Early Settlers On Otago Subdivision Meet Again

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27876, 26 January 1956, Page 18

Early Settlers On Otago Subdivision Meet Again

Forty-eight years ago last May, some settlers from Canterbury were attracted by the low price of land to inspect the Clydevale Estate in Otago, which was being cut up and offered for selection. Almost all of those who went south took up blocks of the fine estate, which, with the application of lime, turned out to be one of the most successful settlements in Otago. Recently a few of the remaining original settlers gathered at Mr C. F. Overton's home at Sumner to compare notes and revive old memories. Of the few remaining. Messrs R. Seay. S. Hopkins, W. Benny, and Overton met at the reunion. Others still alive were scattered in other districts. The Clydevale Estate was owned by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, and consisted of 32.000 acres, I ell ploughable ground except 1500 acres at the foot of the Blue Mountains, which was broken manuka scrub and tussock country. Most of the estate lay between the junction of the Clutha and Pomahaka ; rivers and the foot of the Elue Moun- i tains. About 4000 acres lay on the J south side of the Pomahaka river, in- ; eluding a large flat called the Burning Plain, a fertile piece of land adja- i cent to smouldering seams of coal beneath the surface. Stock on the station consisted of 00.000 sheep. 300 Clydesdale horses, about 300 head of Hereford cattle, and a Border Leicester stud flock; a team hulloeks was also kept for shifting the portable threshing mill, chaffcutter and other machinery.

The price of land ranged from £l2 Jos an acre for the best on the frontage along the Clutha river, to £3 for lighter blocks, including the 1500 acres unploughed land at the top end. Most of the small blocks from 400 to 800 acres were sold from £6 to £8 an acre. Lime Application With the application of lime on the country the improvement was remarkable; carrying capacity was increased and land that would not grow 30 bushels of wheat is now capable of producing 50 to 60 bushels an acre. The manager of the estate for 45 years was Mr J. R. Mitchell, who on retirement just before the subdivision, bought a block of land at the junction of the Clutha and Pomahaka rivers called Lambourne. With the addition of 500 acres bought at the subdivision, this made a fine block around the Lambourne homestead. At the time of this subdivision the manager was Mr Thomas Macauley, who was taken ill, and Mr Mitchell was again asked to take over during the period of delivery to the new settlers. The first block to be sold was the homestead, of 5000 odd acres, the purchaser being Mr P. Acton Adams; then followed the Douglas block of 5343 acres bought by W. J. Hopkins and Company. The river flat on the Clutha and the terraces facing the river was bought by the manager of Longbeach, Mr Tout.

The Macfarlane block of 5212 acres went to C. Overton and Sons, who called the place Macfarlane Downs. The Wash creek blocks were taken by Bertram and A. Bunn. Mr W. Seay

bought the Round Hill and his brother, Mr R. Seay, took two adjoining blocks. Mr R. Paisley purchased Boggy creek, Mr A. McDonald the block where Wharetoa Post Office was later established, Mr ’J. Tyson selected a small flat on the Pomahaka river, Mr R. Quaife the Little Plain, Mr T. Wilson bought the Stockyard Ridges, Mr R. Buttars the Barley Rridges, Mr J. Cox the Green Hill, and Messrs W. and H. Hall the Little Engineers. The blacksmith, Mr S. Dunlop, bought the shop and a block of land with it, and Mr D. Copeland bought a small paddock at the back of the church.

Over the Pomahaka river the Burning Plain was taken by Mr De Renzie Mathias, and Mr Swan took a block just below the upper Pomahaka bridge.

Several sections lay idle for a year or two. Mr Snushall eventually taking up the Big Plain and the Cattle Ridges, and Mr H. Benny and family bought the Camp Hill block from Mr Hopkins in 1909. Mr C. F. Lucas bought the Chinamans Block. The big Engineers paddock was later taken up by Mr W. Anderson, of Waiwera. 15 From Canterbury Fifteen of the settlers came from Canterbury, and few of those who took up the land in 1907 are alive today. When war broke out in 1914, many of the residents or their sons volunteered and many were killed.

Conditions during the first few years of the settlement were difficult. Homesteads had to be built, trees planted, roads metalled, postal and telephone communication had to be extended, and later, when children were numerous enough, a new school at Wharetoa had to be erected. Transport was dependent on the river steamer, which at times was uncertain. The low state of the river often prevented the approach of the steamer to the different landings. Occasionally she ran on the rocks or sank to the bottom through leaks caused by travelling over the shoals at low water.

Access across the river to the Greenfield side was confined to two punts, one at lower Clydevale and the other at Tuapeka Mouth. The new bridge at Clydevale was not built until 1939.

Today, most of the surviving settlers of 1907 have retired from the land, some of them -returning to the place of their birth in Canterbury. One of them, Mr R. Seay, died a fortnight after the reunion at the age of 82. ’