new blood and the
resourcefulness of youthful enterprise were essential to
meet the challenges of that era. The steady influx of
immigrants and the return of New Zealand servicemen from
abroad led to numerous marriages and the consequent baby
boom, which followed throughout the 1950s and early
1960s. This sudden, considerable Increase in population
created a larger consumer market at home and added a real
impetus to the country's further development in the
buoyant economic climate of that period. Agricultural
products still fetched high prices in Britain and in the
war-devastated European continent. Urban populations were
increased by rural migration in addition to the arriving
overseas immigrants. At that time New Zealand became a
very desirable country to live in. the land of
opportunity. The clean environment, a mild climate, wide
open spaces and plentiful employment attracted many new
settlers.
Wim van der Linden arrived in Wellington with about 2.000
Dutch immigrants aboard the ship De Groote Beer on the
19th of September 1951. Their ship had sailed through the
Panama Canal, instead of the Suez Canal, as was
anticipated. As this shorter route was cheaper, a partial
refund of the fare paid by the emigrants was made to
their relatives at home. On a gray morning, In drizzling
rain, the Dutch ship berthed in Wellington during the
great watersider's strike, which paralysed freight
shipments. In these circumstances, the new arrivals got
their first glimpse of their chosen new country, where
they were about to face unknown challenges. Some people
spoke fluent English, others had learned only a few
essential phrases to communicate with New Zealanders,
many of whom were still unaccustomed to non-English
speakers. The new Dutch migrants were easily
distinguished in a crowd by their longer hair cuts than
the conservative New Zealand 'short back and sides'
style, also by their different dress and leather satchels
which many carried. The excellent physique of the
specially chosen Immigrants was also very noticeable.
On completion of immigration formalities, Wim learned
that although he had paid more than the required amount
for his own passage in Holland, he was still regarded as
an assisted immigrant In New Zealand and under contract
to the New Zealand Government as an unskilled worker for
two years. He was In the same category as the assisted
immigrants, who were unable to pay for their own voyage
to New Zealand. Although all the immigrants disembarked
in Wellington, they had been allocated pre-arranged
employment throughout the country and only a small number
of the new arrivals remained in the capital. Wim's first
employment was with the Post and Telegraph Department in
Wellington as a teleprinter mechanic. He worked with
several other Dutchmen, none of whom spoke English.
Because of Wim's better knowledge of English, he usually
acted as an Interpreter between his compatriots and the
New Zealanders at work. He soon observed that the
Dutchmen felt most secure working as a group and speaking
in their native tongue. Accustomed to hard work, they
laboured conscientiously, often forfeiting the compulsory
tea breaks. Wim tried to remain on friendly terms with
both his Dutch colleagues and his New Zealand workmates.
He wanted to improve his English by using every available
opportunity of speaking the language.
Life In Wellington was a lonely experience for the new
settlers, who missed their relatives and their own Dutch
culture. It was not easy to adjust to a totally new
lifestyle in strange surroundings and In the
predominantly new British culture in New Zealand.
Accommodation was arranged at the Trentham Army Camp some
25 kilometres north of Wellington, where Wim along with
many other new arrivals, found a place to stay. He
remained there for about six weeks before deciding to
find alternative lodgings. Foreigners found it difficult
to procure good board or bed and breakfast accommodation
in Wellington. They were often regarded with some
suspicion, which language difficulties did nothing to
abate.
Wim succeeded in obtaining lodgings in a 'bed and
breakfast' establishment. It was a large, old-fashioned
house, whose owner sublet rooms with the use of toilet
facilities, to new arrivals. Frequently, two or three men
were placed In one room with uncomfortable beds, and
rather uninviting and often very drab decorations.
Breakfast consisted of two slices of toast with butter
and marmalade and a cup of tea. On this meagre ration men
often did physical work till their lunch break. They soon
realised that this would not sustain them. They bought
sandwiches for lunch and whenever possible obtained
cooked meals In the evening. After work and in the
weekends many were very lonely. The cinema and public
dances provided some entertainment, although it was not
uncommon for New Zealand girls to refuse to dance with
foreigners, who felt humiliated by such experiences. Most
immigrants attended church on Sundays and evening socials
organised by various churches. Any changes of address and
employment had to be notified to the police Immediately.
This was compulsory for all non-British immigrants.
After two months with the Post and Telegraph Department
Wim realised that this type of work was too restrictive
and, in anticipation of changing his employment, he
decided to repay his contract to the New Zealand
Government. The Government official handling such matters
was astounded to learn that the total amount of Wim's
Indebtedness was the princely sum of six shillings and
seven pence. He found it Incredible that someone could be
under contract for two years for such a small amount. He
had not come across such a case before. After the
completion of the formalities, Wim felt the relief of
being free to determine his future. Shortly afterwards he
left his employment and took up photographic work for
awhile, combining It with some night work, cleaning
offices. Next he tried 'seagulling' on the wharves for a
few months. He was disillusioned with life in Wellington
and intended leaving New Zealand to return to Holland via
Australia. With that course of action in mind, Wim bought
himself a three-speed bicycle, a small pup-tent and a
range of camping gear, including saddlebags, in
preparation for an extended working holiday in the South
Island.
Wim traveled by ferry to Picton, from where he headed to
Blenheim on his bicycle laden with 90 pounds of luggage.
He arrived at his destination late In the evening and
sought permission from a farmer to pitch his tent for the
night. The lady of the house was a sister of a New
Zealand army chaplain, who had been shot down over
Holland as a parachutist in the battle of Arnhem as part
of the liberation efforts by the Allied forces In
September 1944, and had tragically lost his life. She was
most interested in Wim's background and his proposed
South Island trip and insisted that he stay the night.
The next morning, after a sound sleep and a hearty
breakfast, it was time to carry on through the Buller
Gorge to Westport on his heavily-laden bicycle. Wim
enjoyed his new-found freedom and the scenery, stopping
regularly to take photographs. He was offered a ride for
part of the way and arrived that night in Westport where
he stayed in a camping ground for the night.
He set off early the following day with Greymouth as his
destination, and arrived there very late that night. He
set up camp In the old quarry near the Grey River. Then
he decided to stay in Greymouth for a few weeks to earn
some money. Wim obtained employment at the local dispatch
foundry and was given all types of manual work, mainly
cleaning and unloading railway wagons loaded with
pig-iron.
He found himself good board in a private home and during
his spare time enjoyed himself swimming In the river and
at local beaches with co-workers. The local cinema and
the weekly Saturday evening dances were the other
diversions for relaxation. Wim remained in the friendly
atmosphere of that community for three weeks while he
accumulated enough funds for the next stage of his
journey southwards through Hokitika to Harihari. There he
spent the night in the local motorcamp. The next day he
got a lift on a big lorry further south and managed to
cycle the rest of the way to Franz Josef. The next day
was overcast and he set off for the Fox Glacier township,
walking large parts of the route as the roads were too
steep for his type of bike. He arranged work with the
local Ministry of Works as a road maintenance labourer
and got accommodation In a single man's hut at the
Ministry of Works camp. It was outside work all day, In
close proximity to some of the world's greatest scenery.
Getting paid once a week seemed an absolute bonus. He
visited the Franz Josef Glacier one weekend and went
tramping across the Sugar Loaf with two of his work
mates, doing a bit of gold panning. Another weekend was
spent chamois hunting at the Fox Glacier. Life was worth
living again. It seemed strange to be reminded of winter
In the middle of the southern hemisphere summer. The
Infinite variety of scenic wonders within short distances
was incredible, and numerous opportunities presented
themselves for photographs. In those days of full
employment jobs were easy to obtain. New workers were
needed at several construction projects. It was time
again to go further south towards Haast. One day after
work he set off in the direction of Paringa. At that
point the road ended, and from there on there were only
bush and cattle tracks over a 90 mile stretch of terrain,
with the exception of a short sealed stretch of road at
Haast. With only a small sketched map provided by
friendly Westcoasters, Wim carried on with his life's
adventure in this forbidden no-man's land, crossing swift
streams, sandy beaches, and sleeping in the bush alone.
He walked beside his luggage-laden bicycle most of the
way. Shingle slides and river crossings presented a very
difficult challenge. Often such stretches had to be
traversed in stages, carrying the pack and saddle bags
separately, then the bicycle.
The New Zealand native bush, with the frequent bird
calls, was a constant source of fascination to the lonely
traveler. The calls of the bellblrds sounded like a human
whistle beckoning a stranger. In this tranquil bush
setting Wim felt totally relaxed as he slept In his tent
under the dense canopy of trees or in a trampers' hut. In
one of those huts Wim came across a poem by Sir Robert
Louis Stevenson, which appealed to him:
Bed in the bush and stars to see,
Bread I dip In the river.
That's the life for a man like me,
That's the life forever.
***
This poem seemed so accurately to reflect Wim's current
situation, a time of solitude amid nature, far from the
structured life of the western, urban existence. He
pondered over these words as he enjoyed the warmth
generated from the open fire in the hut and a warm drink,
after days of long trekking and isolation from human
contact. He recollected his home in Holland and his
lovely family, now so far away. Wim decided to write them
a letter. Describing in detail his travels through the
South Island, he included this verse to emphasise his
deep feeling of exhilaration In this unique setting. He
did not realise that this would cause his mother
sleepless nights for some considerable time, as she
followed her eldest son through imaginary Journeys of her
mind's eye, constantly rereading his letters and
postcards from New Zealand.
Meanwhile, unaware of possible dangers, Wim continued
towards the Haast, crossing further rugged terrain and
swift water courses. His bicycle was now useful only as a
carrier of the 90 pounds load of luggage which he would
have been unable to carry himself. However, this method
of transport In that rough country was very cumbersome
and slow. During the heavy, frequent downpours of West
Coast rain the lonely traveler was often soaked to the
skin, but his determination and the restless spirit
spurred him onward toward his goal. Wim met Joe Driscoll
In the next roadman's hut. His Job was to maintain the
bush shelters and tracks in the area. Joe Invited Wim for
lunch and together they discussed the local terrain,
which Joe knew so well. Joe Driscoll believed that Wim
was the first known man to attempt crossing this roadless
area with a bicycle.
Refreshed after a rest, a meal and a chat, and equipped
with some additional Instructions, Wim set out for
another hut, again crossing swift watercourses and
getting soaked in the heavy rain so typical of the West
Coast. On reaching the Haast River Wim realised that it
was in flood. The water was extremely turbulent and muddy
with a very swift current, but Wim was determined to
attempt a crossing. He endeavoured to cross the river
twice that day, but on his second attempt he was swept
off his feet and almost drowned. He was Indeed lucky to
regain his balance and be able to return to the
riverbank. Feeling temporarily defeated by the forces of
nature Wim decided to return to the nearby hut. As
torrential rain continued the swollen river showed no
sign of receding.
After three days, his food supplies were exhausted. Wim
was forced to further retrace his steps to the previous
roadman's hut, where he remembered seeing a small
vegetable garden. On his way he had to cross another
flooded watercourse, which he managed successfully. This
was another terrifying experience, but stamina, tenacity
and an excellent sense of direction In the bush, paid off
in the end. He found the hut, dug out some carrots and
potatoes and cooked them in his billy on the log fire In
the roadman's shelter. He also found a very rusty tin of
soup on one of the shelves which he opened and warmed up.
It all tasted like a meal a king would have appreciated.
After the ravages and deprivations experienced during the
war, survival on bits and pieces now was not an
unfamiliar experience, but this was the great adventure
of Wim's life. He was free to make his own decisions
without any social constraints and without the rigid
discipline of the Dutch army in Indonesia. Now, alone In
the bush, he had time to reflect on these matters.
After a sound night's sleep and another meal of
vegetables for breakfast, Wim returned to the previous
hut to retrieve his bicycle and luggage, which he had
abandoned there when hunger drove him out in search of
food. This time he made a careful detour along a bush
creek, negotiating a swamp before reaching his
destination. He found his bike and camping gear intact in
the empty hut. Here he rested awhile, lit a fire and
dried his wet clothes. A warm drink revived him
sufficiently to venture again to the Haast River's bank,
where he had unsuccessfully tried to cross these
turbulent waters. The heavy rain continued to fall
unabated and the river was still In flood. Now eight days
had passed since Wim's first attempt to cross the river.
In his frustration he used his powerful voice In the hope
of attracting attention from the Haast township, which he
could see In the distance. After some time he saw a
rowing boat coming towards him.
As it neared, he saw It was a woman coming to his rescue.
She was Miss Cron, who lived at a nearby farm with her
octogenarian father, who still rode horses at his
advanced age. At last, with all his camping gear and his
bicycle. Wim crossed the forbidding Haast River with Miss
Cron, in the security of her rowing boat. That evening on
the farm he was able to wash and dry his clothes and to
enjoy his first cooked meal after the semi-starvation
diet of the past eight days. Wim's kind hosts listened In
amazement to the details of their guest's adventures
during the previous days. Wim learned that his cries for
help had been heard earlier when he first reached the
Haast River. However, it had then been too dangerous to
attempt a boat river crossing to render assistance to the
stranded stranger.
After leaving his temporary haven of the Crons' farm, Wim
cycled to the Haast township, where he remained for a
fortnight, again living in a single man's hut at the
Ministry of Works camp, while working on an airstrip
construction site. Most of Wim's workmates were single
men, many of whom sought refuge from the past in this
isolated area. They were very friendly towards the
newcomer. Two weeks later, early on a Saturday morning,
Wim decided to proceed towards the Gates of Haast, again
aided only by a rough sketch of that area, provided by
his workmates. The first section was fairly
straightforward along a well formed cattle track. It was
a glorious day and the scenery was breathtaking. It was a
steep climb as he walked beside his bicycle supporting
the heavy luggage. Wim felt safe now, viewing the
formidable Haast River from a distance. The nearest
deercullers' hut, 19 miles away, was Wim's destination.
During the early afternoon it started drizzling and by
that time the river flats were the route to follow.
Again, when crossing the river rapids, Wim had to carry
the luggage and bike across separately, which was very
exhausting and time consuming. He was relieved to see the
deercullers' hut as he was wet through and chilled to the
bone. By this time it was late afternoon. Wim found the
hut empty so he made himself at home by lighting a fire
to dry his wet clothes and to prepare a hot drink and
something to eat. Soon thereafter, a deerculler arrived
and the two men exchanged a few friendly words. The
deerculler announced his Intention of leaving for the
Burke Hut, some eight miles due east, on the other side
of the Haast River. He suggested that Wim accompany him
in that direction. At first Wim was reluctant to carry on
again. After a long and arduous journey he felt very
tired, content to remain In the warmth and security of
the deer cullers' hut. However, in the end Wim was
persuaded to follow the route to the Burke Hut with his
new companion's promised assistance in the crossing of
the treacherous Haast River.
The tall, well built, rugged deer hunter carried his own
back pack and Wim's saddle bags with ease, while Wim
struggled on, wheeling his bike and carrying his own
pack, again wet through. In spite of his companion's
assistance. Wim found it difficult to keep up with this
very strong man who was so used to the inhospitable,
rough terrain.
Finally, they were forced to abandon the bike and most of
Wim's luggage. Wim kept only the bare essentials, his
sleeping bag and a set of dry clothes. Here Wim also lost
his bush knife, but with darkness now descending upon the
land, there was no time to waste searching for lost
property. The men attempted to cross the upper reaches of
the Haast River, but the strong current forced them back
to its bank. As darkness enveloped them they walked
further upstream In search of a safer crossing point. The
water was still very turbulent as the deerculler entered
the river with Wim just downstream from him, both holding
firmly to each end of the rifle to keep balance. The
river bed was very stony and uneven. As they progressed
towards the centre of the river they felt the strong
current lashing against their bodies. Wim being of a
shorter stature felt the water's force more severely, but
together they pressed on. Wim experienced a severe cramp
In his leg, but mastered all his willpower and much
depleted energy, to struggle on. The water gradually
became shallower as they reached the opposite bank of the
river. Having conquered the mighty river yet again, Wim
collapsed In a heap on the wet ground, unable to walk up
the track to the Burke Hut.
The deerculler left to light a fire, while Wim managed to
slowly struggle towards the hut. He was now suffering
from exposure and extreme exhaustion, a dangerous
combination. The fire In the hut was the most welcoming
sight. After a change of clothes and a warm drink Wim was
violently sick. However, as the evening progressed he
began to regain his strength. After a few more warm
drinks and something to eat he slept like a log all
night.
The next day the deerculler carried on with his work of
controlling the deer population in the area. In a three
month period in the bush, it was not unusual for him to
kill 100 deer a day. He was paid two shillings and
sixpence for every deer tail, so he aimed for high
tallies. Once more Wim was left alone. It was a beautiful
sunny day and he decided to retrieve his luggage
abandoned on the other side of the Haast River.
Unbelievably, the waters had receded considerably and his
return trek proved to be an enjoyable experience. He felt
exhilarated and very fit. He had recovered fully from the
ordeals of the previous day, when he had traveled 27
miles and pushed himself to the limit of his endurance.
On his return trip Wim found his bush knife, before
picking up his bike and luggage. Bypassing the Burke Hut
he traversed a steep and unstable shingle slide. He was
now traveling toward the source of the Haast River, near
the Gates of Haast. Next he waded across a ford at the
point where a bridge now stands.
From there the journey continued downwards, which made
the going much easier, although it still took several
hours to reach the beginning of the road going south to
Makarora. This road was constructed during the 1930s
depression years, but remained unfinished until the late
1950s. At the time of Wim's lonely adventures In this
area, survey parties were beginning to explore the
possible alignment of the future public road from Haast
to Makarora, between the West Coast and Central Otago.
This road is now one of the greatest scenic routes In the
South Island. Near Makarora Wim met a hunting party.
Groups of hunters regularly used that area as game was
plentiful. They were heading for a hut In the bush to
spend the night and Wim decided to join them. During that
evening many gruesome and murderous tales of the gold
rush days were told. Wim was told that the hut was
haunted by ghosts and It was considered unsafe to sleep
alone. They all occupied the larger, central room for
their collective safety.
Next day, at Makarora, Wim repaired his damaged bicycle,
before proceeding further towards Hawea, Wanaka,
Cromwell, Frankton and on to Queenstown. Over this
picturesque stretch of road Wim was at last able to ride
his bicycle again. He set up camp at the Queenstown
camping ground, where he met several friendly and
Interesting people. He enjoyed the exceptional beauty of
that tourist resort on the banks of Lake Wakatipu, with
the rugged mountain range the Remarkables, in the
distance.
After a few days In Queenstown, Wim boarded the steamer
for Kingston, and from there he cycled to Invercargill
where he met up with an old Dutch friend, Jan van
Gameren, whom he knew from the Dutch army days in
Indonesia. They spent a few days together before Wim left
by train to Dunedin, where he contacted other Dutch
acquaintances and set out to explore the 'Scottish
capital' of New Zealand for a few days. On Saturday night
in Dunedin Wim attended a public dance with one of his
male friends. At one stage he felt somewhat let down when
he asked one of the young ladies for a dance and she
refused. Although it was not uncommon in those days for
this to happen, this type of behaviour did not inspire
self-confidence in the new settlers in New Zealand. In
contrast to such experiences was the great friendliness
of other New Zealanders, including the Dunedin relatives
of the Gallan family Wim had met In Wellington. He stayed
with these hospitable people for a few days before
continuing on his bicycle towards Christchurch. Exhausted
after a whole day's cycling, Wim arrived in the outskirts
of Oamaru late at night. He had just started to pitch his
tent near an Industrial plant when a shiftworker spotted
him. After a chat he offered Wim the use of a single
man's hut for the night, while he was on night duty. The
next morning they enjoyed a cooked breakfast together,
before Wim continued cycling to explore the township of
Oamaru, where he then stayed for a few days. The next
stop was Timaru, where he found good board and lodgings
for another few days. It was still summer and the weather
was magnificent. During those few days Wim enjoyed Ice
skating at the local rink, and sunbathing and swimming at
the renowned sandy beach of Caroline Bay.
Christchurch was Wim's final South Island destination.
After sightseeing In that attractive European-style city,
so very English In character, he found accommodation In
the Salvation Army hostel for the night. The next day he
flew to Wellington. On his arrival in the capital Wim
stored his excess luggage with his friends, the Gallan
family. He intended to travel again, first, through the
North Island, then on to Australia before returning to
Holland. Meanwhile, he decided to resume seagulling on
the wharf in Wellington in order to replenish his
depleted funds. Wim had thoroughly enjoyed his South
Island travels. That experience restored his faith in
human nature as he had encountered many friendly New
Zealanders. His adventures provided him with a different
perspective of New Zealand. His closeness to nature
during the lonely treks through the West Coast of the
South Island had healed and strengthened his spirit. Now
he felt very fit physically, but his boundless energy and
an inner restlessness spurred him on to further
adventures and to explore new horizons.
***
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