“Erewhon” Field Day
“‘Erewhon’ is a work that seems to be growing in stature,” Dr. P. B. Maling, chairman of the Canterbury committee of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, said at a field day at Mesopotamia Station on Saturday. The field day, which was attended by more than 300 persons, was organised by the South Canterbury committee of the trust. It was held at Mesopotamia, in the headwater country of the Rang!tata river, to heighten public interest in Samuel Butler, the novelist who was the first holder of the run. Butler was in the area from 1860 until 1864. While at Mesopotamia, he wrote for “The Press” a series of articles which formed the basis of his novel “Erewhon.” Dr. Maling spoke at Forest Creek, near the site of Butler’s original hut, and again at the station homestead, on the site of the author’s cottage. The present runholder, Mr M. V. Prouting, spoke beside the grave of Dr. Andrew Sinclair, a botanist who was State secretary of the colonial Government under Sir George Grey. Dr. Sinclair was drowned in Butler’s time, while trying to cross the Rangitata.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19661121.2.105
Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31222, 21 November 1966, Page 12
Word Count
188“Erewhon” Field Day Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31222, 21 November 1966, Page 12
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.