MELBOURNE CENTENARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22256, 8 May 1934, Page 10

MELBOURNE CENTENARY

EARLY HISTORY OP VICTORIA. The Victorian centenary celebrations are bringing to light some interesting history and stories. Here are two incidents that occurred in the lives of the Henty family, pioneers of Portland district, near the South Australian border. When a ship visited Portland the officers would go inland for a day’s shooting. There is a story of one of the officers of H.M.S. Beagle. When being entertained at Richmond Cottage, as Mrs Stephen Henty’s bouse was named,, he felt .something brushing against his legs. Thinking it was a cat he looked down, and was horrified to see a snake. He quietly asked Mrs Henty for a saucer of milk, which was placed on the floor. The snake unwound itself and went to the milk, and as it was drinking the officer killed it. The first piano to be brought into Victoria was imported for Mrs Stephen Henty. It was a “ Broadwood,” and is now in the Warrnambool Museum. There is an interesting story told of a daughter of Mrs Stephen Henty, who married aMr Smallpage. The Smallpages were giving a birthday party for their one-year-old son’when Mr Smallpage and Mr Featherstone-Haugh, o»e of the guests, thought it would be good fun to stage a mock duel. Back to back, they slowly walked 12 paces, pistols in hand. Seeing what was afoot, Mrs Smallpage, rather shocked, prevailed upon them to stop. Mr Smallpage pointed his pistol at a flower pot and pulled the trigger. He was astounded when the gun went off and the flower pot was shattered. By some mischance the gun had been loaded and capped, and but,for> the intervention of Mrs Smallpage, Mr Feather-stone-Haugh might have been shot. The son whose birthday' they were celebrating was later drowned at Manly, New South Wales, while trying to resuce a woman.