“HISTORY OF OTAGO”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27079, 13 May 1949, Page 6

“HISTORY OF OTAGO”

Tributes to Dr McLintock

At Reception

Committee’s Appreciation

The last official centennial function to be held in Dunedin took place in the Mayoral rooms at the Town Hall last night, when a reception was held in honour of Dr A. H. McLintock and Mrs McLintock before the publication of the “History of Otago.” The function was arranged so that the Mayor, Sir Donald Cameron, and members of the City Council, could recognise the important event. Opportunity was also taken to welcome to the city the members of the Otago University Musical Trio.

Mr j. C. H. Somerville, who took a prominent part on centennial committees, said that Otago was fortunate that on the occasion of her centenary there was such a man as Dr McLintock available to write the history of the province. No man more fitted for the task could have been found in New Zealand. It. was important that a history should be absolutely true to facts, and Dr McLintock had remembered that in writing his “History of Otago.” Of all the memorials that would be spoken of in Otago, the work of Dr McLintock would stand long in memory. The enormous amount of research work and careful sifting of thousands of documents and personal stories which had to be carried out by Dr McLintock was mentioned by Mr A. C. Cameron, chairman of the Historical Committee. No one could really understand the vast amount of work that had been accomplished by the writer, but the quality of the book would be some reward for the Ion" hours of labour that had gone into it. On behalf of the Historical Committee, he presented Mrs McLintock with a wristlet watch for the personal sacrifice she had made so that her husband could give his time fully to the writing of the history. He also presented Dr McLintock with the first de luxe edition of the history. Dr McLintock moved the gathering to laughter when he replied: “I hope I have time to read it.” He also received a centennial medal from Sir Donald Cameron on behalf of the Centennial Association. A tribute to the work of Mr Cameron as chairman of the Historical Committee was paid by Mr I. Sinclair. He said that Mr Cameron had been as responsible in a way as Dr McLintock for the appearance of the volume. He had put in much “ spade work,” and few people had any real idea of what he had accomplished. If it had not been for his drive and enterprise, the history could not have been written. He was presented with the second copy of the special de luxe edition. The third copy was presented to Sir Donald Cameron for his work as chairman of the Centennial Association, and the manner in which he had carried out his Mayoral duties throughout such a trying year. Dr McLintock, in his reply, paid a tribute to all who had assisted him in his work, especially those people who had written district histories. Without their work, it would not have been possible to give the history the treatment he desired. “ The cooperation I received throughout the task was an historian’s dream,” Dr McLintock said.

“It is often said that Otago is inclined to live too much in the past,” Dr McLintock continued. “ and perhaps that is so. But if the achievements of the last 100 years mean nothing to us, what of the future? A nation’s greatness '«relies on its past, If .it is true that we are conscious of our past, it is also true that we do not fully understand it, and in the ‘ History of Otago ’ I have endeavoured to give a true picture of the people who made the last 100 years possible. Those people who read the history willj I hope, come to certain conclusions, and those conclusions will be the basis of the ntext 100 years, upon which we have already embarked,” he concluded.

A musical interlude was provided by the Otago University trio. Mr and Mrs Bate were welcomed to Dunedin by the Mayor. The third member of tiie trio was in Christchurch and could ,not attend. His place was taken by Professor V. E. Galway.