EARLY HISTORY OF THE SOUTH ISLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13097, 9 February 1906, Page 5

EARLY HISTORY OF THE SOUTH ISLAND.

SOME BIG LAND CLAIMS.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.]

Duxedix. Thursday. Some early history of the South Island was brought to light by T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., at the gathering of early settlers at WaikoLia.iti yesterday. He said when searching up early history records he found that the first whaling station in the South Island was established at Preservation Inlet in 1829 by Captain Williams, and that the whaling fishery at Waikouaiti extended from 1837 to Kwo. The first whaling -was carried on by Messrs. Wright and Lang, and the late Mr. -John Jones was their successor. During the six years whaling- 448 tuns of oil were procured, and 4£ tons of tone were exported. The possibilities of Waikouaiti district, as a field for settlement, combined with its natural beauties, did not escape the observation of the enterprising John Jones, and he acquired land and set afoot the first efforts to settle the district. In connection with his claims for land lie was finally awarded by Sir Ccorge Grey 2560 acres, for which about £4000 was paid. According to the Sydney records lie claimed 1,880,000 acres in Ota go. In those good old days the land nationalism's and single taxcrs would have had a large field for tlre-ir operations. John Jones, however, paid over £1 per acre for his Waikouaiti land, and was modest in his demands, as compared with other land grabbers. There was, for example, one enterprising speculator, whose modesty in land claims did not exceed 7,000,000 acres, and as far as at present could be discovered £97 was the sum alleged to have boon paid for this village allotment. His modesty, however, was exceeded by the " skelp" of country claimed by another speculator, who put hi a claim for 20,000,000 acres. Summing up tho position he found that some five speculators laid claims for four-fifths of the land of the South Island.