Histories

Mr. Henry Welch, the Rabbit Inspector for Pahiatua County, is a gentleman well known not only in his present district, but throughout the eastern half of the province. He is a son of the late Mr. Henry Welch, of Opaki, near Masterton—who came to the Colony with his parents early in 1840–and therefore a member of the renowned Welch family. The late Mr. Henry Welch and his three brothers settled in the Hutt Valley in the early days, and in 1873 removed into the Masterton district.
That they were of the genuine material needed for the subduing of rough country may be inferred from the fact that their sons, now mainly resident in and around Masterton, constitute one of the most formidable football teams to be found in any county in the Colony. The Masterton Football Club, which on at least one occasion beat the Christchurch Club, succeeded only in drawing the game with the Welch family.
The accompanying group shows eighteen members of the family. Seven are the sons of the late Mr. Henry Welch, five are sons of the late Mr. Wm. Welch, three of Mr. J. R. Welch, himself one of the party, and two of the late Mr. Richard Welch.
In cricket the prowess of the family is only less remarkable. The cricket matches in which they have engaged have been mainly against private teams, such as the Wairarapa Farmers' Association Club, but in all cases the Welch family have proved victorious.
In all athletic exercises the members of the Welch family have been prominent, several championships being held by various members, including the standing high jump, putting the stone, tossing the caber, vaulting and running. Four on the family have on several occasions been chosen to represent the Wairarapa in football matches. Mr. Harold Welch, the huntsman of the Wairarapa Hunt Club, in 1895 made a record as a rider at the Wairarapa Agricultural Show's jumping contest. In three events the horses ridden by him took the three first and three second prizes.
The subject of this notice (Henry) was born at the Lower Hutt. He was educated in Masterton, first at the public school there, and afterwards by private tuition. For some three or four years he worked on his father's farm at Opaki, and after about three years practical experience in rabbiting, joined the Stock Department, superintending the extermination of the rabbits on Crown lands. Efficient service in this position led to his appointment, in 1892, to the post of rabbit inspector.
In the first two years his duties were confined to the Masterton district, but the rapid extension of settlement in the Pahiatua County necessitated Mr. Welch's removal thither. His present district is exceedingly rough, a very large proportion of the country being so broken as to be quite inaccessible on horseback. Notwithstanding this, Mr. Welch's district is carefully and constantly inspected, and the great stock-carrying capacity of the land throughout the country shows very plainly that the rabbits are being kept well under. Mr. Welch is exceedingly popular throughout his district, which, of course, speaks well for his impartiality as an inspector.
In his days of greater leisure Mr. Welch took an active part in connection with the Wairarapa Hunt Club, following the hounds in all the principal hunts. He still occasionally rides with the Woodlands Club.
Mr. Welch is a prominent member of the North Wairarapa Gun Club, and a capital shot, several prizes for pigeon shooting having been carried off by him. He destroys in this way quite a large number of rabbits in his peregrinations, accompanied by his dogs, and is always willing to advise and help the settlers in such important matters as mixing and laying poisoned food, and all other methods of exterminating the pest.