OTAGO EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13210, 17 February 1905, Page 6

OTAGO EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

SIXTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF WAIKOUAITI.--

The early settlers of Waikouaiti and surrounding districts held their annual gathering at Waikouaiti yesterday, when. there was ail attcndauce' of between 800 and 1000 persons. The proceeding!) this year had an added attraction in the fact that the sixty-fifth anniversary of tho arrival of tho Magnet at tho port was celebrated concurrently, with''the old settlers' picnic. Tho latter event was anticipated by, a fewweeks, as tho actual date on' which (lie vessel arrived was tho 16lli o[ March, 1840. Very few of the original passengers by the Magnet survive, those remaining being Mrs Joseph Beal and her daughter Mrs E. W. Durden, Mrs Peter Williams (formerly Mrs Coleman, nee Corey) and her daughters Mrs M. Wolsey and Mrs P. Shanks (PortChalmers). Mrs E. Burns (Kennard), of Gore, and Mr W. Kennard, of Waiinate. Tho Magnet was -brought to Waikouaiti under the charge of Mr Thomas Jones, a brother of the lain Mr John Jones, from Sydney, on fho date above-mentioned, .and although the settlers who arrived by tho vessel are recognised as the first settlers whalers had been at the port and on the coast, from as early as 1828 and 1850. The settlement of Waikouaiti. therefore, dates as ti;e earliest in New Zealand, and Cherry Farm claims the distinction of heing the first farm in the colony. With historical circumstances such as these surrounding the district- it is not a matter for surprise that such a movement as that of the Early Settlers' Association appeals strongly to residents of the district, and that a large annual gathering follows as a matter of course, The preparations for the day wero complete in every respect.. A committee of Isdics, comprising Mesdames 11. Templctoh, W. Maxwell, Hallum, Nihil), Diack, Bates, Allcock, D. Shand, R. Nclmos, Puddy, Beasley. M'Gill, Williams, and Summers, and Misses Diack, Allcock, Thompson, Templeton, and others, sunervised the distribution of liberal supplies of eatables and tea, and a strong Committee of Management, of whom Mr it. Temnleton (Mayor) and ifr H. Heckler (secretary) were members, controlled' the general arrangements. Music, was supplied during the day by a pipe _Jtand from the Industrial School, and also Cy the Waikouaiti Brass Band, under Mr G. J. L. Kerr, bandmaster, and in connection with the latter band it may be mentioned that there were three lady rerformers. The gathering was held in the Domain, which has recently been considerably improved by the erection of a pavilion and otherwise, and the pieturesqueness of which is enhanced by tho neighbouring public school gardens that are at present in full bloom. The gathering, like the ones recently held at Taicri and Milton, was attended by a large number of early settlers, and Mr 1. Langland's was also present during the day. Tho Mayor (Mr U. Templeton) _ apologised for the absence of the president of the association and also for Dr Fulton. At an interval in tho proceedings during the afternoon a number of speeches were delivered, which were attentively listened to. Mr Duke, on behalf of the Early Settlers Association, thanked the residents of Wai kouaiti and the surrounding districts for their attendance in such large numbers at the northern gathering. Their gatherings wero advancing in popularity all over Otago, and tho association, he was glad to know, was yearly increasing in numerical and financial strength. Some of the. causes that contributed to this result was that they held social gatherings in tho winter and picnics m dijTorc.nt districts in tho suinmer. The district tliny were in was. one of the earliest, if not the earliest rettlement in Otago, anil what the early sett,lets bad done in bygone days was evident in tho cultivated fields they saw around them, not, forgetting the little Garden of Eden which the school children had established close to the Domain, where they were assembled. There should bo, and be was sure there would be, some objcct attained by their frequent gatherings, and if thev had a long pull, a strong pull, and a null together, t.ho something to lie attained would bo in the shape of a permanent monument to the. memory of the early settlers in Dunedin. The earlv settlers had come to tho colony when it eas a wilderness, and they had made it blossom Jil <> the rose, and tho people who did a work of that kind deserved their memories perpetuated in a substantial way.—(Applause.) Mr James Allen, M.H.R., said it seemed to him they had to look on the early settlers in two ways. One of these ways was in the light of the early bird that catches tho worm. Ho asked: How many of the large number who were assembled that- dav had secured a (rood piece of land which they had cultivated, and from which they had derived an income which permitted them to spend their declining years in rest and comfort? He hoped there were many of such, and that, they would last long to enjoy tho fruits of their labours. Mnnv of them had' taken up-land in that d!»irict in tho hone and belief that Wnik'>uiti would be the harbour of Olago, and "int might come, u.crhaos, some day. Some of them, no doubt, had missed tl"* early worm, not because thev did not wish to pow*s it, but, horauso they wished merely to nink« a modest homo for themselves and to assist others to make homes for themselves. He .said all honour to such people and to the colonisincr work in which thev had tak«n part. They bad. secondly, to look on the early settlers s strong men and women, with willing bends, who had, as it had l>pen said, put forth their efforts to cultivate the wilderness. Hseemed to b>m they had come with a stron.'. punjose and a good purpose, and with the will and determination to carry it out. Plow thev had succeeded, the position of the colony that dav testified to.—(Applause.) The generation nf (o-dav owed the enriy settlers a great deal for their se! f -sacrif\c.>. first in leaving the Hnmplnml and its comforts to come here, and in the next place, after coming here, for their patient, the r enerretie. and their hard foil in lavin. the foundation of a colony which aJreadv bad begun build 'in '-s hisi-orv and its traditions. Thev had left a land with a histon- and w'th traditions, and what Ihrv had dono rrflrct-ed crcdfr unon flip land from which they came, and their work and their labour, and tho results tliey had' achieved, would assist to cnKmroir* that land to lather up its strength and nut fo"t'| similar effort a «<l t-'vomw "fifort ; n continue such work elsewhere. The early settlers and their descendants had formed roads and built- railways, made- hm-bcurs and wharves, and bad made laws which made the colonv a safe place for a man to live in, and they had just reason to be proud of their work. Only a few days ago, at Port Chalmers, thev bad one of the, largestof bis Majesty's shins visiting them. And that fact had a lesson which they should not eeasa tn rememl""': tint they were a part of tho Empire. They should not forget that their fathers and mothers came from the Homeland, that they were a part of that Homeland, that the Homeland and all its parts constituted one whole, and their endeavour should be to mako <ho whole stronger. And if that was done they would be'able to say to other nations, "We claim the right to live at peace." Tn order to preserve that position they must be.strong as a united whole and be well protected in everv part of Ihe Empire, and if they wo-'t. on in the future as they had done in tho past they would maintain that position.— (Annlause.)

Mr T. Mackenzie, M.11.R., after thanking the local secretary of the Burly Settlers' League (Sir H. Heckler) for his invitation to be present- at that gathering, said ho had listened with pleasure to the eloquent addresses of Mr Duke and Mr J. Allen. The former had referred, to the neisrhbonrinir school children's garden as a "Garden.of Eden." but in describing it he had only mentioned that flowers and vegetables grow there. Now, to be a Garden of Eden there should be an apple tree i'"d on Eve, nnd they wero not there.—(LaHghto.) His friend Mr Al'en had referred to tho anticipation that Waikoimiti-would lie the port of Olaro, and that it would possibly be so some day. He was afraid there was not much hope of such an anticipation being realised,- 36 there were iiiFunerable difficulties in tho way,' and one of those difficulties would bo that if "Waikouaiti became the port their friends in Dimedin would want to dredge a canal through the hills to take the shipping to Dunedin.—(Laughter.) He would, however, say this: that if."the'port of Otago had been at Waikouaiti instead

of Dunedin the TVaikouaiti people could not possibly. liavo made a greater bungle of it than sorno of the Harbour. Bflards in Dunedin had done. The manner in which they had mismanaged- the harbour had resulted in shipping being frightened away from it instead of being attracted to it. He would say no more on that Subject just'then,, but would refer to tiio early settlers and the memories that the annual gatherings aroused. Thero was a touch of melancholy about those gatherings, as each year Mr Langlands, their recorcK and organising general secretary, had a list of thoso who had finished their labours. Thoso labours wero characterised, by industry, frugality, economy, and, far-seeing intelligence—qualifications which ,he felt were being departed from under their-pre-sent conditions. The colony had never suffered Horn what other, countries suffered from, and they' had made' laws to meet evils which did not exist. That was one of the dangers that threatened th'eir development oil tho lines laid donii by the early settlers, and it was the pernicious legislation of their Parliament, that interfered with everyone' and everything, that they had to deplore. . What they should do was to got back to .the sound principles and the practical examples of their fathers and mothers, and Ibey would ' prosper.—(Applause.) Such gatherings as they had that day served to remind them of these things—they were educational, they ilitf good, ami they deserved io lie encournged in every possible way. They wero assembled Unit day at a snot which was the most historical in New Zealand, as the earliest of the whalers, before the advent of first settlers,.had settled there, and had carried on their work and established their homes at TVaikouaiti. Their descendants were there to the present day, a hardly, industrious, and good people, who, with the early settlers, had assisted ill no small degree io make 0ta?o what it ltov was. 110 hoped they would prosper, and that their children would prosper, and that thoso of the early days Would be spared to meet on many such occasions.—(Apnlause.) Mr TV. C. Ancell. a former resident of the district, also addressed those present, and congratulated tho district on its progress during the past 25 years, which, though not rapid, was none the less satisfactory. '

■Mr John Duncan, one of the early settlers, who was received with annlause, said lie was pleased to poo so largo a gathering. Their gatherings wore always largely attended, and he would be sorry if, through some caprice of the weather, any one of the gatherings should - bo interfered with. The members of the association, ho understood, numbered 1000, and ho would like to see a hall built nn the ground they had purchased in Dunedin, where they might meet not once a year, but often every year, and talk together, and consult their old and historical records. And he was prepared to 'say this: That littler something of the kind ho had suggested were done there was a danger that their association might 'fall to the grojilld. _ I'hcy had' an energetic and able chairman in Mr Donald J'eid. and a valuable secretary in Mr Langlands. but. these, and the other officers required to be assisted by the members if they were to brine to a successful conclusion the proposal to build an old sottlers' hall in Dunedin on the. ground in Moray place which they had purchased for tho purpose. The. cost of the premises to be creeled, ho understood, v/onld be £2500, and with a membership of 1000. each of whom might, contribute what ho could, they should be able to Taise the sum required'. ITn was sure ninny of the old settlers would die liapnv if they could see such a work as that_ completed, and he suggested that a snbserintion list, should be started for the purpose, and amours collected at each of their annual gathering.— (Applause.) _ A programme of snorts, for which some liberal prizes were given, formed a of the (lav's proceedings, and tho following ore the results:— Young Ladies' lUce (prize, a silver tea-pot)-Miss Cockerill 1, Mis 3 Thornburn 2, Miss A. Hal-Hun 3. Boys' Kace (under 12).— Aitcheson 1, Stewart 2, Borrows 3. Girls' Usee (under 32).—Violet Harper 1, Lilly Aitcheson 2, J. Da-vid-son and 11 • Cumbeibeacli (pounl) 3. Boys' Eace (under 15).—A. Taylor 1," J. Aitcheson 2, C. Taylor 3. Girls Jta'/'c (under 15).—Kate Summers 1, Dorothy Maxwell 2. Ada ll'Giil 3. Boys' Three-legged Race.—A. Stewart'and T. Johnstone 1, A. Sutherland and H. Maxwell 2. Married Men's Race.—A. Park, lyd, 1; T. II Ward, scr, 2; E. Aitcheson. 7yds, 3, Some tugs-of-v.-ar were also included. The whole proceedings wound up with a largely-attended' concert ill the Mechanics Institute in tho evening.