AN HISTORIC COTTAGE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 15 June 1920, Page 2

AN HISTORIC COTTAGE.

A rare old coin has I/eon found during the work of removing the late Sir John Logan Campbell’s cottage in O’ConnelT-strcet,. Auckland. This was a half-farthing, bearing the date of 1843, It will probably be donated to the Old Colonists’ Museum. Some additional facts in regard to the purchase of the timber for the erection of Acacia Cottage, as the ancient residence was called, were sup--plied by Mr A. S. Bankart, who is a trustee in the estate, as follows: — “Dr Campbell wont to Whangaron, where he met Air AV. Spickman, who was employing sawyers at that place, and purchased the timber from him.! The price agreed upon was £75. As there was no hank in those days, Or Campbell took with him a bag of silver, contained in a Sydney bank’s bag and branded ‘£loo silver.’ On opening the bag, to their consternation. the silver proved to be in 4d bits. Neither Dr Campbell nor Mi Spickman were pleased at the task in front of them of counting this mass of coin, and it was ultimately agreed that they should count out £25 worth, which Dr Campbell should retain, and the balance should be; accepted by Mr Spiekman as representing £75. As no complaint was ever made, it may bo assumed that the officers■ of the bank in Sydney were in their counting" The trees from which the boards were cut grew at Whangaroa, and overlooked the harbour made notorious in the early days of JMew Zealand as the scene of-the massacre of the crew of the Boyd.”s Acacia cottage was actually the first weather-board building to be erected in Auckland, and the trustees of Sir John’s estate would be justified in going to any expense in order to preserve such an interesting relic for the citizens of Auckland. Borne place could, no doubt, be found tor a site for its re-erection in Cornwall _ Park, either near the projected children’s playground, or near the kiosk.