COLDSTREAM ESTATE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 191, 26 May 1934, Page 6

COLDSTREAM ESTATE.

COLONEL STUDHOLME’S ASSOCIATION. EARLY DAYS AT HINDS. With the death of Colonel John Studholme in Christchurch, a direct link with the early days of the Coldstream Estate at Hinds is broken, for the Colonel was the eldest son of Mr John Studholme, who settled there in 1867. Mr John Studholme, senior, who arrived in New Zfealand in 1851,. later became, with his brother under' the firm name of Studholme Brothers, on© of the largest landholders in New Zealand. The firm owned many station properties, including Waimate, Owhaolco, Mangaohane, and Murimutu. Studholme Brothers were almost the first holders of the Coldstream Estate at Hinds, and Mr John Studholme was closely associated with the early days of .this district. Prior to 1887 he held most of the land around the township under Crown lease, which was in that year opened up by the Government for selection in blocks of 50 acres each, the settlers receiving financial assistance to the extent of £2O each for building purposes. The Coldstream Estate was first taken up as a run front the Canterbury Provincial Council early in the fifties, by Messrs Scott and Ernest Gray, the latter of whom was afterwards well-known as a member of the Legislative Council and as the owner of Hoon Hay, near Christchurch. In 1867 these men sold their interest to Messrs John and Michael Studholme, under whose joint ownership it remained until the brothers dissolved partnership in 1878. It then became the sole property of Mr John Studholme, and continued in his hands until he a M. e it over to his eldest son, Colonel Studr holme, in 1890. The original boundaries of the run were the Hinds and Rangitata rivers on the east and west, the sea on the south, and the bid Maronan and Cracroft runs on the north. From these it was divided by a fence running c ose to the railway line. Coldstream had about the same area and the same boundaries us the present Coldstream road district. When purchased by Messrs Studholme the freehold consisted of only a few sections, and consequently few improvements had been made. At that date, too, nearly all that part afterwards known as the Lowcliffe Estate and about 1000 acres of -what is Coldstream, some 12,0UU acres in all, consisted of an impassable swamp which abounded in wild pigs, pukaki and other native game. From 1867 to 1890 the property was under the management of the late Mr O. H. Dowding, who raised the _ flock ot Merino-Lincoln cross to a high standard. Later this was discarded for the English Leicester cross. _ There were some hundreds of acres in plantations some years ago.