THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1, 15 November 1861, Page 2

THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.

Th.s passenger by rapid, convejanee cannot tell that he is .movingj unless by fixing his eyes on objects as he passes them, he is unable to .note thai be leaves them behind. As with space so is it \yith time—it is only hy Bvi:i;x the minds' eye t>n- the events of the past, that the dreary interval of long years between it and the present can bo pictured. The rough broken plain the traveller wades through with tlith'cuUy, appears .to him at a distance as he gazes back on it, one unvarying level surface. Even so it is with the past, —the. rough surfaces are smoothed over, the difficult passes disappear,—the memory recollects the spats they "obstructed, but their traces are lostto'detection.. Yet if is good-to'look hack to the past,-—it-is well to remember that the e is .no such thing in existence as rest; that time is-constantly moving on s and that those who do not make progress, necessarily retrograde,—'' they cannot remain stationary, To fcir, indeed, conld a review: of the past be «ccompatu£i;l with- more*.'.pleasant .feelings ihiiik t» tlie early scttiera of Otago, who will never want a more enduring monument to their success than that oi'si monnmentum requiri* t oircumspia* Tiiirieeu years ago the colo'nijsa-

tion of Otago was. simply based on tlie specs* lative ideas of those who believed that frosm the application* of sound principles sonnet effects would follow. The lUw Zealand Company having, with some difficulty, "guff* ceedcd in forcing colonies within its- tcriito* i rle^j readily listened to the plan for forming | one in. the Middle Island, which seemed likely | to bo. accompanied with fewer obstacles than those hitherto interposed* What wider basis could they desire than a community- knitted, together by the associations of'religious 83' m* pathy? The proposition to establish a colony in connection with an association of lay members of the Free Church of Scotland, found ready and zealous supporters. The spot was selected by Colonel Wakciield, and a species of prospectus issued describing the. terms oil which the New Zealand Company was willing ; ta permit, and co-operate firthe "formation of the colony. A certain defined area' of land, comprising 144,G00 acres, wis set aside for tha new colony. This, which was afterwards enlarged, was to be divided into 2,400 properties, each property embracing the three descriptions of lands, town, suburban, and rural,One hundred of the. properties were to he devoted to the .purposes of the 'Church. Minute details were further arranged, and in August 1847, the first brave band'.of-Pilgrim Fathers departed front Scotland's 'shores in the " Philip Laing," to seek their- fortunes in the* new but unknown land. of promise. Within a few days another ship-load was dispatched from London hi the " John Wicfc« Me. The two vessels together .contained 521 .passengers; Let us-endeavour to fancy these I immigrants' arrival at Dunedin, not as it now is, ; but in all the wild picturesque primitiveness Of its early day's.' There were three apologies for dwellings, and the rest was nature in its original state, when •" unadorned adorned the most," But our brave pioneers had little time 'to sentimentalise, —i rork, labour,, toil-; the heads to devise,' the hands to execute, were the stern necessities on which their future ■progress depended, and they were not found wanting. Some made shanties out of the bush; others had thought houses with them; and each member^ the little community a£ .once beset himself to the pursuit he desireel to follow. Stores were furnished by the JSTew Zealand Company-at cost, price. 'Meanwhilefurther ships arrived^ and under the watch* ful yigilence of. Capt.-Cargill, who occupied a semi-official position, the settlement soon dis« played symptoms thriving prosperity. A magistrate was' sent down from the Korthera Island, but he .found scarcely anything to do. A Custom-house was established, and in the course of a couple- of years a sum of £1200 accrued to .the colony from tins source'of revenue, after payment of expenses. The greatest difficulty was felt to know what.to do , with.,the Wichinjt:. until the gordian" knot was. cut,.by the sapient appomtnumt ot a judge, at a salary of £SOof \vho with £400 for travelling expenses, absorbed the whole amount, and re* maincd two years- with scarcely a single case to try. About this time the discovery of gold in Australia eomt&enced tn-everture-ttn' important mHueiice on the condition of Otago. The first .announcement- of it was looked upon as a .death-blow" to the settlement by those who were apt to take a superficial view of things. They saw many departing to Victoria, many more anxious to go if they coiud manage it? and much depression,was felt. But time showed'haw short-sighted'were these views-Aand we cannot too strongly impress this fact on those of our neighbours who are deploring the passing of similar events at thepresent time in Otago, to those that occurred nine years ago in Victoria. Instead of ruin and misery; the Victorian mines exercised s beneficial effect-on'Otago.- The agriculturists found they were enabled to obtain.a certain and lucrative market for.their produce; prices rose, and a large increase of capital shortly made itselj apparent,— : brought back by colonists 'who,'' having met with, more or less success in. Victoria, returned to employ their means in Otago. In 18o2.the Constitution Act was passed, and tlie people of Dunedin were So delighted that they consumed nearly all the candles in the town in illuminating their houses. —The Constitution gave them a Superintendent, and Captain Cargill was worthily ' appointed to a past, the duties of which, without the title, he had hitherto worthily fulfilled. The price of land was reduced from; £-2, to 10s. an acre, and a great impetus was given to agricultural pursuits by the acquirement of bind at the reduced rate. iMiners returning from Victoria, and freshly-arrived immigrants, eagerly invested their means in" laud' at* this figure. Capital also began- to make its appearance in the country, i/i |he shape of speculative in* ■ vestineuts. • Then camje'an era full of great importance to the Colony—the first dawning of ihe. run* holdings-interest, which has since acquired such large proportions. .From the earliest days or the settlement, the. rearing of, sheep was found to be a .profitable occupation, and at* ten tion. was frequently directed to it; but It was not until 18-53 that any marked move* .ment took place^ in pmnoral pursuits. A small body of run holders Commenced piocecub;g*s and —partly in consequence of their success partly owing to the report of tho Provincial Surveyor, Mr. ,7. T. Thomson—a. "rash* took place from the neighbouring Colonies and from iha northern parts of Kew Zealand, every spare acre iv the Province was taken up in runs, In December 1854, there were 59,000 sheep, wlmst iv December 18oor9 r - then umber had increased to 300,000. With the adyent of capital in the Ptt>yuw%

tl® demand for land became id largely increased, that the price was raised to '20s. an ifffe* The principle of hundreds wa& adopted irith the avowed purposes of allowing pereona of sttiftll means to become possessorsof land. Iho'^ run-balding and agricultural Interests Continued to gather iii importance, till nothing teemed - likely tb rival much-more check them. H© one dreamed "of the vast effects to arise ffcom a discovery similar to -that "which has produced such startling results ia Victoria. For years vague rumours had floated about, that gold existed in smalt quantities about the Province. Few thought it worth looking after Ho one in his most sanguine expectations ever dreamed of anything beyond*, an ordinarily $>&yablefield, Wehave comedown to the present time, and what we now write of, hundreds of Our readers can bear us out in. The unfolding of tbe golden wealth of the Province has been like the divulging of ft fairy tale to the major portion of the .inhabitants. As week after week lias brought to light fresh instances of success, as" escort after «cort has presented the tangible evidence of undreamt of weath; the feelings of wondering doubt have given way successively to startled, joyful amazement and f.o unquestioning confidence. Ho more are beard the fears of difficulties concerning the unemployed} .the. streets^ are emptied of those who half supplicated half demanded employment. Business in every hrlnch is prospering in town' 5 the inland navigation is being opened up, and a large and enterprising population is permanently locating Itself on the gold field*. With this number tre are enabled to be tbe first medium of an- , Bouncing the arrival of the largest escort that has yet come down; one that would even have been larger, if the • carts could have brought down more. Since June the gold produce of Otago has reached the extraordinary amount of 109,045 o«. brought down by escort, besides at least 20,000 more brought . flown by private hands. The population, which : in 1854 amounted to 2557, and in 1859 to \ 8706, has been increased in four' months, by ftesh arrivals, to 30,000; and if reports are to be" credited, larger numbers are likely to than have .even yet come down. Bo our readers ask why we have been so Snmute in travelling through the details of the past, we will say that all histories at what€T€r period they commence, have a retrospective introductory chapter. From this day weaspire to be the historical mirror of all that occurs in Otago,—of all that in anyway affects' its history. We have gone through the intro« ductory chapter—we have run through the 'history of the past till we come to the epoch •When the fortnightly production of gold has reached 35,000 ounces. In ourselves we. are the. symbol of the progress of Otago. aSfo one, a few months* back, would-have thought of establishing a daily paper in Dunedin—the. first daily paper in Zealand! The past and the present our readers have before-them— the iuture rests wi th themselves. If they will •wisely avail themselves of the resources which a bounteous Providence has placed at their command; if they avoid alike the dangers of excessive doubtfulness and of reckless confidence; If they will add to discriminating judgment the auxiliaries of energy, perseverance, and Industry, there is no limit to the success which lasay crown their career. i tf they complain that in. our remarks m* have mentioned facts with which they Were previously cognizant, we may plead that, besides their appropriateness to fin ■opening number,.they may serve the purpose ©fa record, when the present Dunedin 'may 550t be recognizable in the large city it will become. The early pioneers of Otago may years Jhtmce turn to these pages and recall, with smngled feelings of thankfulness and triumph, the humble times and the hard efforts of their earliest associations with the great colony, and they may dwell with laudable pride on the success of the place whose first settlement they assisted. Some of them may perhaps pass again through a similar ordeal—may again aid in rescuing from wild prinntiveness a new country. This history to them will speak volumes, it will remind them of the rewards that wait on energetic perseverance, and teach them not to be discouraged by trifling reverses.