BIOGRAPHY
Wilhelm Fredrich Carl NIETHE was born in Brandenburg, Prussia, now Germany in 1867. Aged 17 years, he migrated to New Zealand on the new steel steamer "Ionic" in 1884, arriving in Wellington on 13 March 1884 and in Lyttelton on 21 March 1884. A report of the voyage is given below. Wilhelm was listed amongst the single men immigrants discharged at Lytellton as W.F. Neethe in the Shipping section of the Lyttelton Times on 22 March 1884. His widowed mother Caroline (56 years), and older sister Maria (23 years) were also on the ship amongst the single women for Canterbury. Caroline had paid for her passage, while the passage of Wilhelm and Maria were paid for by the Government.
SHIPPING TELEGRAMS.
Wellington, March 13.
Arrived - Ionic. s.s. at 7 this morning. Left London on Jan. 24, Plymouth on Jan. 28, and Santa Cruz, Teneriffe, on Feb. 3, making the voyage in 43 days 5 hours, exclusive of stoppages. The longest day's run was 338 miles. The Ionic has 20 first, 39 second, 74 third cabin, and 238 steerage passengers, and 2147 tons of cargo. No deaths occurred the voyage, and there was one birth. She experienced a fierce gale, with heavy squalls of rain and wind and a high head sea in the English Channel. Passed the Cape of Good Hope early on tho morning of Feb. 20. Had moderate weather, with occasional squalls, wind, and rain. From the Cape to Wellington, a fresh breeze and overcast weather. The Ionic has 4 first, 4 second, 21 third, and 180 steerage passengers for Lyttelton, and 1002 tons of cargo.
Source: Lyttelton Times, 14 March 1884, Page 4.
Wilhelm obtained work at Oxford in Canterbury and soon met Ida WILKE who had migrated to Canterbury from Germany on the ship "Friedelbug" in 1872 with her parents and 3 older siblings. The WILKE and NIETHE families were from the same village in Germany. The couple had a son in 1886 and were married soon after on 17 November 1886 in Oxford. A further 12 children were born while living at Oxford, before the family moved to Stratford in Taranaki in 1908. Two additional children were born while the couple lived in Taranaki. Wilhelm worked on dairy farms while in Taranaki, but struggled to earn enough to support his large family while suffering from ill-health. In 1914 Wilhelm was bankrupted after entering into a sharemilking agreement with insufficient capital, as reported in the following newspaper article.
IN BANKRUPTCY.
A SHAREMILKER'S MISFORTUNE.
A meeting of creditors in the estate of Wilhelm Neithe, sharemilker, was held at the office of the D.O.A., Mr C. A. Budge, on Tuesday afternoon, the creditors present were: Messrs R.J. Hughes, H.E. Harris, W.S. Lockhart, C. E Hollard, H. Priestly (R. Hannah and Co., Ltd.), J. G. Osborne (Osborne and Turnbull), J. W. Yearbury, W. Good (N.Z. Clothing Factory). The bankrupt and his wife (represented by Mr D. Smart) were also present. Mr G. Ryan appeared for Mr H. E. Harris, secured creditor.
The bankrupt's filed petition showed that his total debts amounted to £177 5s 11d and his assets £44, leaving a deficiency of £133 5s 11d. The amounts due to unsecured creditors totaled £133 5s 11d. There was one secured creditor. The list of unsecured creditors is as follows: W. K. Wallace £7 14s lid, M. Barraclough £16 3s 9d, Gray and Barley £8 9s 6d, C. Tonkin £12 4s 11d, Quin Bros. £2 19s 10d, G. C. Sage £6 5s, Hallenstein Bros. £2 15s, N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. £8 14s 9d, W. S. Lockhart £2 5s 5d, R. Hannah and Co., Ltd £1 13s 5d, R. J. Hughes £5 8s 6d, Hawera Bacon Factory £1 8s 6d, E Bach £11, T. Barmby £5, J. W. Yearbury £9, C. E. Hollard £7 14s, Fitzzell and Shaw £9 18s 5d, Cole and Donnelly £2 10s, Dr Paget (Stratford) £11. The only secured creditor is H. E. Harris, grocer, Hawera, the amount of the debt being £105, and the estimated value of the security £60.
The bankrupt, in his written statement, said: "In April of 1908 I came with my wife and 13 of a family to Stratford. I had only a few pounds by me when I arrived in Stratford. I got some casual work, and in July of the same year I commenced milking. The herd was a very small one, and I had never been sharemilking before. My wife was ill for 22 weeks with rheumatic fever, and my mother died, and I had to pay her funeral expenses, and at the end of the season I was about £50 in debt. The following season I went to Okato and worked for Mr William Gray, milking at the wages of £15 per month. The wages barely kept us in food, and I got further into debt. In 1910 I came to sharemilk at Mr Harry Barr's, Inaha, receiving 30 per cent of the milk cheques. We just managed to keep afloat in this place, and I do not think we got further into debt. In the beginning of the milking season of 1911 we came to Mr J. R. Corrigan, who started us milking on his Taiporohenui farm. He paid for our back debts and bought for us a waggon, 3 horses, 19 cows, spring dray and harness, and pig tubs. I was quite unable, without incurring debt, to maintain myself and family on the money I received from Mr Corrigan. During the first season I had to pay out ha wages £1 per week, and during thew second year I had to pay out, on an average, £3 13s per week in wages. In the winter of 1913 I was laid up with rupture for three months, and my wife was ill with rheumatic fever for three months, in the same winter. In July of 1913 we went sharemilking for Mr Henson, Glover road, receiving 40 per cent of the milk cheques and half the pigs and calves. I have had to pay out £6 per week from September 1 last for wages. Mr Henson has been deducting half the cost of the pigs and half the cost of food for the calves. Since I was 12 years of age I have suffered from rupture, and have never been strong. About 14 years ago I underwent an operation in the Christchurch Hospital, and I was unable to do any work for two years. I have altogether 15 of a family, of whom seven are under 16. My present position has been brought about through, my own ill-health, which has prevented me from making enough to maintain my family without incurring debt."
The D.O.A. said that in December last and in January deposits amounting to £50 had been paid by Mrs Neithe on a section in Fantham street. This was from moneys due to two sons, who decided to put their savings into a home for their mother.
Replying to the D.O.A., the bankrupt said he had never kept any books, except one wages book since September 1913.
The D.O.A. read a statement of the transactions between Mr Corrigan and the bankrupt, which showed that at the completion of the contract the bankrupt had been given a cheque for £36 18s l0d. He said there were several matters which required looking into, and the creditors could rest assured that he would do the best for them.
After several matters had been discussed Mr Hughes suggested an adjournment until such time as the D.O.A. had made his enquiries.
The D.O.A. said he would make his enquiries, and if it was necessary would convene another meeting of the creditors. In the meantime, if any three creditors desired a meeting that meeting could be called. He then declared the meeting closed.
Source: Hawera & Normanby Star,, 4 March 1914, Page 4.
Note: D.O.A. abbreviation for Deputy Official Assignee.
Wilhelm and Ida were living in Hawera, Taranaki in 1922, and in Ponsonby, Auckland in 1925 according to electoral rolls. Wilhelm worked as a labourer. Wilhelm died in 1929 and Ida in 1946, both in Auckland. They were both buried Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland.
Source: Sean Rooney's family tree on ancestry.com.
Chris Korte's New Zealand Genealogy Project
1867 - 1929 (62 years)
Has 2 ancestors and 34 descendants in this family tree.
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