Old-time Echoes.

Southern Cross, Volume 24, Issue 2, 22 April 1916, Page 2

Old-time Echoes.

DO.YALD - McPHERSOZST OF CLYDE. (From "Old Otago," by C. S. Ross) "Some .men have greatness thrust .upon them." That was quite true of Donald McPherson, of Clyde. None. kne%v his own limitations better than he. Imperturbably good-natured, he yielded himself to the guidance of, others, and cheerfully accepted any office in • which the suffrages of the citizens-placed him,; without any consciousness of incongruity or any selfquestionings as to Ms ability to fill it. Early in 18G2 he 1 shipped some horses from Victoria to Otago, but the enterprise was not a profitable one ; and, passing on to the Dunstan, he opened a store, *yhich soon became pne of the busiest trade centres in the district. He amassed mone5 r , and put a punt across the Molyneux, thus connecting with the stations ,and mining settlements on the other side. He once contested an election, and won a seat in the Provincial Council. It was on this wise : In the old Provincial days the Dunstan district was included in a large electorate, and the place of nomination was a sheep station on the Maniototo plains. A few runholders met and lunched, and chose one of their number to represent them. This went on for some years ; but in 1860 the time-honoured custom was broken in upon in a way that startled them. A large body of miners and traders presented themselves at the place of nomination on the day of election, having among them the man of their choice 'Donald McPherson .• whom they had resolved to honour. He was proposed in opposition to Mr Dillon Bell, the nominee, of the squatters, and was returned to the local Parliament by a substantial majority. During the first session Mr McPherson sat an interested observer of the proceedings. One day, when the following session came round, smoke from a faulty chimney filled the hall, causing much discomfort to those within. Mr McPherson slowly rose to his.feet and addressed Major Richardson in his broadest Doric, which upset the gravity jof the House. "Maister Speaker," he said, "a' the reek's comih' doon the lum." That was all he said, and sat down. One of his constituents observed to him on one occasion : "Mac, I've always supported you, but I've never yet heard your opinion on the land question." To which he replied, "JS T o, laddie j an' ye never wull." Another asked, him what he had ever done for the district. Donald looked at 'him reproachfully, an d said : "Man. I got ye a hunder; and fifty. / punds for the punt road." "And'where's the money ?" the elector asked. "In my pouch," Donald replied, "an' there it's likely to bide." Mr McPherson was, as we have said, the owner of the punt, and made the road himself to the river side. Sometimes he kept travellers ■ waiting, on the opposite bank an , unconscionable timer "Mac, there's someone wanting to cross !" a man cried in a t the door one day. "If they were as tired of cooeeing as I am of listening to them," retorted. Mac. "they'd have stopped long ago !"