SOUTHLAND PIONEERS

Southern Cross, Volume 3, Issue 3, 20 April 1895, Page 7

SOUTHLAND PIONEERS

(to THE EDITOR.) V , Sir,—l beg,to thank you for giving a full report in fhe Southern Cross of the gathering lately held under the auspices of the Southland Pioneer Settlers’ Association. Much credit is due to the gentlemen who first moved in the establishment of a union of the early pioneers of the South of New Zealand, who found the country about forty years ago a perfect wilderness. It was covered with waving tussock-grass, in some places higher than a man’s head, and besides there were large forests —all showing that the soil must be of first-rate quality. There were no reptiles or venomous beasts,. but plenty of wood-hens. These were about the size of the partridge, and with a flint and steel the early pioneers could always find something to eat. What a change there is now in Southland, with our railways, roads, bridges, and great tracts of land of the very best sort under cultivation, from which we send Home cargo after cargo of wool, mutton, butter, cheese, and twenty other good things, until the markets there are glutted with the produce of this country. It is ray impression that the old pioneers of Southland have been the instruments in the hand of Divine Providence of opening up the best colony given to our beloved Queen, and I beg to suggest to the President, Vice-President, and Committee of the Association that an address be presented to Her Majesty for Her Majesty’s patronage to a testimonial of the people in Great Britain to the Association, and that the AgentGeneral in London be appointed Treasurer. Yours, &c., Peter Dalrymple.