INVERCARGILL’S JUBILEE

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 21

INVERCARGILL’S JUBILEE

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MUNICIPALITY. A WEEK OF FESTIVITY. There commenced in Invercargill on Sunday, 11th inst., by a thanksgiving service in the Municipal Theatre, a "week of rejoicing” to celebrate the jubilee oi the establishment of the town as a municipality. The municipality was proclaimed in 1871, at which time the population was 1300. Fourteen years had elapsed since the first few cottages showed where wind is now Tay street was laid off. The site of the town had been decided upon in the year 1835, and m 1856 it was surveyed by the late IVlr J. T. Thomson, and portion of it laid off. In 1859 the population was 259. In 1861 the Town Board was constituted, and the first meeting was field on September 18 the same year, the members present being Messrs Lind (chairman). Mitchell, Garthwaite, Blacklock, Grieve, Grant, Clarke, and Cheyne The Town Board was dissolved in 1866 owing to a ruling of the Supreme Court that it had no power to levy rates. The rise of Invercargill fortunately took place late enough for the mistakes made in cities like Auckland, Dunedin, and Wellington being avoided. As is well known it was planned with wide streets cutting one another at right angles, and providing for a growth to any dimensions. In 1871 only a few streets were built up, and most of the buildings, even in the business blocks, were smali and low. .. The wide streets for many > cars seemed far too big for the town, and even to-day ’.hey do not altogether escape comment on this score, but the wisdom ot the step is being proved year by year, and the < ity cun rest assured that it will never have to face the street-widening problems already only too urgent elsewhere. In 1871 Seaward Bush still grew densely within a mile of Tay street, and the few scattered dwellings nestling unci r it forming the suburb of Appleby were connected with the town by narrow plank footways over the marshy ground. The Waikiwi Bush extended as far as E.sk street: and Dee street, but retreated before reaching the east end of Esk street., leaving a clear space where the water tower now stands. Invercargill was a bleak and desolate looking place in those days, and the colony was undergoing hard times. Wool was the mainstay and prices were low, while the dairy farming industry was unknown and undreamt of. Originally Southland formed part of the provincial district of Otago, but the people grew discontented with the administration of their affairs from Dunedin, complaining that they did not get a fair share of the provincial expenditure, and that in other ways their interests were neglected. Agitation was commenced, and eventually in 1861 the district of Murihiku became the province of Southland, with Invercargill as its capital. A Provincial Council was elected, with Dr Meades ns superintendent, and for nine years the people framed their own policy and boro tiie burden of developing their territory. Few in number, the settlers were soon burdened with difficulties, the needs in the way of roads, bridges, and railways being beyond their power of finance. In eight years a debt of £400,000 had been incurred, and, the difficulties increasing, recourse was had in 1870 to a reunion with Otago. In 1873 the first sod of the railway to connect Invercargill with Dunedin was turned. Coach communication between the two places had been established in 1864, and telegraphic connection extended as far a.s Christohurch in 1865. However, Invercargill and Southland were still very much “in the rough” in 1871, and the conditions of life, especially in the country, were most arduous. When the municipality was established the town was dh ided into four wards. In 1872 the Invercargill Reserves Management Ordinance Act was passed, allotting 121 quarteracre sections, reserves for public gardens and recreation, and 200 acres for a publicpark. Three years after the establishment of the municipality tho population had grown to 2400, and two years later gasworks were established. It was not for some years, however, that a town supply of water was made available, the problem being a difficult one. The difficulty has continued, and the Water Tower is a distinguishing feature of the city fo-day, almost as noted as the wide streets themselves. Drainage was another great problem. and eventually the corporation sought the advice of Air Marchant (engineer), who put the council on the right track. In 1863 and 1864 buildings were going up rapidly, the Lakes goldfields being then in full swing. The Hokitika and later rushes brought a big slump, and the town had to pass through some, bad years, recovering only with the rise and prosperity of farming pursuits when the colony was brought into touch with the outside world. Since that time steady progress has been made. Invercargill being the centre of one of the finest farming districts in the dominion. Mr \Y. Wood was the first Muvor, defeating Air J. W. Alitched by 191 votes to 140. The first council consisted of Messrs Pratt, G. Lurnsden, W. Blackwood, G. Goodwillio, H. Jaggavs, R. Tapper, 13. T. Ross, and W. Garthwaite. In 1686 the New River Harbour Board was merged with the municipality. In 1903 the ward system was abolished, in 1905 the Town Mali and Alunicipal Theatre were built, during 1910 the su! mis of A venal, Gladstone, North Tin ercargill, Fast Invercargill, pdvfiori of South Invercargill, and I.indisfarne a ml Fast End amalgamated with the city, in 1910-11 harbour reclamation work was commenced, and m 1912 the electric tram ways commenced miming. The population has grown steadily with the veal's until today (I si census figures) it total 19.058. During the slump following the exodus to the goldfields of Otago and els 'w here Jirvreeargili bore the unenviable p-eudoimi of Me “City of Blazes.” There had been

a great amount of overbuilding, and property values dropped from greatly inflated amounts to almost incredible depths. It was during this bad period that the fire brigade was established, but it was practically useless owing to lack of water till the waterworks had been established. THE PIONEERS AND THE CHURCH. At the thanksgiving service on Sunday the Mayor (Mr J. Liliicrap) referred to the debt the town owed to the pioneers and to tho Church. The town had passed through many vicissitudes but now it was almost- a city, a town to be proud oi. For this they owed a great ileal lo the early pioneers. Looking buck, they found it hard to realise what these pioneers went through, but when they read lira* the land on which stood the line building' they were in was covered with bush in 1860, they caught some idea of the enormous strides that had been made. This development was attributable to the pluck and courage of those who had blazed the trail—the pluck and courage that led them to abandon the ties they held dear and embark to adventure in new, unknown lands. To the Church they owed a great deal, for it was the Church that in many eases provided the essential spirit of endurance that carried the early settlers through their sea of trouble. As they knew, the first missioner to arrive in New Zealand was tiie Rev. Samuel Alarsden who conducted his Church in the Bay of Islands district. T he first to settle south of WTiikouaiti was Mr Wohlers, who took up bis quarters at ituupuke and ministered in that district for a number of years. Invercargill for a lung time depended on Dunedin for its pastors, and tho Revs. Banner-man, Will, and Dr Burns, as well as others, regularly came the arduous jotfrney from the northern centre. The Rev. Bethune had the honour of being the first minister to settle in Invercargill, and he was followed by the Rev. A. H. Stobo, who was pastor in the First Presbyterian Church. These early representatives of tile Church had played no mean part in the great work of making a new civilisation, and it, was still their ideals which their successors who were at that meeting were bearing aloft l o-dav. THE BEGINNING. The earliest known fact relating to the beginning of Inveicargiil goes back to 1855 when a man named James Kelly built a whare on the site of the town, lie married a Native, and a year after their marriage neighbours began to arrive on the lonely scene. Among them was Air Peter Dalrympie, who took lip 200 acres in Seaward Basil. Mr Dalrympie was not dismayed by the tone cf the leport presented to the New Zealand Company by Mr Tuckett, its Chief Surveyor, although this report was scarcely encouraging, Southland being summed up as “a mere bog and unsuitable for habitation.” Air Dalrympie was the greatest of Southland’s early optimists, and there is something of irony in the fact that lie did not live long enough to see his confidence fully justified. On the site of the town William Lind built a small accommodation house in 1856 and when he made substantial additions to it in the following year it became the Waihopai Hotel. A Mr Clifford soon started as a butcher and killed his first bullock by shooting it on the terrace between Tay and Forth streets. By October, 1856, when the late Air Thomson was engaged in surveying the town, there was quite a little settlement, but most of the inhabitants were living under canvas. On November 6 the Star arrived in the Estuary with 30 passengers, amongst whom were Mr James Maeandrcw, who brought with him materials to build a store and merchandise with which to stock it; the Rev. Alexander Bethuno and Air Thomas Birch. About this time the Survey Office and Lind’s accommodation house were fitted with glass windows, the first to be used in tho town, and on November 10, 1856. at Kelly's Point, the Rev. A. Bethune preached the first sermon delivered in Invercargill, or on the mainland of ATurihiku. In 1857 a post office was established in Invercargill; the first mail left Dunedin on February 2 and did not reach Invercargill until tho lOrh. The first sale of town sections took place on March 20, 1857, the upset price being £8 pgr quarter acre. The largest purchaser was the Chief Surveyor, Mr Thomson. The quarter acre fronting Dee street and Tay street, on which the Bank of New South Wales now stands, was sold for £46. This was a very high price and most of the sections were knocked down at the upset. The site of the town was deliberately chosen by Air Thomson. In the course of his report dealing with the matter, he said: “At the junction of the Oroti and Makarewn, Captain Stokes suggested the placing of a town, apparently being unaware that here the land for miles is at times covered several feet by floods. The settlers in the neighbourhood found out, this to their loss, having had much of their property washed away. an experience tho proof of which could not have come under Captain Stokes’ notice, owing to the unoccupied state of the country at the time of his visit. As tho selection of the site for the capital of this part of New Zealand devolved upon me, I may take this opportunity of stating that I decided on the present site after being in possession of the requisite local knowledge not possible to be obtained by the above officer. An acquaintance with the interior, its topographical features and communications, as well as the completion of a careful survey of the rivers from their embouchures to the heads of their navigation, all combined to point out. the head of the Waihopia navigation to bo the position for tho capital (now called Invercargill). At Invercargill the interior traffic can centre—to here the seaborne traffic can be brought. It is consequently here that the interchange of merchandise must take place, and people congregate for that purpose. The site of the New River junction, besides being subject to floods, neither commands practical outlets into the country, nor water communication with the sea for vessels drawing above sft. When I left Invercargill only three houses had been built —namely, the Survey Office, Air Mae Andrew’s store, and Air Lind’s house of accommodation—but as the sections bad been sold, great, preparations were being made to commence building operations. The site of Invercargill is nearly level, with sufficient fall for drainage and sanitary operations. It stands on a broad estuary, and is bounded on two sides by dense wood. The scenery in the vicinity is not unpleasing, and. were roads, constructed, the spot may be made as agreeable as. any in temperate legions.’’ TIIK CKLI-IBRATIONS. The official opening of the celebrations took place on Monday, and tree planting was carried out on Tuesday, at file No. 2 gardens. On Wednesday there was u

special holiday. A monster procession was held to the show grounds, where a sports programme was carried out, with prizes for decorated vehicles. The reception of old identities was held on Thursday, and Friday and Saturday were being devoted to the children. THE SITE OF INVERCARGILL. Air George C. Proudfoot has placed at our disposal a diary, kept by his father, Mr P. Proudfoot, who was associated with Air J. T. Thomson in surveying and laving out the site on which Invercargill now stands. _ From this diary—the binding of which is formed of a portion of a newspaper the Maori Alessenger, published at Auckland on June ZC, 1853 —we make the following extracts:— Left, Dunedm, 23rd February. 1856. At Otago 24th. Left on 25th. Off Glut ha 26th. 27th put into Tautuek [Tautuku] Ray. 28th, at Tautuek. 29th, got. to mouth of Bluff Harbour. Ist March, got into harbour and wont on shore. 2nd Alarch, on shore, hearing Afr Bethune preach ; and. after dinner, went to top of. range. 3rd. boat started for New River, and Garvie and self went to Bluff Hill and took bearings. The Star left the Bluff on the return voyago to Dunedin about 8 a.m. on March. 8, and, arr-ordinof to Mr Proud foot’s diary, “ a,l(, off Toi Toi- about 3 p.m. for M** Sidey’s wool.” Si ho started airaiu about 6 p.m.; anchored in Molyneux Bay on the 9th about 5 or 6 p.m. ; and ram© to anchor at Taiaroa Head about 10.10 a.m. on the 10th. The. impressions which, as a result of this visit Mr Proudfoot formed respecting n. site for the town now known as Invercargill, are noted in his diary. They are incsr. interesting: The main branch of the New River, as far as I went up. appears to have from 10 to 12 feet at low water in the cnannel, which in some parts appears to be too narrow. There are a few snags, but not many. The river is very crooked, and in some parts the turns are

very sharp. r l he south side of the river ns far as Captain Stokes’s sandhill is scarcely worth anything—all sand and sandhills—but it. improves upwards. The north bank is partly wet. Both banks are partly wooded. —tho North a good deal. A site for a town might, he got on the North side and along at. the head of the Aluckamuc-k Creek, but I fear there is no water. Wakivy [Waikiwi! joins creek of New River to the main branch. Puny I Du nil Creek is at, Kollv’s run. below tho [Waiopa] and is nearly opposite to the anchorage. Waiopa Creek runs into Now River Creek or neck. Not above 10 feet wide but it is deep? Depth cf water in New River Creek (the way we went) up to mouth of Waiopa about 4 feet at. high water. Al’Clomont stated there was another channel, but I saw nothing of it. Puny Creek not of much account, I fear. J here is a sand bank between it and anchorage, and a long hank it is too. This place may do for a town if there is water, as it, is pretty nearly opposite to anchorage. A town might also do on opposite of New River (Creek), just the Neck. Pinkerton, it is reported, was to set a town on foot here. Alight do if there is water.