WAIKOUAITI PIONEER SETTLERS.

Evening Star, Issue 12764, 17 March 1906, Page 2

WAIKOUAITI PIONEER SETTLERS.

To-morrow is the sixty-sixth anniversarv of the settlement of Waikonaiti. On the 18th March. 1840, the barque Magnet landed the following pasftnigcra:—David Carey, wife, and child; William Kennard, wife, and throe children; Joseph Bral' wife, and child; Fuller and wife: Prior and wife; Glofer, wife, and two children; Thomas Jones, wife, and two children • W. Coleman and wife; B. Coleman, T.ife' and child; Tom Hawkins and wife; William Trotter (overseer), single; and Stanley (carpenter), single. Mr Carey at the time of his death a few years ago* was the oldest sottler in Otago. A daughter Julia Ann, was born in 1841, and was the first white child, while Mr Carey's son James was tho firsfc male child born in the settlements After two years' residence at Waikouaiti (where he encountered very hard times, as for nine months there waa neither potatoes, flour, tea, nor suga* in the settlement, and the food consisted solely of pipis and Maori cabbagejj, the 6ettlera having even to make their own salt). Mr Carey 'eft tho place, and w*mt to Otago Heads, where he settled among the Maoris for six years, until the arrival of the first emigrant vessels. Mr " Carey was the first lighterman and stevedore at Dunedin. At this juncture it may be interesting to state that the first pubtto3i<rase in Otago was (he old Port Charmers Hotel, and the first iii Dunedin was theiold Commercial Hotel, which was erected at the foot of High street., on the sdte now occupied, ]& the Stock Exchange Buildings ; the! first tpker waa the late Mr James Smith, of Greenfield Station; the first doctor was the late Dr Manning; the first chemist, Mr Sutton ; the first brewers were Mr Carey and Mr David Millar, of Port Chalmers, and they were succeeded by the late Mr W Strachan, of Pitt street; "the first tanners were Messrs Bridgraan and M'NerL, of Caversham; the firet flour-millers were the late Mr Edward M-Glashan and the late Mr George B-ancan; and the first whisky was made by: Mr Gkrey and/Mr Ifc was made'out of cabbage tree, which abtajped about the place where,tlsei Grand Hotel now stands. They' had seer> the Maoris chewing the ag£-ift tasting

it they found that it "contained sugar. They .then, (experimented with it by baking and bailing it in an old dry pot and distilling it through the barrel of an old ninsket, After that they made spirits of it, and, coloring it, .took it to Waikouaitij where they spkl it as. rum to the whalers. ; This, of coarse. .vOccurred before" tho settlement, In the'-.: strifes Mr Carey built a hqtel at Bl&eskin, and lived in the district till his death. One of bis sons, William Henry Hutchison Carey, is Irving at Mprnington j and two others—David Hutcnison Carer and George Hutchison, Garey—at Port Chalmers. DUNEDIN BOWLIffGr CLUB. A social gathering was held bv the members of the Dnnedin Bowling Chib in the pavilion last evening for the purpose of spending an evening with a member of the club (Mr Andrew Mowatj, and also of bidding good-bye and bon voyage to Mr R. F. Smith (the late president), who leaves on a visit to the Home Country shortly. Mr T. G. Young presided. In the course of the proceedings a portrait of Mr Mowat was unveiled by the chairman. The portrait, which was executed by Mr O'Keefe, is remarkably lifelike. The Chairman said that in 1887 and 1888, when Mr Mowat occupied the positions of vice-president and president of the club respectively, he devoted the whole of his spare time to the interests of the members. During" his term as president he made a special effort in regard to the questions of reducing the club's debt, getting more members, and endeavoring to redress just grievances. He successfully accomplished the first two, but was a little doubtful regarding the third. Mr Mowat was chairman of the New' Zealand Bowling Association in 1888, and filled that position with very great ability. The chairman, who referred in detail to some of the many valuable services rendered by the guest, concluded by unveiling the portrait, amidst the heartiest of cheering and the singing of 'For he's a jolly good fellow. 1 ' Mr Mowat's health was then drunk with enthusiasm, and the above refrain was repeated with- much vigor. Messrs C. S. Reeves, C. J. Payne, D. Russell, and D. MTnerson also spoke briefly, all paying a tribute to Mr Mowat's worth as a member of the bowling: fraternity,

Mr Mowat said the chainnan had given him credit for doing so much for the club that he felt he must be a much better man than ever he thought he was. However, he had always done his best for the club, but still he felt that he was not entitled to be first selected for the honor that had been conferred upon him, as several other old members had rendered the club invaluable service. *

At a later stage of the proceedino-s Mr P. Miller proposed the health of Mrll. F. Smith (the late president). Mr Miller said that Mr Smith had rendered yeoman service to the club during his term as president, and he wished him a happy voyage, and that he himself, his wife, and the members of his family would enjoy the best of health. In conclusion, Mr Miller presented Mr Smith with a handbag. Mr Smith returned thanks for the members' expression of goodwill, which he took as strong evidence of the good fellowship existing amongst the fraternity of bowlers. The toast of the New Zealand Bowling Association was also honored, being pn£ posed by Mr D. M'Pherson and responded to by Mr C. J. Payne (president of the Association).

During the evening songs were rendered by Messrs Harry Smith. W. Thomson J A. Hopcraft, E. Falck, F. Hendry, and P. Miller, and a recitation was given by Mr D. M'Pherson.