OTAGO CENTRAL TO 1862

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21924, 8 April 1933, Page 2

OTAGO CENTRAL TO 1862

Specially written for the Otago Daily Times. By H. Beattie. lII.—THE EARLIEST RUNS. It is generally understood that Shcnuan Bros, were the first to apply for a run in the Central, but the records do not bear this out, although it is probable they were the first to place sheep on a Central run. Their application was made in January or February, 1858, and they had sheep at Manuherikia in April. Their application for this run was numbered 220, so it is well to note district applications prior to it. This historic list is inserted as originally stated, but the localities were described with the usual territorial vagueness of that period, so a more modern approximation is given in parentheses:— Run No. 199. —J. Cargill, Clutha North (Teviot). 200. —Walter Miller, Clutha North (Ormaglade). 203. —William Alfred Blundell, Waitaki South (Longlands), 204. —Thomas Rowley, Taicri South (Sowburn). 205. —P. B. Boulton, Waitaki South (Taieri Lake). 200. —John Borton, Taieri Lake District (Lower Kyeburn), 210. —Charles Elliott, Taieri Lake District (Mare Burn). 211. —Alex. M'Master, Taieri Lake District (Upper Kyeburn). 213.—Harris and Lines, South Taieri (Strath Taieri). 218. —A. K. B. Thomson, South Taieri (Strath Taieri). 219. —Hayward and Lang, Taieri North (Hog Burn). 220. —A. and W. Sheonan, Clutha East (Galloway). (It may be added here that Sheenan was a common misprint for Shennan in early documents.) It will be perceived from this lis. that at the end of 1857 land-hungry squatters were pressing into the Central in search of runs and that almost simultaneously they were approaching it from the south, the south-east, the east, and the northeast sides. The individual runs will now claim our attention. When Mr W. Shennan passed over the Teviot in December, 1857, he saw no sign of human habitation, but some time about then Mr J. Cargill applied for the ground, and it was numbered run 199. He already owned a run further south, as the following reminiscence shows: —“Mr and Mrs Peter Robertson in 1858 went to work on Cargill’s Tuapeka run, later bought by Murray and Musgrave. On the journey they crossed the flooded Taieri, were weather-bound, and continued the journey in a small dray drawn by two bullocks. At Roxburgh home station, owned by Walter Miller, they stopped six weeks to break in fresh buL locks. The dray got stuck in the midst of the Waitahuna River, and again in the creek near Livingstones. Mrs Robertson, carrying a child, walked wearily on till in sight of her new home, when she gave way from sheer exhaustion. Cargill’s station was at the head of what is now known as Clarke’s Flat.”

When Mr Cargill took up his new run at Teviot he set about stocking it, a task which he did not accomplish in the statutory six months. When he did arrive with the first instalment of 1050 sheep, other flocks following, he found to his dismay that some person had set alight the native vegetation, and instead of luxuriant pasture he found a blackened run. He applied for extension ot time, but the Waste Land Board at first was unsympathetic. Then he produced the evidence of Mr W. Shennan as to the state of the run, and the official resolution was that the board would not declare the country vacant. This virtually meant an extension of time, but the subsequent history of events (from 1858 to 1862) is unknown to me, except that the run was known as Cargill and Anderson’s for many years after. Mr Walter Miller applied for the run below Teviot, and it was numbered 200. It is not possible here to give anything hut an outline of his adventurous career. He landed in Otago in 1849, and his first employment was successfully to treat a flock of scabby sheep at Blueskin. Later he took up a station at Mount Stuart, naming it Roxburgh after his native shire. In company with John Cargill he went exploring for fresh country in 1857, the couple reaching the top of the Lammerlaws and choosing two runs. His run was at first known as Oven Hill, but Mr Miller called it Ormaglade. Miller’s Flat was named after him.

Note.—Roxburgh station must not be confused with Roxburgh town. The former is at Glenoro and stretches from Lovell’s Creek to Waitahuna.

Run 203 was ou the Upper Shag bordering on the Maniototo. It was applied for by W. A. Blundell, who did not occupy it, but sold out his interest for £3OO to Joseph Preston. The new owner named it Longlands. The sheep returns for this run are interesting in their variations of the owner's name:—lßs9, Preston Bros., 1000 sheep; 1860, Joseph Preston, 1200; 1861, James Preston, 1800; 1862, J. Preston, 4740 sheep. The Sowburn run was numbered 204. It appears to have been applied for late in 1857 or early in 1858 by Thomas Rowley, and early in 1860 he took in two partners, Captain Hamilton and Frederick Wayne. The latter was the sou of a vicar, and was born in 1834 in Derbyshire, finishing his education at Trinity College, Cambridge, and the London School of Mines. He arrived in Lyttelton on January 1, 1860, and came south to Otago, where he was made a J.P. in 1862. In 1864 he married a daughter of the Rev. G. Barber, M.A., Queen’s College, Cambridge. He represented Hampden in the New Zealand Parliament, but owing to unfortunate losses among his flocks he withdrew from politics in order to cope with the diseases’ then prevalent among sheep and cattle. In 1871 he bought the Akatore run, which he field until 1885, when he instituted a land agency in Milton. The run will be referred to later on in various reminiscences, but in the meantime reference can be made to the remarkable increase in the sheep owned by the partners, the largest proportionate increase of any owners I noted. In round figures, in 1860 they owned 4800 sheep; in 1861, 7200; and in on runs 204 and 109 (wherever that is), they had 20,000. [According to W. H. S. Roberts, run No. 109 was taken up by Captain Fraser. Further information about Thomas Rowley would be appreciated.] The Taieri Lake run, No. 205, which my notes also refer to as “ Capburn run ” and “Run West of Hyde,” was applied for by P. B. Boulton, but has always been associated with the names of Philips and Seal. I have little information about this station except that its owners had 3000 sheep in 1860 and 6000 next year and 8000 the following year. Borton and M'Master are names to conjure with in any consideration of North Otago or Central Otago pastoral history. With 9000 sheep in 1859 they rose to 25,000 in 1861 and 36,000 the following year. Starting with one run in 1854, by 1858 they controlled five, the last two acquired, being on the Maniototo, the total land aggregate amounting to 250,000 acres.

Jo\in Borton was, born in Oxfordshire in 1826, and was trained as a surveyor and civil engineer. In 1849 he came out to New Plymouth and in 1853 he arrived in Otago, His first partner in squatting was Julian Jelferys, but the latter eai'o retired, and Alex. M’Master or me in. As Borton and M'Master the firm was known throughout New Zealand and this prominent pastoral partnership existed until 1878, when a dissolution was effected John Borton retaining Maerewhemia and Alex. M'Master the estate known as Tokarahi. The railway siding called Bortona commemorates Borton’s name. The history of run No. 210 is unknown to me.

The run south of Taieri Lake Run was No. 213, and is known variously in my notes as “ Rock and Pillar run,” “ Strath Taieri run,” or “ run near Middlemarch.’' It was applied for by Harris and Tunes, and they asked the Waste Land Board how many cattle would be required to stock their run efficiently, and in November, 1858, the answer was given that 3250 head of cattle ivere required. The next owner of the run seems to have been Campbell Thomson, and he advertised for two lost bullocks on November 5, 1859, giving his address as Deep Stream. In 1800 Dr Buchanan, in company with Campbell Thomson, rode through Central Otago on a tour of inspection and both aconired interests in runs further inland, although Thomson retained Rock and Pillar run for some years until it was bought by Gordon and Shepherd, who held it until 1873, when it was sold to Murray, Roberts,

and Co. It is now known as Gladbrook. [The first owners of this run were wellknown South Canterbury squatters, M illiam Hyde Harris and David Innes, of Pareora and Waikakahi fame. They entered into a partnership in 1855 'which wag dissolved in 1864, They were enterprising in importing stock, etc.] . The run in the Strath-1 men numbered 218 was applied for by A. R. B. Thomson, but f do not know about it. This gentleman figures later on as owner of a run further inland. He came from Australia, ■vas familiarly called “ Bob ” Thomson, and wag the first overseer of Orari run in Canterbury before coming south. The run between the Hog Burn and Ewe Burn numbered 219 was applied for early in 1858 by Heyward and Lang, of whom nothing seems to be known. In 1859 William Hepburn had 230 sheep on this run and next year Hepburn and RPMastcr ‘liad a flock of 2600, which the succeeding year rose to 4000 and the year after to 7250. David M'Master, who was on this mn, was a brother of Alex, M Master, of Kye Burn fame. William Hepburn died in Dunedin quite a young man. He was a son of the Hepburn who was a partner in M'Landress, Hepburn, and Co., stock agents. Dunedin. This run was sometimes called Padanaram, a- Scriptural name, but the chapter and verse originating the name requires elucidation.