1. Have you explored the information in Kura Heritage Collections Online recently?
Several documents relate to settlers from Yugoslavia who came to the Thames area, in particular to the Kauaeranga Valley. The men worked in the bush and looked for gum; with some becoming well known farmers in the valley. Below are some links for information on these families:
- Kauaeranga Valley & Devcich Brothers is available to view online and download. The importance of the kauri logging is covered, along with invoices and paybook details for Dalmatian settlers such as the Devcich's. Mr Simun Devcich "came to New Zealand from Yugoslavia in 1902 and at the age of 17 years commenced work on the gumfields of the Coromandel Peninsula." Page 27.
- Historic Information Boards for the 1979 Centenary Celebrations has details on Thamesite Antonio Sarich. Born: Near Janjina, Peljesac, 1847 Died: Thames, 1926. page 84
- Special Occasions has information on Simun Devcich and his family.
There are 88 items from the Dalmatian Genealogical & Historical Society, from which you are sure to find a lot more information on families who lived (even for a short period) in the Thames - Kauaeranga Valley area.
2. Another source for names of settlers from Yugoslavia / Dalmatia is the 1917 Aliens Register.
Notice of the Registration of Aliens Act (below), where "every alien is required to make application for registration in the prescribed form not later than 1st December, 1917. Alien means a person of either sex not less than fifteen years of ages who is not a British subject either by birth of by naturalization in New Zealand." Auckland War Memorial Museum.
Thames Area Names in 1917 Aliens Register
Source: New Zealand Register of Aliens 1917 : in 2 volumes, pages 120-124
Government Printing Office Publishing, Wellington, New Zealand Pub. Year: 1917
Surname, Firstname: Birthplace, Occupation, Address
Aab, Jacob: Russia, Cook, Kauaeranga Valley
Ah Lom, : China, Market Gardener, Parawai
Angjelinovic, Simun: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Tairua
Barkarich, Kuzina: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Barbalid, Josephine: Austria, Domestic Duties, Kauaeranga Valley
Barbalid, Tudor Nikola: Austria, Farmer, Kauaeranga Valley
Barbarich, Roko: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Barbarich, Thomas: Dalmatia, Farm labourer, Turua
Barbarich, Tony: Dalmatia, Drainer, Turua
Bartularich, Tane: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Tairua
Bartulovich, George: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Bartulovich, Jozepk: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Bartulovich, Toni: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Tairua
Basmalinavich, Albert: Dalmatia, Drainer, Turua
Bilcich, Toma: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Bitech, Petar: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Puriri
Bitech, Petar: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Puriri
Blank, Albert: Germany, Fisherman, Mackay St, Thames
Blumenthal, Kurt George: Germany, Farm labourer, Pipiroa
Boehmert, Alfred: Germany, Gum digger, Gumtown
Bonefacid, Nikola: Austria, Farmer, Kauaeranga Valley
Boravich, Thomas: Dalmatia, Drainer, Turua
Botica, Mijo: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Botica, Visko: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Bratlie, Ingvaed Johan Hanson: Norway, Farmer, Ngatea
Burich, Miho: Dalmatia, Farmer, Hikutaia
Ching, Wong: China, Market Gardener, Totara, Kopu
Claxton, Sarah Ann: United States, Domestic Duties, Parawai
Curin, John M: Dalmatia, Farmer, Kauaeranga Valley
Dazench, Ivan: Dalmatia, Sawyer, Gumtown
Devcich, Antonio: Austria, Domestic Duties, Puriri
Devcich, Grgo: Dalmatia, Dairy-farm hand, Kauaeranga Valley
Devcich, Matya: Dalmatia, Domestic Duties, Puriri
Devcich, Simun: Dalmatia, Farmer and Storekeeper, Puriri
Divich, Mate: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Edwardson, Anthony: Norway, Fisherman, Whangamata
Erceg, Anton: Dalmatia, Storekeeper, Gumtown
Erceg, Jozip: Dalmatia, Storekeeper, Gumtown
Erceg, Nicholas: Dalmatia, Labourer, Kauaeranga Valley
Exelsona, Olaf: Sweden, Old age pensioner, Tairua
Fagerstrom, Ernis Gabrial: Denmark, Farm assistant, Waitakaruru
Fisher, William: Holland, , Tararu Creek, Thames
Fog, Ah: China, Market Gardener, Warahoe
Foo, Ah: China, Market Gardener, Warahoe
Frantovich, Johan: Dalmatia, Farm labourer, Waitakaruri
Garmay, Fred: Dalmatia, Drainer, Turua
Garmay, Tony: Dalmatia, Drainer, Turua
Gin, Lee: China, Market Gardener, Warahoe
Gisler, Francis R: Switzerland, Dairy farmer, Turua
Godfrey, Olufine: Norway, Domestic Duties, Franklin St, Thames
Granville, John: Denmark, Fruitgrower, Kauaeranga Valley
Gundlock, Agnes Magdlene: Norway, Farm assistant, Puru, Waiomio
Gundlock, Johannes: Norway, Farm assistant, Puru, Waiomio
Hangard, Einar Thorvald Hofgard: Denmark, Butter factory assistant, Kopu
Hansen, John Emut: Denmark, Orchardist, Parawai
Hansen, Louise Elizabeth: Germany, Domestic Duties, Parawai
Hollstun, John August: Finland, Farm worker, Turua
Huljish, Andrew: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Huljish, Steave: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Janovich, Jack: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Puketui
Johns, Joseph Peter: France, , Tairua
Johnson, Charles: Denmark, Gardener, Sandes St, Thames
Jonquin, Paul: South America, , Puriri
Jordan, Rudolph: Switzerland, Chauffeur & Gardener, Thames
Juricevich, Ivan: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Juricevich, Nikola: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Kavich, Ivan: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Kavich, Jaze: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Knap, John: Germany, Dairy farmer, Pipiroa
Kon, Ah: China, Market Gardener, Warahoe
Koslich, Savo: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Tairua
Kriskoivich, Balri: Kosia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Kriskoivich, Mate: Kosia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Kristovich, Toni: Croatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Kristovich, Toni: Croatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Lee, Thomas: Norway, Gold miner, Tapu Creek, Tapu
Long, Ah: China, Market Gardener, Warahoe
Long, Ah: China, Market Gardener, Warahoe
Lopes, Ermine Jildo: Cape Verde Island, Labourer, Tairua
Lovrich, Mateo: Austria, Farm assistant, Kauaeranga Valley
Marelich, Toni: Dalmatia, Farm labourer, Puketui
Martin, Robert: Russia, House builder, Turua
Matijasevich, Andria: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Matijasevich, Ivan: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Matyoswich, Peter: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Meyenberg, Sophia Margaretta Anne: Germany, , Tairua
Mialjevic, Jose: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Mijaljevic, Stipe: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Tairua
Mog, Wong: China, Market Gardener, Totara, Kopu
Mood, George Henly: Germany, Old age pensioner, Matatoki
Nicholson, Alex: Sweden, Gum digger, Gumtown
Nielsen, Hans Valdemar: Denmark, Buttermaker, Kopu
Olsen, Fredrick: Sweden, Dairy farmer, Turua
Ostarich, Toni: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Pearson, Peter: Denmark, Dredge Engineer, Sealey St, Thames
Penseler, William: Germany, Fruit farmer, Thames Coast
Penzholz, Auguste: Germany, Domestic Duties, Pipiroa
Piacun, Dinko: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Piacun, Mate: Dalmatia, Farm labourer, Turua
Piacun, Tome: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Pinchs, Martin: Switzerland, Dairy farm Hand, Turua
Pizarun, Mirk: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Pizarun, Toni: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Printise, Nicholas: Chile, Gum digger, Tairua
Radich, Jack: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Puketui
Radovancich, Bartol: Dalmatia, Sawyer, Gumtown
Radovanich, Ivan: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Radovanovich, Antony: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Rangiou
Radovanovich, Frank: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Rolansen, Axel: Norway, Gold miner, Puketui
Ross, Charles: Sweden, Bushman, Hikuai
Ross, John: America, Old age pensioner, Omotui
Rouse, John: Sweden, Bushman, Whangamata
Ruzich, A J K: Austria, Gold miner, Waiomio
Sahor, Tony: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Utamahitai
Sale, Marin: Dalmatia, Labourer, Kauaeranga Valley
Sardelich, Frank: Austria, Farm labourer, Wharepoa
Schmidt, Joseph: Denmark, Farmer, Matatoki
Schwarz, Hermann : Germany, Dairy farmer, Pipiroa
Slavich, Steve: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Slavich, Toni: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Sokolich, Andria: Croatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Sokolich, Ivan: Croatia, Labourer, Kauaeranga Valley
Sokolich, Ivan: Croatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Sokolich, Philip: Croatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Solari, John: Italy, Pensioner, Hikuai
Song, George J: New Caledonia, Bushman, Te Mata, Tapu
Sorensen, Simes Anton: Norway, , Turua
Stewart, Annie: Sweden, Domestic Duties, Turua
Sukovich, August: Croatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Swanson, Alexander: Sweden, Bridge worker, Ngatea
Sylvia, Antonio: Portugal, , Puketui
Tvankovich, George: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Gumtown
Vicira, Manual: Portugal, Stamperman, Nevesville
Vinjovich, Mick: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Vitali, Domenick: Dalmatia, Store Assistant, Gumtown
Vitali, Michael D: Dalmatia, Storekeeper, Gumtown
Vujnovic, Toni: Dalmatia, Gum digger, Hikuai
Zimmerman, August: Germany, Farm labourer, Pipiroa
NB. Spelling variants in translation and transcription efforts. List includes many nationalities.
1908. Kauaeranga Valley, during the logging years, and where many Dalmatian families settled.
Colourised version courtesy of MyHeritage.com
Original Source: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19080611-5-1
