CANNONS AND BELLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23858, 12 July 1939, Page 9

CANNONS AND BELLS

MEMORIES OF OLD DUNEDIN FIRST TOWN CRIER’S CAREER RELICS IN EARLY SETTLERS’ MUSEUM About the size of a squat man’s leg, smooth-bored, and resting on a recently-built stand, lies the famous cannon of Bell Hill, no longer guarding the exposed Otago Har- ’ o-> but overlooking the entrance to the Early Settlers’ Museum. This now defenceless relic of the Napoleonic wars, the Bell Hill cannon has been the subject of joki. and sallies for nearly a century and yet its. resting-place has been forgotten by many Dunedin residents. To-day, it has the last laugh, however, for while other historic guns wer buried by a peace-lcving Labour Council under the lawns of the Queen’s Gardens and other city reserves the ancient six-pounder was allowed to remain in an honoured position among the relics of Otago’s past. The First Time Signal According to Mr W. Paterson, secretary of the Early Settlers’ Association, the old cannon was never meant to be used in the defence of early Dunedin. So far as can be gathered from the records of the Earlv Settlers’ Association, the cannon was brought out on board the Philip Laing to be used as a signal gun. It was placed on what was afterwards called Bell Hill and at noon each day in the years 1848-49 it was fired as a time signal. Later, it gave way to a bell that now lies close to the old cannon in the Early Settlers’ Museum. Mr Paterson remembers the cannon on Bell Hill quite well. He was standing nearby when a salute was fired in honour of the Queen’s birthday in 1862 and from his own experience he knows that it was never intended for defence purposes. The gun used to be muzzle-loaded. A small calico bag of powder was placed in the muzzle and then touched off with a lighted stick. He has no recollectin' of its use in a hoax at the time of the "Russian scare.” He does not know what happened to the cannon after 1862. but ■"'hen he took charge of the Early Settlers’ Museum 24 years ago he found the cannon there and recognised .it from his memories as a boy of nine years of age. An Early “Character” “You mentioned the old town crier in the Daily Times,” Mr Paterson said. “ His name was Sandy (William) Low, who had a very adventurous life. He ran away to sea at the age of 10, and, after many adventures, was wrecked in a whaling vessel at Waipapa Point, where he lived with the Maoris for a number of years. He heard of the probable settlement of Otago, and in 1846 came to Dunedin. He was in this city before the first survey pegs were driven in at the Octagon and Pitt street. Later, Sandy was appointed town crier, and was one of the ‘ characters ’ of the settlement for many years.” One story of Sandy has been preserved. The old town crier was trying to effect a.sale, and was shouting out his wares and ringing his bell loudly when the' Mayor, went oast. The Chief Magistrate said, “ Don’t ring your bell so long, Sandy.” The crier replied with , dignity: “It is written, what thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” And Sandy went on ringing his bell more lustily than ever.

The sequel to the incident ,vas an edict passed by the City Council prohibiting the use of bells, and so £an,dy’s occupation was ended. Sandy was an early officer of the Church of ■ England, and was tyler of the' first meeting to form the Lodge Otago; No. 844. in 1859. , -

An Historic Bell

“Speaking of bells,” Mr Paterson said, “over there is the bell that took the place of the cannon as a time signal on Bell Hill. The bell was originally on board one of the early Botany Bay convict vessels, and then it was bought by Mr John Jones,'a whaler, who placed it on board his old whaling vessel Magnet, which traded here in the early days. Later, ,it was used at the first mission station in the south at Waikouaiti. Soon after the arrival of the John Wickliffe the bell was brought to Dunedin and placed on the church reserve which was then given the new name of Bell Hill. It used to be rung at 8, 12, 1. and 5 o’clock each day as a tim signal. In 1851. the old bell gave way in turn to a larger bell which was the gift of English friends of the early settlers. It was used or 25 years but now lies cracked and useless in the shade of First Church, where it may be seen to-dav.”

“The Russian Scare”

“This cannon was never used tor defence purposes,” commented Mr W. J. Strong, president of the Early Settlers* Association, and a prominent defence man in the early days. “ During the tr-e of the Russian scare, it was not kept loaded fit the defence of the town. Instead, we had several much more up-to-date guns in position overlooking the harbour. There was a rifled seveninch gun at St. Clair and another on . Lawyer’s Head, these being known as * Keep ’em off ’ and ' Pop ’em off ’ respectively. There was another at the Ocean Beach Battery At both the Ocean Beach Battery and the Signal Station at the Heads there was a six-inch hydro-pneu-matic disappearing gun with a range of 8000 yards. You will see that this little’six-pounder would have been of little use in company with these guns. " Later, these guns were placed as memorials in city reserves,” Mr Strong said. “You will remember that on the motion of Cr Batchelor these guns were committed to graves by a former Labour Council To-day. they could do little harm to anybody.”