EARLY OTAGO SETTLEMENT.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1779, 15 September 1874, Page 3

EARLY OTAGO SETTLEMENT.

The Immigration agent for Otago, in following up his vocation in Scotland, has published a little book giving his own ex perience as a pioneer settler in Dunedin. There is a capital rintj about the whole thing, which can hardly fail to make it attractive t« the young and strong. Speakiug of his arrival and taking up house he says :— Two days after the selection of town land, I applied for the lease of a quarter acre. I was too poor to purchase, and Captain Cargill gave me a temporary l§ase of a section at £4 per annum. As my family were anxious to leave the ship I engaged two Natives to help me to build a house at 8s a day. and sent them at once to the swamp for a boat-load of grass to thatch the roof and sides. On my leasehold there was a clump of maple trees, but before cuting them down I stretched a line through them for the grouud plan of the house. Trees which coincided with this line I left standing, merely cutting off the tops, and those which were out of the line were cut down and put in the line by digging holes. By this novel plan the walls were made strong and substantial, in one day. The Natives then put small wands of wattles across the uprights, about twelve inches of flax, and over all they laced the long grass to the wattles, did the same over the roof, and at the end of four days my house was habitable. I have owned good houses since, but never have I been able to evoke the pleasure and happiness felt on the night my cosy hut was finished. I could not refrain from going out after dark to contemplate its proportions, architecture, and site. There was a difference of two feet in the breadth of the gables, but as no one could see the four corners of the house at once, it was never known to any one but myself. Next day I went down to the ship to bring up my family. I fear my wife must have felt some self gratulation, because she was going direct to her own villa, . • . instead of a crowded and uncomfortable barracks. My cottage stood where the Empire Hotel now stands, with its busy throng of passengers and coaches, but none of my family could sea it for trees. The entrance was through a leafy achway from Princess street, and at the first sight of the rustic cottage a cry of joy burst from my little girl in my arms and from the rest of my family. Here was a sweet reward for all my labour and toil, for I was anxious that their first impressions should bs favorable. Tea, the never-failing beverage in the bush, was proposed. A fire was kindled outside, and the kettle hung upon a triangle of poles, while the frying-pan was doing duty lower down. This was the finest repast I ever hud; I have often been at public and private dinners, and seen the tables groaning under the weight of the feast, but these surroundings were wanting. The cottage, apparently in the centre of an impenetrable bush, the shades of evening closing over us, the gipsy encampment round the fire, the happy countenances of loved ones, the light and shade, turned a plain cup of tea into a delightful picnic not easily affaced from the memory. Indeed, the romance of immigrant life, in its first stages, was to me so enviable, that if need be I would not hesitate for a moment to pass through the phases of pioneer life again, which, in my case, was full of hard work, pleasure, profit, and healthful exercise. The rapidity- with which I had built my houso, its inexpensive materials, and the simplicity of the architecture, procured for me an order from De La Condaniine to build him a store, with dwelling-house attached. This recognition of my abilities led to commissions of a higher order, till I was superseded by Clark und Garvie, both as architect and builder ; but the author has never been seperseded in the cheapness of his designs and 'contracts. The contract for the (Jondamine store was £5 01s, plans and specifications gratis, and the job paid me well. Four shillings a day was a tradesman's wages —not 14s as now-—and I saved raoney Easily.