RECOLLECTIONS OF THE EARLY SIXTIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 81

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE EARLY SIXTIES.

By J. Z': Z ..' '

There were some ode' chA'actere ; n Dunedin m the early sixties. liiey were such as do. not generally ngure in historical narratives, but nevertheless they exercised some influence on tne times in which they lived. The first of tnese wncm 1 snail notice was John Graham, commonly called "JocK." ,Whß&< the writer tirst saw this singular being he was seated cm horsebacK, haranguing the erowa in iront 01 the Provincial Hotel. He had on a somewhat rudely-improvised military, uniform, his head being adorned with a Scotch cap and feather. He had just returned from Gabriel's Gully, the centre of the Tuapeka gold diggings, and the account he gave of the rich nnds there and of his own adventures seemed greatly to interest hie hearers, many of whom, were new arrivals, just about to start up country. Before the establishment of regular mail communication Graham was employed as first mail carrier to the new neld, and being possessed of a great deal of energy, did good service. Old diggers have recorded how his appearance on the ranget was welcome, as ne came galloping along, blowing a little trumpet, announcing to many an anxious, miner news from chose dear to him. left behind, as it were, almost- in another world. It can scarcely be doubted that this early period of Graham's career was really more useful to his fellows and also happier to himself. '.but the enterprise to which in after clays he liked best to allude was that of cat exporter, in which he asserted that he had as a partner a. most respectable member of tlie community. Whenever Graham had an opportunity he took particular pride in referring to this gentleman a* "my partner," causing thereby no little amusement to hi* hearers, and some annoyance to the gentleman in question and his friends. The circumstances which created a considerable demand, for cats in Hokitika arose from a plague of rats and mice.which appeared there, almost as soon as the human population. Seeing in this an opening for trade, and also for getting himself to the new Eldorado, Graham collected in Dunedin a considerable number of the feline tribe, with which, after some trouble with and opposition from passengers and crew in the vessel in which he sailed, he managed to reach Hokitika, only to find that the demand had been supplied from other quarters, so that the partners in this enterprise gained little but experience from it. However, Graham's journey to the West Coast considerable- expanded his ideas, and enabled him to engage in what was for years afterwards hie principal occupation, that of peripatetic lecturer on religion, politics, and phrenology. The writer does not know what position he took on the subject first named, but on the questions of politics he always was, or at least affected to be, on the Conservative side, and being, possessed of a caustic tongue, sometimes expressed himself in ways which were apt to be remembered. For instance, at one election the candidate had to address the election in the open air. One of them had done so without removing his hat, as was supposed on account of something which it was advisable to conceal, and as illustrating Graham's forwardness in giving expression to his thoughts, with sometimes only very slight consideration for the feelings of others, he called out, when another gentleman stepped forward to speak, also without removing his hat. "Take aff yer hat, Donald, my man; ye have nae whisky blotches on. your pow." 'Some years after the early sixties had passed the writer happened to be 'n, a South Canterbury township. He found in the evening a large crowd assembled to hear a lecture on phrenology by Mr John Graham, from Dunedin> After* the explanation in the first part of the lecture of the principles of phrenology, at least as he thought them,, came the .reading of .'blimps for delineation of character. To facilitate this work Graham adopted a process entirely his own, and whilst --roducing considerable merriment, gave, as he affirmed, an imr promptu diagnosis " of character which could be quite relied upon. It consisted*: in. the measurement .of . the,'-. applicant's head, by seeing how. it filled Graham's old tall hat, commonly called a belltopper, which was of a fairly large size. If the head of the person to which it was applied filled it properly, he- was told that he would do. If on another it slid down over eyes and ears, he was promptly decided . to be "no good." Graham's health failed very much in his later years, and be had to find refuge in the Old Men's Home at Cayersham, where he died at an advanced age. Another ma», of somewhat different stamp, hailing also from the Land o' Cakes, deserves to be noted, as he was possessed of at least some powers which made him . useful in -his day. His name was, I believe, David Nesbit, but generally he was spoken of as Scotch Jock. Under an exceedingly rough and ungainly exterior his- sound judgment as regards horses soon came "to be known, and whether it was from belief in the old adage, "Honesty is the best policy," or. from a higher feeling of well-wishing towards those that trusted him, he was allowed to be, when treated with reasonable deference, fairly honourable in his dealings. His principal business was the importation of draught horses, and He has the credit of introducing a good breed of useful animals to the -province, and letting,, before the. farmers .0f.,-ihe district the class \ of horses he considered., they should aim at rearing as suitable" for their "requirements, an object Which was to a considerable extent achieved in the hiqdi Standard which Was attained, and which has been maintained ever (since in the draught horses of the province. Nesbit hadi one very conspicuous failing, and.no doubt many-Others, not quite so conspicu-

ouf. That to which .reference is here made was the"use" by him of exceedingly coarse, violent, and improper language, indulged in mostly when excited by contradiction or when under the influence of drink. This is a vice which grows as it is indulged in, and became in his case uncontrollable, even when in circumstances requiring propriety of expression. For instance, on the occasion of his,being presented with a testimonial, and accompanying dinner, by the farmers of West Taieri, in appreciation of his having introduced the stamp of horses they required, his speech in reply could not be fully reportel in the newspapers, much, of it having to be represented by black lines, thus — , indicate where the unprintable words had occurred. His career in Otago was, on account of the violence of his temoer and language, rather stormy, and his" frequent appearance before Mr Strode set forth in glaring colours the weak points in his character, and, as was to be expected, he received little sympathy from the worthy magistrate, who fully realised his position as a terror to evil-doers. The last occasion on which the writer recollects Nesbit's appearance before his worship was as plaintiff in a somewhat remarkable case. It appeared that Nesbit had been induced, most likely when in drink, to give a considerable sum to a man in consideration of his transferring his wife to Jock; but the woman, -being an interested party, declined such transfer, and she and her husband, decamping together, left him to realise how lie had been fooled. He at once interviewed a lawyer, who suggested that his only chance of recovering his money was to bring an action in the Magistrate's Court for obtaining money by false pretentions. When, however, the case came before Mr Strode, it received very short shrift, being dismissed almcet at once with what was reported '■ as the magistrate's expressed opinion, uttered sotto voce, "Disgusting case," and then aloud, "Case dismissed."

The circumstances of the province in the earh; sixties seemed to have a tendency to' attract peculiar characters, and a considerable list of such could be given. But there was one man who figured prominently in these years who may be referred to. Not that he deserves to be held in remembrances on account of services rendered to his fellow colonists, but ratheas an exhibition of misdirected energy, arising, apparently, from an exasperated estimate of his own abilities and a contempt for that of others. His name was James Gordon Stuart Grant, hailing originally from. Aberdeenshire, but coming to New Zealand, via- Australia, in 1860. He had some classical knowledge, which he used to parade by quoting Latin authors in support of his vehement denunciation of those m authority, to whom he was generally in opposition. His whole career was an illustration of the fact that, great as are the benefits of education, it of itself will not compensate for the want of common sense. Had he been content with occupying the humble, but honourable, position of schoolmaster, he might have found full scope for his abilities, which in such a position might have been of value both to himself and those he taught. But it appears he had come here anticipating the position of teacher in the then just inaugurated first High or Grammar School. Finding, however, this position not obtainable, he proposed to start s private academy, but not meeting with much success, he took himself to the profession of demagogue. Possessing some facility for speaking and writing, with a species of caustic humour, he exercised it by practising stump oratory on every occasion on which political, municipal, or social events gave an opportuity. Being, as has been stated, disappointed in obtaining the position for which -he 'estimated himself as eminently qualified in the education system of Otago, he vented his spleen upon all whom he ' assumed had been the cause of his disappointment, which, of course, included nearly all in ""circumstances of position or authority 'n the country. He aspired to the highest positions, and made many attempts to get into the Provincial Council. He actually succeeded at a byelection in the year 1865, more, it was thought at the time, from the prosuect of getting some amusement by his presence and speeches than fron any idea of his political talents. It was soor> manifest that in the Council he possessed very little influence, although to a certain extent fulfilling the expectations of bis followers in occasionally saying things which, "rom their pungency or grotesqueness, relieved the flatness of the general oharaotr o f the. debate. On one ocasion the Council and the public, in the strangers' seats, were enlivened by an incident that took place. There was a motion before the Council to grant a sum of money to be expended in eradicating thistles on the Peninsula, especially near the Heads, when Grant, from his position in the Council, in full view of the strangers' seats, rose, and, indicating with his hand nearly the whole Council opposite as well as those alongside his seat, exclaimed, "I am surprised honourable members should be so anxious to eradicate thistles, seeing they are such admirable provender for asses." A momentary silence followed this declaration, succeeded by a loud and hearty laugh on the part of honourable members, which was also joined in by strangers present, of whom, during the session, there had been a larger attendance than, usual in expectation of such sallies from Mr Grant. It was soon very clear that his ideas, but more especially his animosities, hindered hie being a representative, of.the public, and although hemade many attempts., to . get: himself elected." to the 'House of Representatives, he always failed in doing so, and henceforth he had to content himself with the publication of a journal which he intended should bo accepted .is resembling the "Spectator," and in which he could- find, vent for all his contempt and hatred for others. In this way Mr (after Sir Juliue) ■ Vogel received a large share of hie attention,"being at-

tacked and villified both pktorially and personally in a mast violent and improper manner. To restrain him legal proceedings had to be taken by Mr Vogel, which had the desired effect so far as he was concerned. Setting himself up as a cen • sor of public morals, Grant used his paper, the ''Delphic Oracle," for the utterance of his judgments, but in. doing so incurred the strong resentment of the class whom be proposed to hold up to public contempt and ridicule. On one occasion after the appearance of such an .effusion he made his appearance in the theatre, when some of the audience to whom his remarks had been, offensive resented his doing so, and proceeded to endeavour his expulsion. Grant offering some resistance, a rough and tumble fight ensued, from which he emerged with some more or less injury to his head and face. The result was a case before the Supreme Court, in ivhich he endeavoured to obtain damages from his assailants, but with a very poor result, as it appeared to most of those present as if he were acting a part and mairing the most of it, and was richly entitled to the knocking about he had received. In general he made little by his appearances in court, and the principal use he made of such was to supply material for his Oracle, which he continued to publish and personallv sell on, the streets for -a good number of years. His papers were bought by many, not because they believed in Grant, but for the amusement derived from the perusal of iocal items, coloured or seasoned by the editor.