1868 - Pyke, V. The Province of Otago in New Zealand - CHAPTER IV. HISTORICAL SKETCH, p 10-13

       
E N Z B       
       Home   |  Browse  |  Search  |  Variant Spellings  |  Links  |  EPUB Downloads
Feedback  |  Conditions of Use      
  1868 - Pyke, V. The Province of Otago in New Zealand - CHAPTER IV. HISTORICAL SKETCH, p 10-13
 
Previous section | Next section      

CHAPTER IV. HISTORICAL SKETCH.

[Image of page 10]

CHAPTER IV.

HISTORICAL SKETCH.

A RETROSPECTIVE glance at the history of the settlement may not be unacceptable to the reader.

The systematic colonisation of Otago commenced in 1818. Previous to that year, however, the bays indenting the sea-coast were frequented by the crews of whaling-vessels, who resorted thither for the purpose of "trying out" (i.e. melting down) the produce of their expeditions. Mr John Jones was the first actual settler. The location originally selected by that gentleman, at

[Image of page 11]

Waikouaiti Bay is now the site of a thriving township. But attention had been attracted to the district in other quarters. As early as 1844 the late Edward Gibbon Wakefield conceived the idea of establishing a Scottish settlement in the then unoccupied portion of the Middle Island; and at the instance of the New Zealand Company the Colonial Office instructed Governor Fitzroy to set aside the present Province of Canterbury for the New Edinburgh settlement. A further investigation and examination of the country, conducted by Mr Tuckett, caused a deviation from the original design; and, in accordance with that gentleman's recommendation, the site of the settlement was finally located in Otago, where a block of 400,000 acres was purchased from the native proprietors of the soil on behalf of the then recently formed Otago Association.

The first immigrants, 90 in number, arrived in the "John Wickliffe," on the 23rd March, 1848. Amongst them was the leader of the expedition, Captain William Cargill, and his family. The "Philip Laing" followed with the second detachment of 236 immigrants, arriving on the 11th April in the same year. On board the latter vessel was the Rev. Thomas Burns--now Dr Burns--the first pastor and spiritual adviser of the infant settlement. This venerable gentleman is happily still spared to witness the prosperity of the land, and of the church whose foundations he has so materially assisted to lay, and whose growth he has so carefully tended. It was originally designed to establish a settlement based exclusively on Free Church principles; whence it occurred that the name of Dr Chalmers was given to the principal port. But this intention was subsequently abandoned; and questions of religion or country have long since ceased to be insisted upon. Otago is therefore open to all who may desire to select it as their abiding place, irrespective of creed or nationality.

With one brief interval, Captain Cargill was from the commencement the ruler of the settlement. In the year 1852 the Imperial Parliament passed the New Zealand Constitution Act,

[Image of page 12]

by which Otago was erected into a Province. Captain Cargill was thereupon elected as the Superintendent, an office which he continued to fill, with honour to himself and advantage to the country, till 1860, when, worn down by age and infirmity, he retired from public life. "Seven months afterwards," to quote from a contemporary record, "on the 6th August, the gallant soldier, indefatigable colonist, and true Christian, departed this life." A public monument, decreed to his memory, has since been erected in the Octagon; but he has a more enduring monument in the grateful remembrances of the people with and for whom he so long and so arduously laboured.

In December, 1860, the handful of hardy immigrants who first took possession of the soil had largely increased in numbers. The population at that date was, by computation, 12,901. The revenue of the financial year ending September 30th in the same year, amounting to £85,000, furnishes other and material evidence of the growing prosperity of the Province at that period. In the next year, 1861, the district of Murihiku, or Southland, was severed from Otago, and constituted a separate Province, whereby Otago lost a portion of her territory, with about 3,000 inhabitants. But immediately thereafter occurred the gold discoveries, which more than counterbalanced the loss of Southland, and lent renewed impetus to progress. Many of those whom the gold-fields attracted to Otago subsequently returned to their former haunts in Australia, or wandered elsewhere; but a large proportion settled with their families in the Province, and have been amalgamated with the original settlers.

By the census taken in December 1867 the total population was found to be close upon 49,000 souls. Deducting residents in Southland, who were included in the computation of 1800, it will be seen that in seven years the population has sustained nearly a five-fold increase--a rate of progression which speaks well for the past, and promises well for the future. 1

[Image of page 13]

The revenue has advanced in proportion. From the Balance-sheet for the financial year ending March 31st, 1868 (recently laid before the Council by the Provincial Treasurer, Mr Julius Vogel), it appears that the amount of revenue received for that period was close upon £300,000. This is exclusive of a large sum retained by the Colonial Government for general purposes.

1   See Appendix B. Population.

Previous section | Next section