THE REMINISCENCES OF MR JOHN DUTTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19800, 18 November 1919, Page 6

THE REMINISCENCES OF MR JOHN DUTTON.

FORMING THE DOMAINS.

BEAUTY SPOTS ON THE HILLS.

(Specially writUn for the " Star.T

Let me advise (says Mr John Dutton, in continuation of his life's history as a gardener, both in the Homeland and tho Dominion) that a love or taste for gardening gives knowledge and keeps alive those embers of regard for true family ties, long past, maybe, which glow in the hearts of all. Let fne tell that I encountered considerable difficulties in steering my ship on life’s troubled seas. There was sometimes a shortage of necessaries, and a handicap of sickness; a dead calm between tho sunshine and the showers. Then perhaps tho raging tempest of trouble which occasioned much anxiety as to the best way of straightening tho affairs of the future. Onoo past all trouble would he forgot—such was the

spirit of the early colonist. Then a girding np for the coming of the new day, not to a lackadaisical kind of existence, hut as an honest worker, one who would scorn payment for work undone. That kind of high-minded-ne.ss was the bright leading star of the course of living which I set. It banished any likely envy against the rich. 'THE DISCONTENTS. When 1 hear or read of discontented people saying that Christchurch is a, long way behind the Old Country in such-and-such a. way, I feel inclined to give such gossipers a shaking. Some of them sneer at our comparatively little bridges and buildings, forgetting, or never perhaps even knowing, that they were at the time constructed according to our needs and means. They were not essentially built for arousing the admiration of strangers. Do these critics know that in the early colonial times money was on occasion a very scarce article, and at such periods many real wants, public and private, had to bid© their time. There was also much unemployment, real nitemployraent, because there was no work of any sort offering oven at mere bread and butter wages, and had it not been for the Public Works policy I Christchurch of 15J19 would have been a very small city. Well do 1 remember the time when money was scarce, when some people had been imbalanced by being trapped in the wild speculation, and in the land booms, and the banks had put on the screw. K was some time before things took a turn for the better, and remembering such trials I say'let the discontents with our present standard embaik for some island in a foreign sea, and there become the pioneers of their own particular brand of culture and civilisation. OUR FORESTS. It was Lord lieacoiisficld who once wrote: “I am not surprised that the ancients worshipped trees: lakes and mountains, however glorious, in a time weary. Jiylvnn scenery newer palls." My thoughts have often turned to the native bush. So varied arc its aspects that the awakened mind feels exalted in the presence of our forest scenery. Often I have asked mvself how did these forests originate? No answer can I find to give. Another question which has puzzled me concerns the order of arrangement. Though tiicre is much mixed bush, which might lie called just ordinary natural Du.-li, \ot beside this there are the apparent signs of an enlarged plan in the order rf’arrangement, and in the distribution and allotment the various trees, Minos and ferns. This .subject has over | ( ,. n a great mystery to me. Mow can mo account for the different large g-onps. say, of the while pine, red pine mrara,' kauri, etc. Then how old are these beautiful forests? We see them in

IMPRESSIONS OF EARLY CHRISTCHURCH AND ITS CARDENS,

their declining years, and it is safe to say that no similar order of arnuigoresult if the present forests llle es U),U ' EVERGREEN YOUTH In a reminiscence scries of carlv colonists, perhaps a slight, ami often asked query as to why some folks never sa ? m old only ho answered by two icf’ ' < L S ' ™ 1 ” I<? w, unfl ST m *j mam jears ago. \\ lien General Booth, during a tour of England, was quesl tioned as to his youthiuhu’.ss, tlie veteran evangelist said: ■ They e ?J r who measure life by years , Mith falsa or thoughtless tongue, Xlf yot” lh " T ho „ tl.No is „ iotte fmu U.„ pool Longfellow, written to the mistress of a girls’ school at Chicago a, year or two before his death: -‘To those who ask how 1 can write ‘ so many things that Charlotte Sound when at daybreak they heard the tinkling music of tho bc-11-birds. Ever bus there remainedflresh on the plates of my memory records of knk |«j to »‘ e of m’-sie minglcd as it was «’>th the high fl« e-hko play and win,stl:ng , of , the P arso . n krd )- \ lnus k ', e ( • r T e atc aboU , t thc won(l f fu J tm 1 have ever known, which was kept in a cage at tho Baron A i scloi . f Vlotel, our first lodgings wi.cn we arrived in Wellington in 1853. This bird . lmd le?n?cd t « say certain words, and also mimicry. It could neigh like a young horse and bark like a dog. Its principal song was the whistling of “St Patrick’s Day in the Morning." Everyone who heard this lui was greatly surprised at its wonderfully true Imitation of the various calls, arid its other unique selections, _ „ HORTICULTURAL SHOWS, I recollect the first, show of the Christchurch Horticultural Society in 1804. This was held in the City Gardens, just on the site where the tramway shelter now is. The show took place in three small tents, and the exhibits were all outdoor grown. There were good displays of vegetables and cut flowers, and much joy was shown at tho fine exhibition, just as much interest and enthusiasm as 1 have seen at any show since. 1 know that flower shows are one of the best means for keeping alive the love of trees, plants and flowers. The horticultural shows in the intervening period have been held various halls and places. _Mr YVilham Wilson was the first chairman, and George Gordon the secretary.’ • ~r nv -‘NUN. In 18(33 tbe appearance of \he River Avon was somewhat like that of an English watercress farm. The cresses were healthy and good eating, but their denseness constituted 100 much of a good thing, as they were blocking up the river fur thc following of that fascinatiug sport of beating. Naturally then there was a demand for a clearance of the cress from the stream. Tenders were called for vearlv contracts to keep down so-called nuisance, and also it aw.x'&st jsstS - LIGHTING THEOREMS Well, alter some contractors had failed, 11 certain ol 1 gardener named MaicWilliams undertook the work, I think for a period of two years. He also took up the contiact for keeping the Hals well River in order, hut lie was almost inclined to give up the job, as it turned out to be a much tougher work than he had expected. -MacWilliams had a number of men in Isis employmeni, but even then he could not make fast enough progress with the scythes, so ho set to work trying various oilier devices until at last bo hit on thc idea of fixing scythe blades oa a thick rope, After many alterations lie at last sneeeeded in coping with the task. H© had men placed or each side of the river, holding and dragging the rope

THE EARLY BRIDGES

with the scythes just above the river bottom. 'i hen other men followed with large drug rakes, with which they pulled the cross on to the liver banks, there leaving it, to dry and wither away. Now there is hardly any watercress to be found in the Avon. Poor old IV.lao’Willismis continued at this job for some years, hut after a time lie had to retire from work. Ho then trout to live on the Ferry Road. Soon after 1 was told that he often spoke of what was to become of him, as he was poor and lonely and helpless. He was as worthy an old Scot as I have over known. One of his tasks which I must refer to is comprised in those avenues of fine trees on Boa ley and Fitzgerald Avenues.

I believe that the bridging of ibe Avon was a. very serious question from the, first days of settlement, ami .1 think this problem proved a great drawback for many years for the carrying out of other works needed, a-s oven the cheapest bridge-building was very costly at that lime. 'lhoreiore the eleven bridges constructed in 1863 were only temporary structures, and I think many of them have been rebuilt three times since. PROAIINENT PEOPLE. Among the people who were especially prominent in the sixties were .Mr Moorhouse (then Superintendent of the province ol Liiiucrmiry), Mr Widiam Rcllosloa, Mr E. C. J. Stevens. Mr E. Fitzgerald (of the “Piess”), .lodge Gre.sson, Mr Bealev, Mr Wvnn-TVilliams, Mr J. T. Peacock. Mr R.‘H. Rhodes, Dr Ronald, Dr Turnbull, Mr Lane, Mr limes, Mr G. Gould, Messrs L- and G. Harper, Mr Sewell, Mr TV. Russell. Mr Murray-Ayasley, Mr J. Hall. Mr Olhtier, Mr Hawkes, Mr TWentymau, Air Hamilton, Mr TV. Wilson, Mr H. Matsou, Air Garrick, Mr G- Turner, Mr G. Hart, Mr Bircuis, Dr Hack, Dr Barker, Dr Coward, Dr I’arkinson, Dr Prins, Air Miles, Bishop Harper, Rev L. Moore. Rev Mr Wilson, Mr Todhuuter. Mr TV.' Reeves (ul :!ic “Lyttelton Times’A. Rov Mr Bowen, Mr 6. C. Bowen, Mr Deans. Air Norman, Dr Lilly, Mr E. j. Wakefield, Mr Lewis. ALi’ Davie, Mr Studdart, Mr Duncan (solicitor). Air Potts, Air D. Walton. Mr Graeroft’TViisou, Air Hilaries Clark Air R. Ai‘. Aiorten, Air TV. li. Hargreaves and Air Alauricc Harris.

A further instalment will appear on Saturday.