COLONIAL EXPERIENCE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 879, 10 November 1874, Page 3

COLONIAL EXPERIENCE.

We continue some portions of Mr Barry's recent lecture, delivered in the Town Ilall, so far as regards his career in Otago. Mr Barry proceeded to state that, after losing several thousand pounds, under the circumstances, stated at Brown's Diggings iu the Ballarat district as a furnisher to deepsinking claims, he determined to change the field of his labors. The New Zealand goldfields had ju*t been made known and he had near three thousand pounds left out of the Victorian wreck. He then chartered the Eliza Goddard, for which he bought horses for the Otago market, and realized handsomely out of it Then he was induced to enter into the fish trade to supply the diggings with fish. Started vans for this purpose. Persons who knew he had means persuaded him to go into this. He was advised to go fishing iu the Taieri Lake for mullet. If ever a man was fooled he was this time, for, after spending three days and nights at this lively game, he and his man succeeded in netting throe eels. He was not going to be beaten, however, if he was so ridiculously sold. The people on Waitahuna a Gabriels Gully were looking out for " Barry's fish vans," and he was not to be done. He therefore, at an enormous expense, engaged some boats to go fishing with lines and hooks at the Taieri Heads, so that he might send up the vans. Labor was then scarce and dear, the vans were standing idle and horses and men were " eating their heads off." The men caught the fish, but the price he paid for them was large. He filled two vans with them as they were landed out of the boat, never thinking about getting much for them, and proceeded on to the diggings. He took a butcher named Harrison with him into partnership. They proceeded on to Waitahuna, and very shortly found they were beginning to smell " fishy." He and his mate had then to proceed and take the entrials out of the fish — which they ought to have done at first. The job was not a very nice one, they might be sure, for the fish were getting into that condition which was very good when applied to wild fowls, but disagreeable as regarded the tinny tribe—namely, "gamey." However, they stuck te their work like men and profitted thereby; for, despite the fact named, the vans were rushed and the fish sold " fluently" at 2s 6d per pound. What promised therefore at first to be a ridiculous and foolish venture turned out successful, and realised a handsome profit. He had, however, by this time got " quite full" of the fish trade. Then entered, at Wetherstone's, into the • fell-mongering business, and the catching of wild pigs to fatten, which latter he had tome expert men with dogs to catch.

Amongst these men were Messrs Smitham, Williams, Hancock and other well-known settlers in Otago now. He also was supplying butchers with "small goods"—that is, tripe, puddings, trotters, etc. He was, at the same time, saving a good deal of tallow, which he sent to Dunedin with a man natnei Gitters, who he (Mr Barry) placed confidence in, but that individual sold the tallow on a bill, got it melted, and " sloped" with the money. That winter was a very severe one, and people got very bad with chillblains. An individual came to him one day with very bad feet caused by these. He made him rub his feet with the " skimmings" of the tripe and cow heels from the boilers, which cured him. The man did not know what it was that was given to him, but he soon spread the information, and caused a great rush for the " perfect cure." Of course he at once took advantage of this, and vended the " precious fluid" according to a sign put up —"A perfect cure for chillblains"—install bottles at from 2s 6d to 5s per bottle. But winter was not going to last for ever, and Hartley and Reiily's diggings also started, and the " chillblaiu season" got flat and unprofitable. Business also got bad, and he followed the crowd to the Dunstau. Found people paying enormous prices for meat, and bread was 7s Gil a loaf. He made a good speculation with a few bags of flour lie took up with him, and got £2L a bag for it. The price of meat induced him to go back to his old calling of butcher, but though he bought a shop and staud, he could not obtain any supplies of meat. The squatter at that time on whose run the diggings " lay," had the monopoly of the trade, and Lowe and Sheemau wouldnotsupplvhim. A great many were rushing over to the Kawarau River Junction (now Cromw»ll). He followed, of course, and had to swim the Molyneux (where the bridge now is) his clothes tied on his head. Very few men were able to swim that river. Got a few ounces of gold that day on the beaches of the river. Afterwards went on to Fox's rush—now the Aerow. Was to have joined Grindley, the well-known butcher of Clyde, who had gone ahead with 300 head of wethers, which he sold'at Skippers for Is 9d per pound. Did not, however, join him, but returned to Clyde, where he commenced making " small goods," having for his " pony" a man of the name of Thomas Betts, who proved as good as any pack-horse, being a most powerfully built man. Their first night's work was about £27 between the two, after paying about £lO for material. That showed what money could be nude on a rush by men who were not afraid to turn their hands to anythiug. Followed that business for some time, realizing for several weeks £SO to £7O profit. Soon after that broke through the squatters' laws, and got other slaughtermen to start business He and his mate were then enabled to open a first-class shop, and did a " roaring" trade for some time. Afterwards removed to Cromwell and bought the interest of good will of Mr Robert Wilkin, owner of the Wanaka Station, for £270. Prices for meat then ranged from Is to Is 3d per pound. Soon after a powerful opposition " poured in" to the Kawarau Junction, and he had to resort to cutting against five shops. It was good sport and profit to the public, but almost death to him (Mr Barry.) lie lost a good deal of his capital by this, but was not to be done. Ho put up a sign, " The right uiau in the right place," and sold sheep that cost him 35s for 2s Gd per quarter —and this for five months. He secured a victory. The public presented him with a handsome gold watch and chain; made a public holiday ; a bulbck was roasted ; and a brass band of music played the " Roast beef of old England." The celebration was a tip-top one, but when it came he was about " broke," but a remittance came from New South Wales that put him once more on his feet Soon after the " Municipal Corporations" came [into force he was elected the first Mayor of Cromwell by a large majority, being three times elected in all. During the second year he here again met Sir George Grey,'who he had previously met years before at Port Essington and at Adelaide, when he was Governor there. When his three years were out he found he had to sell about £2OOO of Cromwell property to pay up back arrears. M llallenstein was one of the purchasers, " upon which" he was then putting up a large stone building. He could assure them while he was Mayor he held the reins rather " too tight" and that put him in arrears. It would have been belter had he never seen the " Mayoralty," as he lived up to his means and something over, lie was one of the first pioneers of tho Carrick Range (Cromwell) quartz' reefing. He took up the first claim—the " Royal Standard," and then came to Queenstowu and purchased the Criterion quartz plant, Arrow, from Mr J. W. Robertsou, and put it on the Aurora claim, Bendigo Gully, and lost £1,500 by it. . Got, at that time, notice that he must go to Sydney to be identified for property purchased for him when he was a youth in New South Wales. The property was situate in Bathurst, and was of the value of £IOO,OOO or thereabouts. Before leaving, auother bullock was loasted for him by Mr J. Perriman, and the whole public were invited to a champagne banquet. In Victoria got a draft for £IOO in connection with his claim to property. He had only 3s Gd when ho landed in Victoria, which went in cab fare. In Sydney he obtained £SOO more, but had to take up a number of witnesses to Bathurst, to whom he had to pay £3 3s per week each, besides " champagning them up" all the time. This soon made his money come " slack." Altogether he spent £7OO in nine months with seeing " high life below stairs," and other matters which brought his purse once more " low." He visited, during this time, the tin, copper, cinnabar, antimony, and plumbago mines, and the copper works in New South Wales, and obtained specimens, aud acquired the information upon which ho had previously given lectures. In leaving New South Wales he had a commission from a wealthy band of mining speculators and a copper company —with whom money was no object —to take up any mineral resources that he (Mr Barry) considered could be worked with advantage. The

lecturer theu referred to the Moke Creek copper lode; the seeding of two cwt of " virgin ore" toSvdney; the trial ofitlhi j re; the approval it nut; and the instructions he reeeivi d to take ii up, but which he had battled for with the Government unsuccessfully. The mine had been locked up, aud Duucdin speculators, who had kept it " laving dormant" for the last six years, succeeded again in frustrating him. 110 assured them that such action was ruinous to their trade. They had lost a fine chance for tho introduction of capital, as the company he represented would not have spared £IOO,OOO. He was quite certain that they possessed valuable mineral resources here, and at other places in Otago. They only required " the pioneers" of the country to devote their time and mouey to other minerals outside of the gold, and they would bo doing a service to the country and themselves. They might see what was being done in New South Wales in this way. Mr Barry then referred to his career in this town, and pointed out some of the opportunities before it. He alluded to one sign of advancement particularly —the arrival in such excellent time of a four-horse mail coach passing over the bad roads he had spoken of when the goldfields were first opened. He would now bring his remarks to a conclusion. He had given them briefly the result of his forty-six years' experience, and if they had learnt anything from it he would be glad. He was about to return to New South Wales again to look after his property, and they would no doubt see him once more on his feet, for ho still possessed, ho was glad to say, strength and energy. As previously mentioned, a vote of thanks to the lecturer was carried with acclamation.