CASTLEROCK

Southland Times, Issue 22489, 25 January 1935, Page 5

CASTLEROCK

LAND SALE TO-DAY SUBDIVISION OF HISTORIC • STATION. [- With the subdivision, and sale by ,o public auction to-day, of Castlerock, it one of the last of the old Southland y stations will disintegrate before the - wave of more intense farming. The - sale will not merely have a practical a interest for those in search of land, if but will possess a sentimental interest it for the older residents of Southland r I who know how the history of Castlcr. rock is bound up with the development - of Southland. y Castlerock was originally a leasee hold run of 65,000 acres, extending al1 most from the Oreti to the Jacob river, s the latter of which was in the early - days used for the transportation of a wool to Riverton. It was owned by » the Hon. J. P. Taylor, of Riverton, who it in 1862 sold it to Mr (later the Honour2 able) Matthew Holmes and Mr T. L. f Barnhill; It was decided that Mr a Barnhill should manage the station ,and a with the sheep from the Totara estate a which were to stock the new property r he set out overland for Southland—a journey which must have proved eventful, for it meant largely steering by the compass. t One of Mr Barnhill’s first tasks was 5 to build a house; and to-day, though , 72 years have passed, the totara which ; was cut and fashioned with axes on the - estate is as sound as when the nails > were hammered through it. The “but E and ben” which formed the first dwels ling are still in use as the front rooms > of the homestead and the old shingle , roof is still there, although hidden be- . neath corrugated iron. ; Mr Barnhill managed the station un - j til 1873 when in partnership with Capl tain Brown he acquired Blackmount. ; | The winter, in 1878 spelt disaster for him arid many other runholders, and he accepted a position as manager of . ! the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile , Company’s property at Wakatipu. In 1877 Mr Holmes bought the freehold . I of Castlerock and in 1881 Mr Barnhill ■ returned to manage it. Two years after the death of the Hon.' Matthew Holmes. • which occurred in 1901, • the property I was cut up and sold, Mr Bamhil. i acquiring the homestead and some 14,000 acres of freehold which com- • prise the estate to-day. Mr Barnhill died on April 12, 1914, since when the estate has been managed by Mr Wilj liam Roxburgh, who had been placed I by Mr Barnhill in charge of the stud ■ sheep which have for so many years ■ i held a high reputation both in New I ; Zealand and overseas. j There are eight blocks to be offered 'i at auction to-day, these varying in size from 450 acres to 4704 acres. The • i subdivision of the estate also means the I dissolution of the noted flock. The stud ■ I sheep, numbering about 1400, will be | • sold on February 13. 1935, the general flock, numbering 8500, on March 20 I together with some 600 head of cattle and the horses and plant.