LATE MR. DUNCAN CAMPBELL

Waikato Argus, Volume XXI, Issue 3360, 14 December 1906, Page 2

LATE MR. DUNCAN CAMPBELL

[contributed.] As the late Mr Duncan Campbell, who died on the 23rd November, was one of the pioneer settlers of Victoria as well as a most energetic New Zealand colonist, a brief account of his career will be of interest to the many friends of the deceased gentleman. He was born in 1831 at Evandale, Tasmania, whence his father, Donald Campbell was a farmer, having emigrated there from Argyleshire, Scotland. The boy took a keen interest in the farm, until the death of his mother, in 1840, when with the other members of the family he left for Victoria. After receiving a sound education in Melbourne, his ambition was to become a sheep-farmer, and in company with his two brothers, Henry and Murdock —in 1847—started for the then sparingly settled Murray River, and took up a station near Swan Hill. They explored the country round but failed to find any permanently watered, all the river frontages having been previously taken up. Purchasing-some ewes and a mob of cattle, the brothers travelled them a 'wn the Murray River to its junction with the Darling and thence up the Darling about 8 miles, where they decided to settle, taking up a large track of land known as the Pooncarie station. There they had many difficulties to contend with, the wool having to be taken in drays drawn 500 miles by bullocks, to Melbourne. They would have done well on this station, but they could not get their title owing to some little hitch in the land office, and they were compelled to sell their stock and leave. Mr Campbell soon after accepted a position as station manager, and successfully managed the Letington and Qunawarra stations, and afterwards became owner of the wellknown Lalbert Estate, where he had some trying experiences. It was rather a wild run, but the land was good. Very little rain fell in this neighbourhood, and there had been some disastrous years of drought which compelled him to relax his hold of the station. He then went to New South Wales where he took up the more profitable occupaation of gold mining, which he carried on for upwards of 9 years with great success. He married in 1861 a sister of Mr Scobie Mackenzie, and migrated with his family to New Zealand, where two of his brothers had settled some years before —one in Otago and the other in Hawke’s Bay. Soon after his arrival in the colony he purchased the Paerata Park Estate, 26 miles from Auckland, where he resided for 20 years. He then sold out and purchased the Whengaitu Estate near Walton where his family now reside. Mr Campbell was a warm-hearted man, of a kindly and courteous disposition, and was highly respected by all who knew him. He was one of Nature’s gentlemen, and his death will be regretted by all who had come in contact with him.