OTAGO EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11113, 14 May 1898, Page 6

OTAGO EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the Otago Early' Settlers' j Association was held in the Chamber of Commsrce on Thursday. Ssr Donald Reid, Jan. (chairman of committee) presided, and despite the very inclement r weather there were about 30 present: ? ' ; ; ' Mr Peter Duncan (secretary)5 reported that the committee had received intimations from the following notifying tbeir acceptance of office:—Mr B. B. C&rgill (preaident), Messrs Doaald Reid, ssn., Joho. Reid, A. J. Burns, J. Walker Bain, Dr Hooken, and the Rev. Mr Will. The committee also recommended that the committee consist of 12 members instead ; of nine. Mr Adams had been urged- to' accept, the secretaryship, but he found himself unabie; to fulfil'the duties, and the comrnitfeee .had aslred him (Mr Duncan) to accept the posi-, tion. —(Applause). It would therefore be^ necessary to elect another meinbar on the committee in placg of himself. '■•• . The Chairman -said that the first' business was the adoption of the rales as altered in tho amendment slips circulated amongst those present. The amended rules provided for 12 inember3 of committee instead of nine; that the secretary -should call a wealing on receipt of'a requisition from-10 .members; the empowerment of the commitfcea to ,fi!l up vacaucios occurring iv the number; and the submission of a balance sheet, annuaiiy by the treasurer. • ■ On tbe motion of Dr Fulton, seconded by Mr Ohalmer, the following were elected as additional members of the committee; — Robert Knox, Jas. Stneaton, W. G. Somsrville, and John Wood. . ■ The following were elected as auditors:— Messrs Mbnkmau and Monson. , Alotter was read from Mr Archibald Barr, who regretted his inability to attend through feeble health—not that any' services of his could be of any value, but because of tha interest he felt in such an association. He had long felt that unless perpetuated by such a society all interest in those they sought to keep in mind must soon pass away, and even our own young folks grow up in igaorance of the character and ways of their forefathers. The Chairman stated that Dr Hocken wn.B to have been present, but was prevented from attending through a professional engagement. He need not say how much pleasure it gave him and the rsafc of the association when Mr Oargill and the gentlemen who had been elected vice-presidents had consented so readily and so heartily to fill the positions.—(Applause.) He believed that the association could do a great deal of good, and could make thiag3 pleasantfor the country membei'H when they came to town.—(Applause.) Before calling upon Mr Cargill to take fche chair he read letters from the Rev, W. Will (Bast Taieri), J. Walker Bain (Invercargill), John Raid (Dunedin), and Dr Hocken acknowledging the distinction conferred upon them by their election as vice-pre-sidfsuts of tho association. Mr Cabgim. then took the chair amidst; applau3«. He said that he felt very much gratified at being elected a membsr of the association, tho purposes of which had hia very heartiest support and concurrence. He thought nething could be more fit at the present time immediately after celebrating the Jubilee of the settlement than that something phoald b3 done to place on permanent rword and to unita together in a common bond those who took part in the formation of tha settlement—the earliest settlers and pionesrs of Otago.' It was always ■a good thing amongst paople who had Bomathing in common to hsve a bond of union for a ! good purpose, and surely the cultivation of ! kindly recollections and a common bond of sympathy auaengat those who,took part in a work of early settlement was a good purpose.— . (Applause.) The period assigaed for those who j were to be eligible to join the society was 1861, I and this indicated a point of time when a con- i siderable change came over, t'ae settlement from • the influx of large numbers of new people, principally from Australia, drawn hare bythe discovery of gold. They knew -that tkooe who' came here, allured by the gold, had dpno great things for this country. They were a remarkably fine body of men—bVderly, law-abiding, ■ industrious, enterprising,—men who searched 1 out the most remote parts of the coiony, and , did a great deal towa.r.dsPthat^rapid growth I" which had taken pia'ce' .^fi'ona that tirao ; onwards. In fact ; gold /fulfilled the i purpose in Otago that it had accom--1 plished in other parts of fche world.-, They ! had seen country in California, onco only occupied by'cattle,'''now "converted into the wealthiest districts of the1 United States.: In .Australia on vast tracts of country where there were once only sheepi farina, with little prospect o? there being anything else, there now existed a large population; while in South Africa, although .not.quite the sanae;results v ,had beeu aghieved, a. ' similar state of things would bo brought about in time to come. But while a great deal of credit was due to the men who thus came to' seek for gold, those who came before thaV psriod. and particularly those who landed in the first ships, were in quite a different position.; They did not come here as hunters of gold and, with the idea that they were feuddeuly to fee*;! cdme rich, but they came with humbler, yet at' the same time nobler motives—namely, to; found homes fof their families, and to prepare tfciu fine country for the occupation of their felr lows who might follow affcnr them.—(Applause.), They were paople who succeeded iv stamping their character on tha connnuQity, % and to this day it had not lost tha f benefit of it. If the association did nothing j better th&n to secure the names of as many as j possible of these pioneeri, they would do some-.-. j thing which generations who would come hereafter would be thankful for. It was sad to think that a gran5; many who came out here in; the first few ,y3;uV' were passiug. away rapidly, and a very, short time must elapse when oven: those who cams v:» to 1861 must disappear.-; Personally he had been hera since 1857, and although hii did not corns direct in the firstships, ne was, as they knew, closely conueefced with tho3e who did—his fatter, Captain Cargill, and other 3 belonging to him having arrived here.—(Apjllauee.) With these he had kept up 3 regular communication, and therefore ho could ciaim as much as those who actually did arriva during the very early period. He expressed a -hope.thai tha' association would ••prove abundantly 'fruitml' ia tie ujsSjful purjabse for which it was inntitutfe, —(Apjjjiyuge.)',,' '?,'\ Mi* Donalb Reid, SKN.,:sai:a he did not intend to mate a speech that evenjng, but he had listened with -very gceaC'toterest to the stirring address of the presidentt It reminded him of when they used.to■ hear Mr> Cargill delivering addresses in the olden days.—(Laughter and applause.) He thanked the association for the honour it had conferred on him in electing him as a vice-president. He hoped the associanion would prosper; and although it was cot a benefit society, he would like to see it develop to such an extent that it might lend aseistancß | which would be acceptable to those who had I not been «o suecsaoful iv life.—(Applause.) j The SECRaTAKr stated that in connection with | Me Reid's remarks regarding addresses delirerfcil I by Mr Cargill in the olden days, he was jusb reading an account published in a uawspaper of January 20, 1860, of an election, and where it . stated that after the poll had been declared ', ■?• the candidates strongly addressed each other." (Laughter.') ' ' i ■;. The Secketa&y stated that oao of the objects of the association was to collect documents and books relating to the early 'settlement,, and Dr Falton. had shown a good example by already sending in contributions-;of literature;—(Ap■plause.)' Tha meeting then lapsed into an informal gathering, and those present engaged'.iu the J discussion of various topic 3 pertaining to the I association. . " '__