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Otago Witness, Issue 2300, 31 March 1898, Page 26

The First Provincial Council of Southland. [Communicated.] THE separation of the Southland district from the rest of Otago, and its elevation into a distinct province, with a Government of its own, took place on April 1, I860" On the same day the old biidge across the Mataura River, which was the line of demarcation between the two districts, was carried away by flood. This was often referred to, especially on the east bank of the Mataura, as a presage of eyil otnen ; an^d a number of others were not slow to characterise the event 1 of separation as one peculiarly appropriate to the date on which it place. Whatever may be the opinions held on these points, it cannot be doubted that the raen who were elected as members of the first Provincial Council were typical, not only of the country as it then was, but also of the times. They were all men who in some way or other had made their mark, who were generally acknowledged to be men of ability, thoughtful, and earnest in seeking the welfare of the new province. They regarded themselves, and were regarded by their constituents, as true Liberals ; and no doubt they were such, although the name would hardly be applied to them in these fin de slecle days. . Foremost among them was the late Hon. J. A. R. Menzies, M.L.C., who was one of the principal workers for the inauguration of a separate province, and who was elected to the honourable position of the first Superintendent of Southland. It may be mentioned thafc in the case of what were called "new" provinces, of which Southland was one, the election of the Superintendent was placed in the hands of the council itself. Dr Meuzies was a runholder in the neighbourhood of Wyndham, but on entering local politics took up his abode in Invercargill. He was a courtly gentleman of the old school, of the utmost integrity, and brought to bear on the numerous responsibilities of his ne«v position great natural shrewdness and sagacity, as well as a considerable knowledge of general politics. And although, as a matter of course, his policy was not universally j approved, all were ready to admit that he devoted himself heart and soul to the advancement of the district ; and it is well known that when he retired from local politics, he did so a pooier man thau when he entered their arena. The most prominent member in the Council was the Speaker. The first occupant of this office was Mr Robert Stuart, a runholder in what is now the neighbourhood of Edendale. He was a man of sound common sense, of no special ability as a debater,' but fitted to maintain order and to carry on the business of such a body. He is, or was till recently, still engaged in pastoral pursuits in Hawke's Bay. Mr W. H. Pearson, then Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands, was one of the more prominent members of the first Council. He still resides in Dunedin, where he is too well known to demand further notice here. His candidature and election as a member of the Provincial Council, while at the same time occupying the position of an officer in the service of the General Government, was freely commented on at the time. The late Mr Alexander M'Nab deserves a prominent place in this history. A ruuholder, whose holding lay entirely on the east of the, Mataura, outside the new province, yet he was elected a member of its chief governing body. No greater indication than this could be given of the force of character which' he possessed, or of the implicit confidence which was placed in his integrity. Mr Henry M'Culloch, then a runholder on the west bank of the Waiau, and, after abandoning politics, our esteemed resident magistrate in Invercargill, still survives. He is well remembered, and still held in honour by all who knew him. Mr John M'Kay, a squatter resident in the Manapouri district, was another. He was a man of much natural sagacity, but he long ago passed from public life, and he is now known to few, even by name. Mr Fieemau Jackson, the well known auctioneer in Wanganui, was another of Southland's first politicians. He was then the owner of the Birshwood run, and consequently belonged to what is now called the class of "social pests." Whether rightly or wrongly, they were not considered pests in the days of which we are writing. Mr Nathaniel Chalmers, of Moa Flat station, belonged to the same class, and like Mr M'Nab resided outside Southland proper. He was a keen politician, and afterwards became .the keeper of the provincial purse, — never too full to be unwieldy. Mr Chalmers is now a sugar planter in Fiji, and a few years ago revisited the south, little changed by the vicissitudes of a tropical climate. Mr Matthew Scott was also a runholder near Otautau in those early days. His familiar form is often seen in Invercargill, although he has for many years past retiied from public life. A man of clear insight and uuswerving rectitude, he made a model member belore party strife became the vogue, and was so well esteemed that he was afterwards deputySuperintendent. Mr James Wilson, of Waianiwa, a Scotch farmer of characteristic shrewdness and intelligence, was, strangely enough, the only representative of that class of the community in these early days in the first Council. Not that; the farmers had not their full share of representation, but they deliberately chose in many cases as their members those who were engaged in pastoral pursuits. Surely no clearer proof could be given than this of the fact that the squatter was not then regarded as the mortal enemy of the agriculturist, even by the latter himself. The last member to be named is Mr W. V. Tarlton, who has long ago passed beyond our ken. His family, however, still reside in the southern capital, where they are highly esteemed by all who know them. Mr Tarlton was a retired schoolmaster — a man of scholastic mind, with the courage of his opinions, and possessed of an absolute devotion to duty. As showing the high opinion entertained of his character, it may be mentioned that he was familiarly known by political confreres as the "Roman Citizen," and no more honourable title could have been conferred upon him. Such were the men to whom the early political destiny of the piovince of Southland was committed, and although many mistakes were made during its short and somewhat chequered existence, yet these weie not the result of indifference to the public interest, but rather to an over-sanguine spirit, and to a desire to outstrip neighbouring competitors in the race for progress. The following reminisences of an old identity have been handed to us by the writer, Captain James Stewart : — On the second trip of the Gil Bias from Melbourne to Dunedin, the little schooner Spec, 14^ tons register, was fitting out for New Zealand, intending to sail for Wellington. The writer, then, half owner with the late Captain Simpson, interviewed the Hon. W. H. 'Reynolds, at that time acting as honorary immigration agent, with the result that the Spec made lor Otago, arriving on the same day as the Gil Bias. On getting up to Dunedin jetty we expressed our surprise at so many people being on the wharf, as the town was very small. We were told that every man in the place had turned out to see the passengers by the Gil Bias. Our trade was principally to the Taieri Ferry, boating our goods to the top of Waihola Lake, where they were put into an open store to which the settlers came, left their produce and took their goods. I cannot remember of anything ever being missing, although the store was open . Occasionally we went to Moeraki and Oamaru. There was only one squatter at Oamaru at that time, and he was designated " Lord North." Having purchased a 5-ton boat in Dunedin to carry our cargo up the Waihola Lake, the writer sailed the boat to the Taieri Ferry single-handed. Previous to the Spec and the schooner Ann Jane (owned by Mr Jones, and sailed by Captain John Paton) coming to Dunedin, the coasting vessels were not handled as they ought to have been. After that, however, a great improvement was evident, so much so that the ld,te Mr J. T. Thomson (late Chief Surveyor of New Zealand) told the writer that the Province of Otago was under a debt of gratitude to the owners of the Spec for coming to Otago and doing the boating work, which was not properly done previously. IvTr Macandrew's little vessels, the Star and the Endeavour, did the Molyneux trade, it being considered a smart trip to go to the Molyneux and back in 10 days. In course of time the Spec got a trial in the Molyneux trade. On the first trip it was only three and three-quarter days from the time she left Dunedin jetty till she was back again. We were lying a little outside the jetty on a Sunday morning, on arrival from the first trip, when Mr Macandrew came down the jetty and called out " Have you been at the Molyneux 1 " thus showing he believed it to be impossible. The three succeeding trips to the Molyneux were each made in three days, reckoning from the time we left Taiaroa Head till we reached that headland again. This was rather surprising, seeing that the officers of Her Majesty's Navy, who surveyed New Zealand reported that it was impracticable to navigate the Clutha River with a sailing vessel on account of the continually strong current running out. About two and a half years after my arrival in Dunedin I sold my share of the Spec, and went Home, accompanied by my wife, in the StrathaUan, the first wool ship from Duuedin to London. We left on our return voyage in November, 1859, in a small schooner, the Dunedin, of Dunedin, 66 tons register. We overhauled an immigrant vessel on the line bound for Canterbury. On hearing that we were bound for New Zealand a loud cheer went up for the little ship, one Hibernian crying out " Are you not afraid a whale will swallow you up?" while another passenger cried, "Oh ! look at the woman and the baiin." As we were passing the big ship, the captain intending to take a ii&e out of the liitle fellow, sang out '• Report us, please, when you arrive ! " to which we answered " Oh, you know very well that you will amve before us I"