THE STORY OF OUR PIONEERS: AN INQUIRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3489, 25 January 1921, Page 47

THE STORY OF OUR PIONEERS: AN INQUIRY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —In connection with the suggestion that the story of the pioneer clergymen of this province should be put on record, may I ask if any of your readers can furnish information as to the whereabouts of the journal of the Rev. Charles Creed, who was the second minister of religion in these parts. Karly in 1344 Mr Creed took up the work of his predecessor, the Rev. Janies Watkin, the Wesleyan missionary, who was the first to ins'tute Christian work, not only in Otago, but in the whole of the South Island of New Zealand. Recently, when in Sydney, I was able to copy the journal kept by Mr Watkin at Waikouaiti from 184 C-1844. This, together with his baptismal, marriage, and burial registers, which are also in my possession, contains a wealth of unpublished historical information nowhere else available. The journal of the Rev. C. Creed, who was the first minister who ever preached in Dunedin, covers the important period from 1844 to 1852, being four years prior and four years subsequent to the commencement of the Scotch Settlement. An old letter in my possession says that the journal was brought back to New Zealand from Sydeny. where Mr Creed died, by a Mr White. It was evidently quoted from by the writer of the sketch of Methodism in the jubilee number of the Otago Witness, published in 1898. It has been suggested that the Mr White referred to was John White, the well-known author, but Mr Elsdon Best, who went through this gentleman’s papers on behalf of the New Zealand Government, found no trace of Mr Creed’s journal. The Hon. G. J. Anderson suggests that the Mr White may have been a legal gentleman in this eitv. It is a pity that such a record should be out of sight, and its loss would be lamentable. I may mention incidentally that Karitane Peninsula bears the name of Mr Creed, known to the Maoris as Karit-a.” The. ancient name of Kuriawa was changed at the instigation of the wellknown chief Raw in Temaive. Mr Creed’s baptismal register, now before me. shows that he haptbed the first white children ever born in Dunedin. The distinction of priority of birth belongs to Patrick Park, son of the surveyor who laid out the future city of Dunedin. This child was born on August 2. 1846. The second child, wrongly stated by Dr Hocken to be the first, was John Anderson, who was born on December 10, 1846, and the third was a girl, TlHznboth Kettle, who was born on March 3, 1847. and still happily survives amongst us. These authentic records are full of interest, and it is to be hoped that the journal of the man who kept them may also bo discovered. I shall be glad of onv information relating to it.—l am, etc.. AT. A. Rugby Pratt. Dunedin. January 13.