DR. A. C. BARKER’S JOURNAL VIII LIFE IN EARLY CHRISTCHURCH

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26515, 1 September 1951, Page 3

DR. A. C. BARKER’S JOURNAL VIII LIFE IN EARLY CHRISTCHURCH

This, the eighth and last of a series of extracts from the journal of Dr. Alfred Charles Barker, who travelled to New Zealand in the Charlotte Jane, one of the First Four Ships. The series concludes with a miscellaneous selection from Dr. Barker's letters written between December 17, 1850, and July 4, 1851. Mr A. L. Barker, daughter-in-law of Dr. Barker, gave permission for the series to be printed. We have as yet been here too short a time to know how we shall get on, but I fear our servants, besides being great plagues, will be very expensive, and that those may think themselves lucky who can secure a mdn and his wife for .£5O and their keep. I trust that a merciful God will guide us through the trying scenes which are always the lot of colonists, but I fear that the association has promised more in the way of assistance than it can possibly give. They have, however. made a capital jetty to land the goods at port Lyttelton, and the road to the plains, though far from finished, seems as far as it has been done to be excellent. We cannot do justice to the beauty of the climate, which far surpasses any I have been in. All the wood, or nearly so. that we were promised we should find ready cut and dried for our houses, has been sold to others, and we expect there will be a great scarcity of this all important article. This is really too bad. for if there was one thing more than another that was continually pressed upon our notice at the association rooms and meetings, it was that they should take care that we should be well supplied with this at a reasonable cost.

Dr. A. C. Barker to his father. Christchurch, N.Z., March 19, 1851

Yesterdav we received, to our great joy, a parcel of letters from home, the first we have received except two by the Lucy Bibbin. The newspapers from Midhurst came up to the 10th October. I should ray that to our intense mortification the whole of the seeds dear Mathias (the" Rev. Mathias Barker—a brother) packed with so much care are totally spoiled and I do not think there is a single one living in the whole. This was owing, apparently, to the walnuts having rotted! and so set up fermentation. Seeds, to ensure safe carriage, should be put in small canvas bags and hung up in the cabin ceiling, otherwise it is a chance whether they come out safely or not. I have had a very kind note from Captain Lawrence of the Charlotte Jane from Sydney, offering, in case he comes out here next autumn, which he most likely will, to take charge of anything for me. If so, would Mat get me ready a warden case full of plants, planted in some time before fastening down. Plenty of oaks, ash trees, as well as young larches, and if he could send me plenty of seeds of the pine tribe, I should be glad. From letters dated Marek 8, 1851, to Joly 12. 1851. Wages are expected to fall in the winter to 2s 6d per day when the Barkers hope to dig their land. Church is held in the new Survey Office rooms. They have sent by • the Bishop a sketch of the interior of their tent, with a duplicate for Mrs Bacon. [lt is this duplicate which has been copied ever since 1906.1 Half an acre is nearly fenced in. House will be one sittingroom, two bedrooms, large attic in the roof, surgery under the tank; there will be kitchen and bedroom for the servants, and the galley under a leanto for washing and cooking. The frame is the chimneys were to have been brick, but they cost £lO a thousand to bring them from port. Have had very heavy rains which flooded our tent. We have only oiled half the tent as it took two gallons of oil to do that at 12s a gallon. Have now oiled the whole. The cow is not a good milker but she supplies us with butter. The Rugby fowls give eggs and pussy thrives on fats. Ate to-day, a jar of walnut pickles, the only jar which was not broken.

July 4, 1851.—Dr. Barker writes of the delightful weather. Mentions has sold three acres of land at £l5 an acre to enable him to work the rest. Flour £4 2s a ton; meat 9d per lb. Colony prospers if they can hold out for two years. Australian goldfields very injurious to New Zealand. Firewood costs 25s a cord equal to coal at £3 a ton. A calf is expected. Hopes to cultivate five acres to provide flour and potatoes for next year. Emma and children very well. Cold very severe. His house lets in the weather. ” (Concluded.)