THE SILISTRIA'S PASSENGER

Otago Witness, Issue 2955, 2 November 1910, Page 63

THE SILISTRIA'S PASSENGER

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS. The fiftieth anniversary of the arrival at Taiaroa Head of the ship Silistria \v?.s celebrated by surviving passengers and descendants of passengers at Mosgiel en Oct. 25. The proceedings, which were throughout of the most cordial, interesting, and enjoyable nature, had a suitable setting in the charming country home of Mr John Logan, Mrs Messrs Alexander Stewart, George Prain, a survivor. The other survivors present were—Meedamea J. C. Barclay, Waddell, and F.' M. Orr (nee Flora M'Kenzie), Messrs Alexander tSewart, George Prain, and E. Gibb. There were a large number of lrdies and gentlemen present, and many children. It seemed fitting that, those who arrived lone atro to face the exigencies of a new country, to engage in a ceaseless warfare with Nature in her most stupendous —and sometimes most repellent—forms, should meet 50 years afterwards in a smiling garden surrounded by children and other blossoms. Fifty years make for long ago. Memories mellow and facts fade and mingle with shadowy faces down the dim perspective of the avenue of Time. But the Otago Witness of November 3, 1860, bridged the gulf, and that part concerning the arrival was read to the assembly as follows: "ARRIVAL OF THE SILISTRIA.

"This fin© vessel, A-ith immigrants from the Clvde (July 25), arrived her© on Thursday, 26th ult., after a pleasant passage of 91" days- As stated in our last issue, the vessel on her arrival was placed in quarantine for a brief period by our immigration officer in consequence of the captain having reported the occurrence of a case of smallpox on board shortly after leaving the Clyde. Information of th© vessel wing put in quarantine having been forwarded to Dunedin, Dr Hulme (the health officer) and the other members of th© Health Board proceeded to Port Chalmers, and made th© necessary inquiries, after which they admitted th© vessel to pratique. Early on th© Monday morning following the steamer Goelong went down to Port Chalmers aiKl brought up the Silistria's passengers, who were all landed at Dunedin the same afternoon. Thev arc a very respectable anil healthy-looking class of immigrants, ami appear well suited for the new country they have chosen as their horn©, m which we sincerely wish them all success and prosperity. The following is a summary of th© occupations, etc., by this vessel:-Twenty-three, ploughmen, 23 shepherd?, 2 shoemakers, 9 masons. 13 labourers, o carpenters, 3 blacksmiths, 2 gardeners, 2 sawyers, 1 surveyor, 1 plumber, 10 farmers, 1 Bailmaker, 1 missionary, 3 male and 2 fema.© teachers, 1 milliner, 1 dressmaker, and 3/ female servants. Th© total number of souls was 312. " Births.—On August 10, a daughter was born to Mrs M. Mathieson; on October 12, a eon to Mrs J. Brown, and en October ! 25 twins to Mrs M'lnues, which survived 1 only 36 hours. " Deaths.—August 11, Margaret M limes, ' aged 80 (senile decay) ; August 12, James ' Grieve, 7 months (teething) : August 21, I Elizabeth M'Leod, 7 months (teething ; 1 August 26, A. W. Wood, 7 (reeks (atrophy); September 6, J. Mathieson, 3 weeks (bronchitis); September 13. Margaret Grieve. 20 months (dysentery); boptcmber 17, Mary Ann Prain. 18 months (teething) ; September 21, George M'Donald, 6 months (atrophy); September : 2\,- Christopher Grieve, 20 months (dysen"6n arrival the following testimonial was given to Captain M'Kay: '•'Ship Silistria, 26th October, 1860. « < gi,. ( _\V"e, the undersigned, representin" our wives and families and children i under age, and other sing!© male and ! female passengers in the ship Silutna, fee it our dutv to communicate our (hanks and ; "ratirude to vou for the manner and way ; vou have discharged the difficult duties that necessarily devolve uoon you us mas- ' tor of the ship. You have, -so far as w© ! cans judge, discharged these duties for ! th© best interests of your employers, and I at the same time conciliated both th© goodi will and best wishes for your welfare of I the great body, if not the whole, of your I passengers, by the uniform, frank, and i kindly "manner in which you have ato all ' times attended to their invests and comi fort, even manifesting an anxious solicitude that all should have their just rights, i and also the greatest degree of comfort. 1 compatible with a long sea voyage; and now, sir, it is our affectionate desire that you may long bo spared to bo a public ' blessing in the hand of Divine Providence, in conveying many of our brethren, yet : in our native land, to far distant colonies. I and that ill so doing you may be cheered I by the goodwill and affectionate regards ! of all now sailing under your guidance in I the Silistria. We would likewise take this j opportunity of expressing through you our i best wishes for the welfare of Mr Moore i and Mr Muir, and your other officers and i men, for the kindly and respectful way j they have discharged their duties iff the. I midst of and towards the pasungers. And I now, dear sir, in thus taking as a body I a public farewell of you and your officer?; • and men, allow us to express our ardent ' wishes for your welfare and your 6afe rei turn with your noble ship to our nalivo land.' " Shipping News. ,: The Silistria's (642 tons) cargo was 1731 flooring boards, 270 casks of beer, 137 stoves, 65 packages of imichirrry, 66 furnace bars, 100 tons of coal, 118 pieces of fireclay ware, 13 bundles of wire, and sundry packages of merchandise." Though, favoured by excellent weather, the proceedings were for the most part similar to those obtaining at a pleasant garden party, there were a few brief speeches. Mr Donald Reid said he had great pleasure in being present on this occasion at the invitation of the Silistra'a passengers, , of which body the survivors were not so i numerous as they would have liked them to j have been. Ihere was very much to bo said for this grand little country, but there I could be no doubt that the passengers of : th© Silistria found it a wrench to leave their I rative land, and it was no doubt a «id I beginning; but that fe©Jing_ol^a i ia fi aaJliti

I reason to be' thankful at the change thaf ; had baen made, and for the happy ings they now looked xvpon. Not that with the exercise of the same industry these people might have made great successes ini' the Old Land, but these opportunities were i not so numerous as they had been in New. ! Zealand. He was sure that all presenti reartily wished fcreat joy and prosperity to the passengers of the Silistria. The' speaker paid a tribute to the good work done by Mr Stewart. : Mr Alexander Stewart, as a passenger by the vessel, said it had been a great pleasure to him to see so many old friends. H< did not remember feeling any wrench oij leaving for New Zealand. He had reao. Cook's voyages till he knew them by heart, und he had never repented coming here. __ , ! Mr George Prain explained that he w"a{ about the youngest of the Silistria family, ' and perhaps for that reason did not re-; member feeling any wrench on leaving the land of his birth for that of his adoption.' lie thanked Mr Donald Reid for having coupled his name with this toast. Mr Walter Blackie, the laureate of th( Taieri, read a poem of. his own composition suitable to the occasion, entitled, " Fifty Years Syne," which met with befitting ap« i preciation. \ Extracts were read from diaries kept by two of the passengers, and proved very interesting. Mr Logan, in reply to thanks for placing j his house and grounds and so much cari . and attention at the disposal of the guests, said that any little trouble had been mora than amply recompensed by seeing 60 nianj I people present and happy. Having merely j been a matter of little over 10 years in th< j Dominion, he could not claim to be abl< to class himself with the old identities, though it had given him very great pleasure to see them and their descendants there. Among those also taking a prominent part in the proceedings were Messrs J. Wood, James Patrick, and J. W. Blair.