JAMESTOWN

Southland Times, Issue 21854, 3 November 1932, Page 6

JAMESTOWN

> — PROJECT THAT FAILED SETTLEMENT AT LAKE McKERROW SUPERINTENDENT’S DREAM An article recently appeared in the Southland Times on the township of Stanley which, though planned and surveyed, failed to materialize. Southland can claim at least one other embryo settlement. If the late Mr-James Macandrew’s hopes had been realized there would exist to-day a flourishing town on the shore of Lake McKerrow, near Martin’s Bay; and no doubt a motor road to the West Coast Sounds would have been constructed long ere this. So far as records show settlement in Martin’s Bay was first considered by Mr Macandrew who was elected Superintendent of Otago in 1860 and again in 1867 from which year he held office continuously until the abolition of the province in 1876. He made his first visit to Martin’s Bay in the Geelong in 1867. Three years later the first survey party, with Messrs J. Strachan and S Thomson as surveyors, left Port Chalmers for the bay on the paddle steamer Charles Edward. The vessel safely negotiated the bar and proceeded up the Hollyford river into Lake McKerrow which was then known as Lake Kaduka. Misfortune befell her, however, when she made for the sea again. She was snagged and became a total wreck. The surveyors continued their work, the lands near the bay being surveyed into four classes as follows: (a) 10,000 acres divided into sections, each containing 50 allotments of 50 acres each for free grants; (b) 30,000 acres subdivided into sections with a maximum area of 100 acres for each settler, to be for sale at 5/- per acre; (c) 60,000 acres to be offered at an upset price of 5/- per acre; (d) all mineral lands to be disposed of in accordance with certain provisions of the Otago Waste Lands Act. The township laid out for the new settlement was named Jamestown in honour of the superintendant. It was located near the north-east end of Lake McKerrow on the Hokuri river, approximately seven miles from the coast. The first European house on the settlement was built by a Mr Whitbourne on a site between Martin’s Bay and Lake McKerrow. Other dwellings followed, but by 1880 the village of Jamestown with its seven houses had been abandoned, the few remaining settlers occupying their 50-acre sections near the sea. The failure of the settlement scheme was attributed to the action of the provincial government in offering free grants of land, a class of settler destitute of the capital necessary to develop the land being in consequence attracted. By 1913 only two settlers remained at Martin’s Bay and to-day there is only one. He grazes cattle. Three times a year the Government lighthouse tender lands stores for him, this being almost the only time he sees people from the outside world. The Marine Department has since 1907 interested itself in the question of harbour entrance to the Hollyford river. At that time Sir Joseph Ward was approached to have a rock removed from the entrance to the river so that it might be made safe for navigation by vessels. In making representations to Sir Joseph a Mr Barclay, of Dunedin, stated that shipping facilities would be required to handle the produce of sawmills and farms which he confidently expected would be there established. Captain Bollons, of the Hinemoa, reported on February 12, 1907: “There is practically speaking a constant westerly swell here which causes a breaking sea at the entrance, and even in fair weather a confused jobble in the narrows and amongst the rocks. This has been the cause of loss of life, boats having capsized even when in charge of experienced men. On May 6, 1907, Captain Post, of the Tutanekai, estimated that -the removal of the rocks at the entrance would cost £5OO, and that the harbour would then be workable in fine weather at high water up to 12 feet draught In August, 1908, a contract was let to Mr J. Cuttance, of Okuru, at £320 to remove the rocks; but he failed after two attempts. In 1909 the rocks were removed by the Public Works Department at a cost of about £3OO. This gave the entrance a depth of 13 feet at high water and Spring tides. Since then no further action has been taken regarding the harbour, though occasional inquiries have been made regarding the possibility of establishing a sawmill at the bay. The Forestry Department has carried out a reconnaissance survey of the district which contains much valuable timber.” When the motor road to Milford is completed Lake McKerrow and Martin’s Bay will be brought much nearer Southland; and it is possible that some day a settlement will grow up on the old site.