INVERCARGILL’S JUBILEE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18352, 16 September 1921, Page 3

INVERCARGILL’S JUBILEE

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MUNICIPALITY. A WEEK OF FESTIVITY. Them commenced in Invercargill last Sunday, by a ImuiKsgiving service in Uio Municipal Theatre, a •‘week of rejoicing” to celebrate the jubilee of the establishment of the town as a municipality. The municipality was proclaimed in 1671, at which time the population was 1900. Fourteen years had elapsed since the first few cottages showed wncro what is now 'lay street was laid oft'. The site of the town had been decided upon in the year 1855, and in 1856 it was surveyed by the late Mr J. T. Thomson, and portion of it laid off. In 1859 the population was 259. In 1861 the Town Board was constituted, and the first meeting was held on September 18 the same year, the members present being Messrs Lind (chairman). Mitchell, Garthwaite, Blacklock, Grieve, Grant, Clarke, and Cheyne The Town Board was dissolved in 1866 owing to a ruling of the Supreme Court that it had no power to levy rates. The rise of Invercargill fortunately took place late enough for the mistakes made in cities like Auckland, Dunedin, and Wellington being avoided. As is well known it was planned with wide streets catting one another at right angles, and providing for a growth to any dimensions. In 1871 only a few streets were built up, and most of the buildings, even in the business blocks, were small and low. The wide streets for many years seemed far too big for the town, and even to-day they do not altogetner escape comment on this score, but the wisdom of the step is being proved year by year, and the city can rest assured that it will never have to face the street-widening problems already only too urgent elsewhere. In 18/1 Seaward

Bush still grew densely within a mile of Tay street, and the few scattered dwellings nestling under it forming the suburb of Appleby were connected with the town by narrow plank footways over the marshy ground. Invercargill was a bleak and desolate looking place in those days, and the colony was undergoing hard times. Wool was the mainstay and prices were low, while the dairy farming industry was unknown and undreamt of. Originally Southland formed part of the provincial district of Otago, but the people grow discontented with the administration of their affairs from Dunedin, complaining that they did not get a fair share of the provincial expenditure, and that in other ways interests were neglected. Agitation was commenced, and eventually in 1861 the district of Murihiku became the province of Southland, with Invercargill as its capital. A Provincial Council was elected, with Dr Menzies as superintendent, and for nine years the people framed their own policy and bore the burden of developing their territory. Few in number, the settlers were soon burdened with difficulties, the needs in the way of roads, bridges, and railways being beyond their power of finance. In eight years a debt of £400,000 had been incurred, and, the ■ difficulties increasing, recourse was had in 1870 to a reunion with Otago. In 1873 the first sod of the railway to connect Invercargill with Dunedin was turned. Coach communication between the two places had been established in 1864, and telegraphic connection extended as far as Christchurch in 1865. However, Invercargill and Southland were still very much “in the rough” in 1871, and the conditions of life, especially in the country,, were most, arduous.

When tno municipality was established the town was divided into four wards. In 1872 the Invercargill Reserves Management Ordinance Act was passed, allotting 121 quarteracre sections, , reserves 'for public gardens and recreation, and 200 acres for a public park. Three years after the establishment of the municipality the population had grown to 2400, and two years later gasworks were established. It. was not for some years, however, that a town supply of water was made available, the problem being a difficult one. The difficulty has continued, and the Water Tower is a distinguishing feature of the city to-day, almost as noted as the wide streets themselves. Drainage was another great problem, and eventually the corporation sought the advice of Mr Merchant (engineer), who put the council on the right track. In 1863

and 1864 buildings were going up rapidly, the Lakes goldfields being then in full swing. The Gabriel’s Gully and later rushes brought a big slump, and the town had to pass through some bad years, recovering only with the rise and prosperity of farming pursuits when the colony was brought into touch with the outside world. Since that time steady progress has been made, Invercargill .being- the centre of one of the finest farming districts in the dominion.

Air W. Wood was the first Mayor, defeating Mr J. W. Mitchell by 191 votes to 140. The first council consisted of Messrs Pratt", G. Lumsden, W. Blackwood, G. Goodwillio, H. Jaggars, R. Tapper, H. T. Ross, and W. Gartliwaite. In 1886 the New River Harbour Board was merged with the municipality. In 1903 the ward system was abolished, in 1905 the Town Hall and Municipal Theatre were built, during 1910 the* suburbs of Avenal, Gladstone, North Invercargill, East portion of South Invercargill, and Lindisfarue and East End amalgamated with the city, in 1910-11 harbour reclamation work was commenced, and in 1912 the electric tramways commenced running. The population has grown steadily with the years until to-day (last census figures) it totals 19,058. During the slump following the exodus to the goldfields, of Otago and elsewhere Invrecargill bore the unenviable pseudonyn of the ‘‘City of Blazes.” There had been a great amount of overbuilding, and property values dropped from greatly inflated amounts to 'almost incredible depths. It was during this bad period that tho lire brigade was established, but it was practically useless owing to lack of water till the waterworks had been established.

THE PIONEERS AND THE CHURCH. lit the thaimsgiving service on Sunday the Mayor (Mr J. inllicrap) referred to the doot the town owed to the pioneers and to the Church. The town had passed through many vicissitudes but now it was almost a city, a town to be proud of. For this they owed a great deal to the early pioneers. Looking back, they found it hard to realise what these pioneers wont through, but whqu they read that the land on which stood the lino building they were id was covered with bush in 1860, they caught some idea of the enormous strides that had been made. This development was attributable to the pluck and courage of those who had blazed the trail —the pluck and courage that led them to abandon the ties they held dear . and - embark to adventure in new, unknown lands. To the Church they owed a great deal, for it was the Church, that in many cases provided the essential spirit of endurance that carried the early settlers through their sea of trouble. As they knew, the first missioner to arrive in New Zealand was the Rev, .Samuel Mtirsden who conducted his Church in the Bay of Islands district. 'Hie first to settle south of Waikouaiti was Mr Wohlers, who took up his quarters at Kuapuke and ministered in that district for a number of years. Invercargill lor a long time depended on Dunedin for its pastors, and the Revs. Barmerman, Wills, and Dr Burns, as well as others, regularly came the arduous journey from the northern centre. The Rev. ilothune had the honour of being the first minister to settle in Invercargill, and he was followed by the Rev. A. H. Stobo, who was pastor in the First Presbyterian Church. These early representatives of the Church had played no mean part in the great work of making a new civilisation, and it was still their ideals which their successors who were at that meeting were bearing aloft to-dav. THE BEGINNING. The earliest known iact relating to the beginning of Invercargill goes back to 1855 when a man named James Kelly built a whare on the site of the town. Ho married a Native, and a year after their marriage neighbours began to arrive on the lonely scene Among them was Mr Peter Dalrymple, who took up 200 acres in Seaward Bush. Mr Dalrymple was not dismayed by the tone of the report presented to the New Zealand Company by Mr I'uckett, its Chief Surveyor, although this report was scarcely encouraging, Southland being summed up as “a more bog and unsuitable for habitation.” Mr Dalrymple was the greatest of Southland's early optimists, and there is something of irony in the fact that ho did not live long enough to see his confidence fully justified. On the site of the town William Lind built a small accommodation house in 1856 and when he made substantial additions to it in the following year it became the Waihopai Hotel. A Mr Clifford soon started as a butcher and killed his first bullock by shooting it on the terrace between Tay and Earth streets. By October, 1856, when the late Mr Thomson was engaged in surveying the town, there was quite a little settlement, but most of the inhabitants were living under canvas. On November 6 the Star arrived in the Estuary with 30 passengers, amongst whom were Mr James Macandrew, who brought with him materials to build a store and merchandise with which to stock it;, the Rev. •

Alexander Bethnne and Mr Thomas Birch. About this time the Survey Office and Bind’s accommodation house were fitted with glass windows, the first to bo used in the town, and on November 10, 1356. at Kelly’s Point, the Rev. A. Bethune preached the first sermon delivered in Invercargill, or cm the mainland of Murihiku. In 1357 a post office was established in Invercargill: the first mail left Dunedin on February 2 and did not reach Invercargill until the 10th. The first sale of town sections took place on March 20, 1857, the upset price being £8 per quarter acre. The largest purchaser was the Chief Surveyor, Mr Thomson. The quarter acre fronting Dee street and Tay street, on which the Bank of New South Wales now stands, was sold for £46. This was a very high price and most of the sections wore knocked down at the upset. The site of the town was deliberately chosen by Mr Thomson. In the course of his report dealing with the matter, he said: “At the junction of the Oreti and Makarewa. Captain Stokes suggested the placing of a town, apparently being unaware that here the land for miles is at times covered several feet by floods, Tho settlors in the neighbourhood found out this to their loss, having had much of their property washed awaj.'nn experience the proof of which could not have come under Captain Stokes’ notice, owing to the unoccupied state of tho country at the time of his visit. As the selection of the site

for the capital of thik part of New Zealand devolved upon me, I may take this opportunity of stating that I decided on the present site after being in possession of the reouisite local knowledge not possible to be obtained by the above officer. An acquaintance with the interior, its topographical features and communications, as well as the completion of a careful survey of the rivers from their embouchures to the heads of their navigation, all combined to point out the head of the Waihopia navigation to be the position for the capital (now called Invercargill). At Invercargill the interior traffic can centre—to hero the seaborne traffic can be brought. It is consequently here that the interchange of merchandise must take place, and people congregate for that purpose. The site of the New River iunction, besides being subject to floods, neither commands practical outlets into the country, nor water communication with the sea for . vessels draw- - ing above 6ft. When I left Invercargill only three houses had been built—-namely, the Survey Office, Mr Mac Andrew’s store, and Mr Lind’s house of accommodation—but as the sections had been sold, great preparations were being mads to commence building operations. The site of Invercargill _ is nearly level, with sufficient fall for drainage and sanitary operations. It stands on a broad estuary, and is bounded on two sides by dense wood. The, scenery in the vicinity is not unpleasing, and, were roads constructed, the spot may be made as agreeable as any in temperate regions.”

THE CELEBRATIONS. The official opening of the celebrations took place on Monday, and tree planting was carried out on Tuesday, at tho No. 2 gardens. On Wednesday there was a special holiday. A monster procession was held to the show grounds, where a sports programme was carried out, with prizes for decorated vehicles. The reception of old identities was held yesterday, and to-day and to-morrow are being devoted to the children. (From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL. September 15. Invercargill is celebrating its 50th birthday as a borough fittingly, but in a manner made less ambitious than might have been tho case had the financial position not made economy imperative to public bodies. The celebrations began with a thanksgiving service last Sunday, and they are being carried on through the week. The first part of the week has been devoted largely to the entertaining of the old identities, and from to-morrow there will be special attractions for the children. The old people are enjoying themselves., More than 300 pioneers who came to the town prior to 1871 are being entertained at luncheons, afternoon teas, and concerts, and reminiscences are flowing like water. The town is gaily decorated with bunting and many of the business people have gone to considerable pains to make their premises more than usually attractive. Of course Southland has produced most of the early settlers ' who have come back to Invercargill for tho occasion, but there is a fair percentage from the north.