Norsewood-Te Whiti settlement (the correct name is Te Whiti-atara) was bought from the Maoris by the Govt, surveyed into sections and balloted for on the 19th June 1912.Mr J.D obtained lease from the Maoris in 1877 As far as can be ascertained only two of the settlers who were successful in the ballot were still alive at the time of his writing the book.They were- Mr.Con.Murphy who was farming at Blairgowie, and Mr.P.Dalberg who was living at Rotorua. Mr and Mrs Dalberg were 92 and 91 Te Ohu Station-particulars
not available when first established, but at a meeting held July 13th 1893, a letter was received from Mr Jardine asking that the name of the station be changed to Thomas Sidey. The owner at that time. Records were destroyed in the Napier fire in 1931, so it is not know when Mr Matthew (Mr Bruce Clayton's grand father) took over the property. After death of Mr Matthew was bequeathed to Mrs Matthews who engaged Mr Meeding as Manager. Mr Bruce Clayton took over the station in 1947
Mr Cyril Bond resided where the sawmill was previously.
After 2nd World war Mr Lars Larsen worked at Te Ohu for 50 years before retiring, then his son Jack followed the tradition of his father and worked over 32 years there. Concrete bridge was built over the Maungatewainui River leading to the station. This was of infinite benefit to the station.Before this they had to ford the river.
Saleyards- Mr Walter Parson's mill near the Grant river at Makaretu disposed of many thousands of feet of new timber
A young man brought some drakes from a neighbour,cut their tails off and sold them at the sale yeards as ducks.One of the agents bought them not long before the tails began to grow and realised that he had been taken
in.The story goes that before long people kept asking him for a sitting of duck eggs.
On sale day a youth kept riding his motor bike around the yard-One buyer a Scotsman, turned to his neighbour and said"Mon wouldn't
it be a good thing to get a big stick and wait for yon youth and bash him with it as he rides past", othe same man also said" I am thinking of buying these sheep, but I will have to take my glasses off as they deceive me"
Mrs H.Rosacker provided a meal for those attending the sale. First sale yards were build by Mess Rose Ltd.Mr Dick Roakd was the auctioneer.Messrs Ancliffe and Svensen auctioneers in Dannevirke. About 1910 the stock firms in Dannevirke
decided to build yards in Norsewood.They were;H B.Farmers,Wairarapa Farmers, and Dalgety and Co.Shortly after this Rose Ltd disposed of their yards.
The task of the Dairy Instructors and Weed inspectors was not a bed a roses.
One farmer arrived at his cow shed just as the inspector had written his report after examination milking machines etc, the farmer looked at the report and threw it on the manure heap. After being spoken to the farmer only laughed and replied "It doesn't matter as I never read the bloomingthings"

Silver Jubilee was held on Sept 24th 1897 to celebrate the arrival of first immigrants on Sept 24 1872, Mr Wiig the Norwegian Consul gave a short history of the Norwegian flag. He then hand it to Mr.Ole Ericksen to be held in trust for the settlers of Norsewood.Pastor Topholm the delivered his address in a Scandinavian language.Other visitors of note were Messrs.O.Ericksen,W.C.Smith,M.L.C.,G.Hunter,M.H.R>(Later
Sirge Ahunter).C.Hall of Woodville,S.Johnstone of Oruawharo,Takapau amd
S.Brabazon.
Golden Jubilee was held on Sept 21st 1922.Speakers were Mr.C.Hall
and Mr J.Chicken.Pastor Reis gave a address to the gathering.
Diamond Jubilee was held on Sept 20 1932.The few remaining pioneers were Messrs.Ole Ericksen,Lauvig
Petersen, and H.P.Mortsensen. Mr Ole Ericksen was Chairman of the Jubilee
Com and speakers at the celebration were. Mr A.E.Jull,M.P. for this district,Mr
Wiig, Norwegian consul; Mr Dahl,Danish Vice Consul and Mr J.Chicken.Mr
Quigley from Dannevirke addressed the children.Pastor Legarth spoke as
a pastor to his people.

All these items and more have been abbreviated
to give you just a rough idea of this district and the people who were
there. Remember the book is "Norsewood the centennial story by A.L.Andersen"

The book starts with Govt's immigration plan and Mr Friberga Norwegian who had resided in NZ being sent to Scandinavia to select desire dimmigrants. One death recorded on Ship Hovding and one birth and childnamed Hovding. Ships total about 475- consisting of 280 children,30 spinsters and 25 single men.
Also discussed was the arrival of "Ballarat" 15/9/1872arriving in the morning and Hovding in the afternoon.Mainly Danish people on Ballarat who went on to settle in Dannevirke and Hovding settlers were all norwegians with the exception of 11 Swedish and settled in Dannevirke.
On 20th Sept Mr Halcombe set out taking men to Norsweood and then on 2ndOctober took women and children to join husbands and fathers in Norsewood. Many of the women sat down and wept at the sight of their new homes which
were huts constructed in the crudest and unattractive looking sitting in the middle of a cleared place in the middle of the bush.
Mr Drower opened up a store.Govt provided settlers with provisions for a fortnight after they arrived in Norsewood. Nearest Doctor lived in Dannevirke., there was no medicine and no milk, In 1973 Dr.English was summoned from Waipawa but settlers could not afford Five Pound a visit so they had Doctors assistant Mr.Saunders to visit once a week for half a crown a month from each of the settlers Two Norwegians Mr.Jacobsen and his young wife Anna and their
three children-one a baby had settled on a bush section.One evening Anna went in search of a cow and locked children in the house while she went to search and ended up getting lost. Two days later another settler called in by chance and found children in the house,hungry and in great distress. A search party found Anna's body a few chains from the house. You could only guess of agony of the young women. This tragedy occured in 1885. Pigeons were not protected and were plentiful and provided meals. Mr.E.Fredericksen preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Norway arrrived
First Headmaster Mr F,.W.Thomson appointed in 1873.
Great and fascinating reading.