COME PUBLIC MEN OF THE EARLY DAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 93

COME PUBLIC MEN OF THE EARLY DAYS.

The Otago settlement was singularly fortunate in the leading public men of its early days. Captain Cargill had served and gained "fame under ttuj great Wellington ; the Rev. Thomas Burns had thrown away a living worth £400 a year at the time of the disruption to have freedom of consjidnce. The estimation in which these two men were Jield is shown in the following lines by the late Mr William Gillies: — On roll of fame, let Church and State emblazon bright The names of those who nobly lea tne Pilgrim bands Across the ffeas to settle on Otago s shores, And plant amid its wilds * home, a church, a state. These pilgrim leaders bore th» honoured Scottish names Embalmed in story and in song— Cargill and Burns. They were the Moses and the Aaron of the camp ; Both men of grace and grit, cultured ana shrewd and wise ; True Scotchmen, with no need to bear on brow or breast The motto " Nemo me impune lacessit." 'Twas there in Nature's upright bearing, mien, , and nod, Y«t not with stern forbidding frown, which says, Stand back ; But only that reserve behind a frank approach Which says, You're only welcome, friend, but don't presume. Cargill — the Moses — sprung from Covenanting •tock, Had blood of Scotia's sacred martyrs m his veins. The martyr spirit in himself would face the stake, The gibbet, or the moor, for onscience or for God. Firm set in person, strong of will, bom to command, Yet ever courteous, with a kind and tender heart. A man of nerve and verve, of dauntless cheery mood; Well fitted both by gifts and by his former life To lead a colonising band into the wilds, Where hardships must be faced with courage and content. Ere to the peaceful post of pilgrim leader raised He had in war his regiment as captain led, And shown his courage, prowess, nerve on battlefield. He was » statesman too as well as soldier brave, Like Iron Duke, with whom in warfare he bad served Against his country's foes and proud oppressors' might. Called to the service of Otago's Church and State, He gave himself with willing mind and loving heart; And to the end of life he ever sought their j weal, I With all the zeal of ancient Jew for Zion's I good. The Aaron leader was the Reverend Thomas Burns, A nephew of the poet Burns, beloved, bewailed By ev'ry loyal Scottish heart, as one endowed With mighty gift of tuneful song to stir the heart, But yet. alas, so weak in gift of self control. Not so Otago's Burns; a man of iron will, With manner calm', collected, cool — some might say cold, — But yet behind that calm there lurked a latent fire, Which, when it burst, would scorch and scathe 'ike lava stream. Withal, he was most kind and willing to advise, A"hd sure it is there was no wiser head than his. No better counsellor than he, so keenly shrewd, Clear-headed, sound in judgment, and less worldly-wise ; One who would have shon« in politics or commerce And surely gained both name And fortune in the world. But he had chosen other sphere, with nobler

aims, Wherein to serve Ilia God and bless his fellow men. His was the preacher* and tut pastor's sacred work.

And faithfully he sought these duties to fulfil, With ever-widening sweep where'er his flock spread out, Until at length his parish was the province wide. Strongly conservative of Old World thought and forms, He set his face against the inroad of all change, And so had all things duly cast in Free Kirk mould, Which was to him the pattern from the Mount of God. His pulpit ministry was peaceful and devout, Well fitted to instruct in truth of Holy Writ; In subject matter doctrinal and ethical, ! Set forth in form concise an 3 clear and logical. 'Twrs no uncertain sound that he as watchman gave. In dresa not vain, but orthodor from head to foot, As truly in the outer as the inner man, With measured pace and dignity in every step, A type of Presbyter for ever passed away. Perhaps Otago owes more of its progress to the late Mr James Macandrew than to any other individual public m.in. When he commenced business everyone cultivated sparingly. But, according to Mr James Adam, under the genial influence of Mr Macandrew, who had entered into partnership with the Hon. W. H. Reynolds, the farmer began to cultivate more largely. The firm advanced money on their grain and wool, and' strained every nerve to find outlets for these products. Mr Macandrew did not stop at building barges and ships and freighting them to the distant market of California, but sought to establish 'he Bank of Otago. Unfortunately, Sir George Grey refused to grant a charter. Most of the trade with Australia was carried on by way of Sydney. Mr Macandrew's efforts to obtain steam communication with Melbourne were ridiculed by other parts of the colony. Nothing daunted, Mr Macandrew visited Melbourne, purchased a steamer on his own account, and establishod a regular mail service, securing a ready market for the produce of Otago. He may thus be said to have laid the foundation of the splendid steamer fleet which now connects New Zealand with the rest of the world. Other men followed in developing the shipping trade, and several steamers were built about. Dunedin j and the Harbour Steam Company was formed.- ■ Its business was taken over in 1875- by the Union Steam Ship Company, Which tnder the guiding hand of M"r (now Sir) James Mills, the Hon. George M'Lean,' [and] ether enterprising directory has,.bacome one of the greatest trading .concerns south of the line. Mr Macandrew occupied the position of Superintendent for Otago for about 14 years. The other public men who occupied that important position, besides Captain Cargill and Mr Macandrew, were Major Sir John Richardson, the Hon. Thomas Dick, and Mr J. Hyde Harris. Sir J. Vogel, the practical propounder of the scheme of State railways, was also a leading public man in Otago. It would be tedious to refer at length to the many other public men who didi so much to advance the material prosperity of Otago. Biographical sketches were given on the occasion of the jubilee celebrations 10 years ago.