1937 - Deans, J. Pioneers of Canterbury: Deans Letters, 1840-1854 - CHAPTER XII. FARMING IN THE 'FIFTIES. DEATH OF JOHN DEANS, p 262-281

       
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  1937 - Deans, J. Pioneers of Canterbury: Deans Letters, 1840-1854 - CHAPTER XII. FARMING IN THE 'FIFTIES. DEATH OF JOHN DEANS, p 262-281
 
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CHAPTER XII. FARMING IN THE 'FIFTIES. DEATH OF JOHN DEANS

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CHAPTER XII

FARMING IN THE 'FIFTIES. DEATH OF JOHN DEANS


John Deans to J. Y. Deans.

Riccarton, 27th October, 1853.

I am in receipt of yours per John Taylor written on the receipt of my first since our arrival. I have been very lucky so far in getting all your letters in the order in which they were written.

The news of the death of Aunt Young and William Deans we learnt from some papers sent by the Auchenflower gude folks a few days before your letters came to hand. The one had reached a ripe age and the other could I think have little enjoyment here. I hope they have both gone to a better world.

I am glad to hear you were to shoot at Auchenflower. I am afraid from the severe spring that the birds will not be so plentiful this season as the last; there is not a duck, quail, nor even a pigeon to be seen here, and I have not had a gun in my hands for two or three months.

I hinted to William Rankin that there was a report that his father was going to marry again. I thought it would partly prepare him for the news when it arrives. He has had no letters lately. He is in good health and spirits, no appearance of a continuance of the fits. He still visits the young lady I spoke of in an earlier letter. She and her sister are keeping a school in Christchurch, and from all I can hear are very decent well-behaved girls.

Sheep and stock of all sorts are higher if anything than when I last wrote. No sheep to be bought, and conjectures are current that Sidey will not be able to fulfil his contracts. We had a cattle show a few weeks ago which went off very creditably for the place. Horses are greatly in demand--good draught ones have brought £70 and £80 and in a few instances even £100. There is also great demand for working bullocks, and I think it will increase for a year or two. I sold twenty steers to one man at £15 for breaking, and have heard of £80 being offered for a good pair of steady bullocks, and refused. If the diggings keep up and we can get labour, prices of stock and crops of all sorts will pay. There

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has been no labour but plenty of capital in the ships that have arrived since the Minerva. No chance of buying a good flock of sheep, in fact less than ever, and the bad ones I would not have at any price.

Everything on the farm goes on well under the superintendence of Douglas. The crops all look well. We are now planting potatoes. There is a great show of fruit in the garden. Some young trees, apple and pears, that never bore before, are the admiration of everyone. Owing to my health I think it might be as prudent to put off purchasing sheep, even if they were to be had, till we see what a few months would do for me. I will weigh this well in case any offer, as it might embarrass you and my other friends in the event of my trouble getting the better of me.

Jane joins in kindest love to our father, yourself, and all friends.

P.S.--I address this to you instead of our father in case he might be more alarmed about my health than there is occasion for. I will write him very soon again.



W. G. Rankin to John Deans.

Home Bush, 2nd December, 1853.

Abner comes down to take up the bulls. We have had the heifers separated from the rest of the herd about a fortnight. We yarded the heifers since and in doing so one bolted at the yard. She is a crooked necked heifer and I don't think she sees straight. We tried for some time to get her in but she twists her neck and off she goes and it is impossible to turn her. We have tried to yard the rest of the herd by putting them in two mobs; the first mob yarded well enough, there being few calves, but the next mob we could not get more than three-fourths in; we tried until we saw that we would kill our horses before we got them in, and alas, we had to give it up. The folk will all laugh at us and say, "pretty stock-keepers indeed; can't yard their cattle." I would take it very kind if you could put us up to some move to get them in. I was thinking of making another slip panel at the gate, perhaps we might manage that way, but as it is twenty horses could not yard them. I am sorry to bother you, but really we would be the better of some little advice. How shall we manage in bringing down the heifers. There will be some difficulty in getting them off the run. There is one of the cows dead; she has died in calving, the calf lying dead at her

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side. I counted between sixty and seventy calves the other day. That very thin white heifer I spoke to you of is getting quite better again. I don't know how we shall get that crooked necked heifer drafted out. She can't see where she is going and comes slap-bang up against the horses. Messrs. Jackson and Fleming's man came here to-day to see if we could let them have some beef. I told them that Abner was going down, and that we would send them word as soon as possible. Bealey's people are quite out, probably Mr. Bealey has been speaking to you about it; however, Jackson and Fleming's people will take the whole bullock if they cannot get half. We killed for ourselves the night shortly after I came up; we got on very well indeed. I am beginning to feel very anxious about news from home. I suppose there is nothing for me yet. I hope you are all well at Riccarton, principally you. I hope you are getting stronger and will soon be able to take a trip up the country and see us. I shall not be down unless something urgent calls me until the heifers come. I feel exceedingly anxious sometimes about the cattle, fearing anything might go wrong, not having anyone that has had more practice than myself to talk to, and never having such a charge before. Hoping you are all as well and happy at Riccarton as we are here.



John Deans to John Deans, Sen.

Riccarton, 10th December, 1853.

I wrote James about five weeks ago, since which we have had no English mails, but we daily expect a large mail by Sydney and also the Rajah one by way of Otago. I had a short note of James' of 6th June forwarded from Auckland by Mr. John Dow. He said he meant to stay there for about two months and then would come on here. I will be glad to do anything I can for him, should he do so, as a countryman. I write now in better spirits than I have done since my return from Scotland. My cough is gone or nearly so, and my general health improves very much. I have had a wearisome time with the doctors and their drugs, but they tell me I will be able to dispense with both in a month or two if I go on improving as I have done lately. Jane and the little boy are both quite well. We got him christened by a Scotch clergyman who happened to call here on his way to Wellington. His name is John, of course, after you. He is a very strong healthy child, and as the weather has been fine for some

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months we are all out of doors as much as inside during the day. We often drive out in the dog-cart, and for the last three weeks I have been able to ride a quiet pony occasionally.

The early part of last winter was the wettest I ever saw in New Zealand, as it seems to have been all over the world. About the middle of July the rain took up and we have had scarcely any since. The late-sown crops look very light, and I fear many patches will not be worth cutting unless we have copious rains. While I write the rain comes down in good earnest and it looks like a wet night. Twenty-four hours of it will insure me a fair crop as my crops were got in at a better time than most people's. The green crops will delight in the rain as there has not been enough to enable the carrots to come up regularly. I think I wrote you that we had a great deal of trouble with the dam. We have overcome it at last and it answers uncommonly well. Nobody here seems ever to have seen a thrashing machine of the kind. Those in general use here are small portable ones driven by oxen, and we can thrash as much in two hours as they do in a whole day and with fewer hands. If we had not succeeded with the dam we would not have been able to get more than half the grain thrashed before the new crop came in, but with the machine we will have it all cleared up in little more than a month. The barley is all sold and delivered, the oats are reduced to three stacks of about 120 bushels each, and the wheat to eight of about 80 bushels. The latter I have sold to a miller for 10/-. There is a good appearance of apples, gooseberries, currants and raspberries in the garden; peaches and plums are not so numerous, but still we will have plenty for our own use.

Stock of all sorts continue high in price; horses and cattle are now higher than I ever knew them, and the price for newly landed ones is enormous. Some little heifers, not larger than my last year's calves, the importer asks £15 a head for, the price when I left for Scotland for similar ones was about £5. Really good cattle are not saleable at a corresponding price, or mine would be worth at least £30. New landed riding horses fetch £50, and good and well-conditioned ones bring from £80 to £100 if fit for cart and plough. I sold a few soon after my arrival for less than half the prices, but who could foresee the rise?

In writing to James some time ago I asked him to send me some things to the value of £50 for a deficiency that occurred in my valuation of the crops. Had I foreseen that

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cattle and horses would rise to such prices I would not have asked this, as the increased prices of those will counterbalance the other. However, if he sends them out I will make it up, either by giving him a good team of horses should he ever come out here, or in some other way.

Labour is scarce here and the men are getting very independent. I wonder some good Scotchmen do not come out here. They would readily get from £40 to £50 a year with house and provisions. Good spadesmen such as ditchers or gardeners would get 5/- a day for eight hours' work. Ploughmen and shepherds, if steady, £50 and rations, and any sort of steady industrious men either married or single would soon become owners of land and get independent. If I were sure that five or six good men could be got to come out I would gladly engage them for two or three years at the above prices, and pay their passage money on their arrival; they binding themselves to repay the same out of their wages. Those that can afford to pay their own passages generally turn out best and likeliest to remain in the colony. There was some talk of trying to get some over from Australia, but I am afraid it is of little use trying so long as the gold is found in such abundance. I daresay plenty of clerks and shopkeepers might be got, but they would be of little use on a farm. William Rankin is getting anxious to hear from home, as he has only had two letters from his father. He is quite well. The box Mr. Rankin promised to send by the Cornwall has not yet arrived, nor any account of it.

Douglas Graham is with me and quite well. He has taken all the management of the farm during my illness and I could not well have done without him. Should any of their friends enquire after them, they are well and like the country.

Jane joins in kindest respects to you, James, and all friends.



J. Y. Deans to John Deans.

Kirkstyle, 19th December, 1853.

I received your letter of the 10th May on 23rd November and as requested I have sent you per Balnaquith in two boxes the clothes, grey holland, serges, boots, riddles, weighing machine and weights, spades, shovels and cart harness specified at the end of your letter. The horse-collar measures 26 inches as you wished it, though the saddler said it was an

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uncommonly large size and he seemed to doubt that you would be wrong in the measurement. I have not been able to get the 200 four-bushel bags in time to go by the Balnaquith, but I hope to be able to send them by next ship. The Superintendent of the Glasgow Blind Asylum said that he could have supplied me with 200 five-bushel bags at once, but that he could not supply the same number of four-bushel bags in less than three or four weeks. You seem satisfied that the price of these articles will cover my share of the deficiency of the crop of 1851-2 as compared with your estimate at settling with me. I am perfectly agreeable to this so that the acknowledgement you granted me may remain unaltered. As Mr. Rankin was sending some clothes, etc., to Willie he thought it better to put them into one of your boxes than to have a separate parcel, but you will be able to make out easily enough what belongs to him.

You ask my opinion of the Governor's proclamation reducing the price of land to 10/- and 5/- an acre. I think this may be a good enough measure for Wellington and Nelson, where all the available lands open for sale lie in detached districts, difficult of access and at a great distance from the towns, and which would not be likely to tempt a purchaser except at a very low figure. It is clearly the interest of these settlements to get this outlying country occupied as soon as possible, and probably considering its disadvantages of situation, 10/- and 5/- an acre may be the full value of it. But I have a different opinion as regards Canterbury. If the price of land there, suited for cultivation, was reduced to 10/- an acre, where would a fund come from to pay for emigration, road-making, etc? The effect of the reduction in price would be that all the land within twenty miles of Christchurch would be monopolised in a short time by persons not having a fourth of the capital requisite to cultivate or improve it. And in the place of the colony holding out greater inducements to capitalists than at present the reverse would be the case. No doubt a tax on all lands unenclosed and unoccupied would to a certain extent prevent a wholesale monopoly by absentees, and this would be a very proper thing whether the price of land is reduced or not, but it would be an easy matter for anyone to avoid this in a considerable degree by making just so much improvement on his land as would enable him to keep clear of the tax, although not sufficient to constitute a beneficial occupation such as would be of advantage to the colony

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Another matter for consideration is that all the present landholders would require to be compensated. I suppose about 30,000 acres have been disposed of by the Association so that the holders would be fairly entitled to compensation to the extent of 150,000 acres, if the price is reduced to 10/-. Some of the letter writers in the "Lyttelton Times" seem to argue that the purchasers at £3 an acre would not be entitled to any compensation in the event of a reduction in price, because the first choices being suburban land are much more valuable than what remains to be disposed of, and they even say that the purchasers at £3 would be benefited, although they received no compensation, by the increased prosperity of the settlement to be brought about by the reduction. These arguments I think the very height of absurdity. Although the early settlers have no doubt got the best land, they are fairly entitled to it on account of their risks and privations in founding the settlement, but it is only a very few of the earliest choices that have any great advantage in this respect, as, between the land chosen by the last purchasers from the Association and some of what remains undisposed of there can be little or no difference in quality.

While I think that 10/- an acre is too low a figure I am equally satisfied that £3 is too high, and have no doubt it would be advantageous to reduce it to 30/- or even £1, and I would be for devoting a much larger portion of the price to road-making and other local improvements, and less for emigration, and religious and educational purposes than has been done under the plan of the Association. Sooner or later you are sure to get a good deal of emigration from Australia which would take nothing from your land fund.

Act to the best of your discretion as to buying more land for me. If a reduction of price has taken place and compensation been given to the previous holders, as I think will have been done before this reaches you, your property and mine will have been considerably increased without laying out any additional money. If you spend £300 or £400 more in the purchase of land for me it should make a considerable property, and it will perhaps require £200 or £300 to fence it all. No fear I think but Canterbury will go ahead, and land near the towns must rise greatly in value.

I quite approve of your delaying to purchase sheep owing to the extravagant prices, but I hope you will be able to get

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a flock at a reasonable rate soon. Have you managed to get sheep and a station for Mr. Owen?

I intend to go through to Auchenflower for a day or two next month with Robert Ewen to shoot woodcock, etc. Poor little Brag died about a month ago of distemper. I was very sorry for him and fear I won't get such a good dog again in a hurry.

Our father continues to enjoy good health and we were both happy to hear that Jane had completely recovered from the effects of the sea sickness she had suffered so much from during the voyage. We were a good deal concerned to learn that your cough still continued to trouble you. You mentioned in your last letter that it was considerably better and we hope that next letter will tell us that it has left you completely.

I have given you such a long yarn about the price of land at Canterbury (which I daresay you will think very little to the purpose) that I have not time to write about much else, but I will make up for it next opportunity.

Our father joins me in best wishes for Jane and yourself.


P.S.--There were about a dozen pair of stockings and a pair of shoes put into one of the boxes sent per Balnaquith to fill up the vacant space. They will be of use to you I have no doubt.



John Deans to J. Y. Deans.

Riccarton, 29th December, 1853.

On the 16th inst. I received your letter per Great Britain, of the 10th August. Enclosed there was the first of a set of bills on London, in payment of my share of the executry of our late Aunts Mrs. Hamilton and Miss Young, which I hereby acknowledge receipt of, and approve of your having signed the discharge to the executors for me. I also think it was very proper that Mr. Gavin Struthers should get the whole of the furniture.

You were making preparations, when you wrote the last letter, for the moors, and with hopes of good sport. I was afraid the grouse would be scarce after such a severe winter as we heard of. We expect to hear of your success in a few days, as the Carnatic has arrived at Otago and is expected here daily. We expect to be quite stocked with newspapers as the North fleet has also arrived at Wellington. We have only had one paper, a "Citizen," for the last two months and

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that was dated in January. A few days before your letter arrived I let your section of land. I would have preferred that the tenant should leave all improvements at the end of a short term of years, but it is quite impossible to get a good person to lease land here now without a purchasing clause in the lease. The tenant is a Scotchman and has been a farm servant. He has been two years in the colony and got married a few weeks ago to a first-rate dairy woman, and they can muster about £400 worth of stock, etc. The terms of the lease are these: First seven years at 5/- an acre and right to purchase at the end of that time for £1,000; second seven years at 6/6 per acre per annum, and to purchase for £1,500; and third seven years, 8/- and to purchase for £2,000. If things go on as they are doing now I daresay he will be able to take it up at the end of the first seven years, but even if he should I suppose you will consider it a pretty fair bargain.

I have also made an arrangement with a person here to take the management of my cattle for a term of seven years. He is a respectable married man with a large family, has been a farmer in England. He is to bear all the expenses on the station and to look after the cattle for the use of about sixty cows to milk. He is to bring up the calves of these cows to my satisfaction. The station will thus cost me near to nothing, and will yield a very handsome return for fat cattle, and after next year should I wish it I can. take at least one half of the young cattle down here to form a dairy. From the difficulty in getting servants for dairy purposes I would not have trusted anyone who had not a family fit for doing most of the work themselves. This man has a managing wife, three sons and two daughters, and bears a good character.

Land is increasing in value very fast here,and I have no doubt will continue to do so; in small patches of five to ten acres as many pounds an acre is a common price, but I have not heard of any fifty acre section fetching £5 as yet; that many of these near the town will be worth £20 an acre in ten or twelve years I have no doubt, and there are many places that I would buy at present for £4 or £5 much rather than invest in sheep or cattle at present terms. I have a sort of notion that both Mr. Russell's land and stock may be sold ere long, and as it would not likely be divided into small blocks it would not fetch a very high price. This would be a splendid chance for investing, and should it occur I will not lose the chance. The reason I think this is likely is that Mrs. Russell

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is not in good health and this will probably be the cause of taking them home. I wrote you before that debentures were scarcely to be purchased, but I expect there will soon be more issued, both at Wellington and here on the security of the land revenue guaranteed by the Government. They talk of only giving 6 per cent, interest on these new ones, but may be obliged to give more. If I see any investment that I think would be worth while I will draw on you as you desire for not exceeding £1,000. From 10 to 15 per cent, is often given for small sums on security of land and stock, but I have always been afraid to trust any of my own money in that way, although some people do it regularly. I wrote our father about the beginning of the month. I am glad to hear he continues in pretty good health. I am still very weak, but I think am improving. Jane and the little boy are very well, and join with me in kindest regards to all our friends.


2nd January, 1854.

As the ship by which I purpose sending this has been delayed for a few days I will not close till the last day. The Carnatic has arrived and your letter of the 19th August containing the second of the set of bills on London reached me two days ago. I was glad to hear that you had such good sport among the grouse. Two letters for William Rankin have also arrived, but he has not yet got them.

We have had some very fine rains lately and the crops look well. Harvest will not be general here before the first of February. We have very abundant crops of gooseberries, currants, etc., and have been preserving some. The apples are also a good crop, but pears and plums are not so plentiful as last year. The peas you gave me have grown uncommonly well, and are so much superior to anything of the sort I have seen that I do not intend to grow any others but a single sowing of early ones after this year. I have heard that the Northfleets mail has arrived, so I will not close this till we see what news she may bring us. Jane has just received two letters and three newspapers. The letters are per Northfleet and dated 3rd September. One from her sister Mary and the other from her Aunt Roger. I did not expect any letters from you by her, but I expect some newspapers. They have not reached Christchurch yet; this is the day the new branch post office opens at Christchurch, and we expect to have regular communication with Lyttelton three times a

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week. The previous postmaster was self-appointed, and could just send when he thought there would be sufficient letters to pay him.

Jane joins with me in wishing you all the compliments of the season with kindest regards to all our friends.

P.S.--I send a lot of "Lyttelton Times" papers.



J. Y. Deans to John Deans.

Kirkstyle, 9th January, 1854.

Since I wrote you per Balnaquith we have received your letter of 6th July and 2nd August and were happy to hear that you had the early prospect of an arrival in your family. We hope to learn by your next letter that your expectations have been satisfactorily accomplished.

We have had very severe frosts for about a fortnight, more severe than has been for a great many years, and there has been little doing here of late but curling. The Straiton curlers have been successful in gaining the county match for Lord Eglinton's plate.

There seems every prospect of a war with Russia. Everyone seems to think that this country has held off too long in the expectation of a peace being effected, and that the sooner war is declared the better.

The Croesus is advertised to sail from Southampton tomorrow, but I have little doubt this letter will be in time for the forenoon mail.

Our father joins me in best wishes for Jane, yourself, and I hope I may add, the young native that was expected to arrive when you wrote on the 2nd of August.



J. Y. Deans to John Deans.

Kirkstyle, 25th February, 1854.

We have received no letters from you since I wrote you last per Balnaquith, but I happened to be at Auchenflower at the end of January for the close of the shooting season, when Miss Mary McIlraith received Jane's letter mentioning that she had presented you with a son and that she and the baby were doing well, which intelligence you may be sure afforded us all a great deal of pleasure. We had several days very good shooting on Auchenflower, Garphar, Laggan and Auchairne, the shooters being Mr. Robert Ewen, Mr. Hart, and myself, and for one day Mr. Brown, the successor of Robert Smith as agent of the Western Bank in Girvan. He was



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From a Photograph by Dr Barker

HOMEBUSH IN THE 'FIFTIES


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RICCARTON HOUSE, about 1859

From a Sketch by R Park

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fortunate in killing the only deer we got, a very large buck, which was shot on Laggan. I was nearly worn out shooting every day, five days successively, and dancing or drinking nearly every night.

I must stop as I have just time to catch this afternoon's London post, and the ship leaves the docks to-morrow.

With best compliments to Mrs. Deans and yourself and good wishes for the little fellow, in which my father joins.


Kirkstyle, 1st April, 1854.

Until about a week ago we had not received any letters or newspapers from you for a very long time, none of later date than the 2nd of August, but now we have less reason to complain as on three different mornings within the last week we have received a lot of newspapers, and we have also got within the same time your letters to our father and me of 19th September and the one to me which was partly written on the 29th of December and finished on the 2nd of January. The last came by the Australian mail via India. It bears the Lyttelton postmark of the 7th of January and arrived on the 29th of March, so that it has taken less time on the road than any other letter we ever received from you.

Our father and I are a good deal concerned to hear that you were still suffering from the effects of the cold you caught on your way to England. It is very unfortunate that you did not attend to it earlier than you did, as it might in that case have been easily got rid of, but I hope that with continued care of yourself for some time you will soon get it completely banished.

I am glad to have succeeded in getting my land let on such favourable terms. Better a great deal than I expected. I have no doubt that the tenant will avail himself of the power to purchase at the end of the first seven years, as even although he may not then have as much money of his own at his command (independent of his stock) he will I should think be able to borrow what he may require to make up the price, on the security of the farm and stock. Of course it will be a better bargain for me if he does not purchase before the end of the fourteenth or twenty-first year.

I think you have also made a good arrangement with the man who is to take charge of your cattle if you can rely upon his bestowing sufficient care upon them, but I presume you will have it in your power to put an end to the agreement

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at any time if you find that the stock does not thrive under his care.

I infer both from your letter and from the "Lyttelton Times" that Canterbury is now in a very thriving state, and I have no fear whatever but it will continue to progress in a satisfactory manner. Indeed it is perhaps fortunate that it did not acquire a mushroom prosperity at an earlier period, as if there had been a great deal of land sold, and a very large body of emigrants taken out at the first, it would most likely have caused the price of provisions, building materials, and fuel to be much higher than they have ever been, which would have resulted in the ruin of many of the colonists before they were able to raise any crops to speak of, or to realise any return for the capital they had expended. In these circumstances many would have left the colony in disgust and given it a bad character which it would have taken a long time to get rid of. As it is you have a comparatively small settlement as yet, but one that seems to be firmly rooted, and the arrival of a considerable body of immigrants now would have a very different effect from what it would have had two years ago because I presume sufficient food is now raised in the settlement to support the population, and the money spent for provisions, etc., by the newcomers would go into the pockets of the earlier settlers in place of being sent out of the colony. In this view of the matter, the attacks made on the settlement in the "Australian and New Zealand Gazette," the "Times" and other newspapers will have done good in place of the evil they were intended to do. They will only have had the effect of delaying the arrival of capitalists and labourers until the settlement was in a fit state to receive them. Now that it has prospered in spite of its enemies there is no fear that capital and labour will long be wanting. The yield of gold in Australia seems to have fallen off very much and if it continues to decrease the diggers will soon desert it for other employments. Extravagant wages are given there just now because a great deal of work requires to be done quickly and there is no want of money to pay for it, but this must soon come to an end, and then a stream of immigration is sure to set in from the different colonies in Australia to New Zealand because in the latter colony the ordinary branches of industry, agricultural and pastoral pursuits, yield a larger return for the labour employed on them than in Australia.

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I expect in a few years that Canterbury will have gone ahead so much that the project of making a tunnel through the hills from Lyttelton to the plains and laying a railway to Christchurch will not appear such a Utopian idea as when it was spoken of two years ago. If there be any prospect of such a method of communication being effected, I think it would be foolish to lay out anything further on the road over the hills. It would be better in my opinion to use any funds that may be available in improving the water communication between the Port and the plains by the way of Sumner. If a valuable field of coal were discovered at the back of the Port Cooper hills, which I do not despair of, it would not be long before a railway was set going.

I treated you to a good deal of my tediousness in a former letter about the Governor's cheap land proclamation. You again allude to that subject in your letter of 19th September and express a fear that if the Provincial Council of Canterbury got the disposal of the waste lands into their hands they will not adopt the Governor's views. I must say that I agree in opinion with the majority of the Provincial Council. When I wrote you formerly I was of opinion that it might be advantageous to reduce the price to some extent, although not so low as intended by the Governor's proclamation, but on more mature consideration I doubt if it would be advisable to reduce it at all. If the price was reduced to 10/- an acre, a great deal of land would soon be sold, but the purchasers would mostly consist of speculators or people without sufficient capital to cultivate it, and I think it would be the greatest evil that could befall the colony if such persons were to be allowed to pick up all the best land. But should it be otherwise, and suppose that a great deal of the land sold at 10/- was brought into cultivation, it could only be so at the expense of those who purchased from the Association at £3 an acre. Far from making labour more abundant than it is at present it would make it relatively a great deal scarcer. Out of the £3 per acre paid to the Association £1 was laid out in emigration, say that the cost of each adult emigrant amounted to £20 and that one out of every three was an agricultural labourer (which is a high estimate) this would give one labourer to sixty acres of land. If the price was reduced to 10/- an acre, I should think that not more than 4/- of this could be laid out in emigration, which by the same rule of calculation would give only one labourer for 300 acres,

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so that as I said before this 10/- an acre land could only be cultivated at the expense of those who bought at £3. I am quite satisfied that the same land with plenty of labour and good roads may be in reality cheaper at £3 than it would be at 10/- without these advantages, and there is no way in which a fund for these purposes could be more fairly or cheaply collected than by making it part of the price of land. If the purchaser does not pay it in that shape he must put his hand into his pocket and do so in some other way. Supposing there was no land unsold that was fit for cultivation it would certainly be an advantage to reduce the price of the pastoral land so as to encourage improvements by fencing and sowing artificial grasses, but as long as there is so much agricultural land near to Christchurch I am convinced that it would be best for the colony to keep up the price and expend as much of it as can be spared in introducing labour and making roads and large ditches as main or arterial drains through the swampy tracts of ground near the town. I would not lay out any of the money in making roads or drains at a distance from the town until all the good land near it was taken up; in this way a purchaser would always be sure of a good road and proximity to neighbours. No fear but the land would sell. If proper steps were taken plenty of small farmers and farm servants might be induced to go out from England and Scotland by getting land equivalent to the cost of their passage. Any one should be allowed to purchase as small a lot as four or five acres, but to prevent them from picking out the best spots along the rivers and roads, blocks of land here and there should be set apart for the small purchasers.

With regard to the land that is not likely to be soon brought into cultivation, it would certainly be a good thing for the colony if means could be devised to get it improved so that it might support as large a stock as possible. This I think might be done by rewarding those holders of runs who improved and punishing those who did not improve their stations. I would punish those who did not improve by refusing to renew their licenses at the end of the term for which they now hold them, and I would reward those who do improve by giving them a longer tenure and security that they would be repaid the expense incurred in erecting necessary buildings, fencing, and sowing grasses, if the land occupied by them should be sold. If this were done I have no doubt great improvements would soon be made, and holders of stations

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would by and by find their runs too large for all the stock they were inclined to keep so that they could dispose of part of their runs.

I think I have now said enough if not more than enough on this subject. I daresay you will think a great deal of it is not very much to the purpose. If I had been very busy I might not have said so much, but I had resolved to spin a good long yarn on this occasion in the hope that it may induce you to do the same in return.

If you have not drawn upon me for the £1,000 which I asked you to invest for me in New Zealand, I hope you will not do so, as this Russian War has had the effect of lowering the price of the railway stock I hold, so that I could only sell out at a loss in order to send you the money, and as it is yielding a good dividend at present and is sure to rise again, I should not like to make any sacrifice by selling out. However if you have drawn on me before this reaches you I will be prepared to meet your draft.

We were very glad to hear that Mrs. Deans has been in better health since her confinement and that the young gentleman is thriving. I have no doubt he will be a spoilt bairn. I hope you will soon recover your own health. Our father continues to enjoy pretty good health and joins me in kindest regards to Mrs. Deans, yourself, and young Riccarton.

P.S.--I enclose bill of lading of the 200 bags sent per Norman Morrison.



John Deans to John Deans, Sen.

Riccarton, 16th May, 1854.

I have been longer without writing you at this date than any time since my return, partly because I had very little news to write about, and partly that I might have a more decided opinion to give about my health which is still very low.

We have got a fine stackyard, 37 stacks, the produce of 100 acres. We expect a good market but have not sold any yet. We have had no soaking rains for more than ten months, and the ground is very dry. The potatoes and most other green crops failed on that account. The other crops were very good throughout the settlement.

Mr. Douglas Graham manages the farm for me, and I have really very little anxiety on my mind on that account.

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The stock are doing well I believe, but I have not seen them for fourteen months. Cattle have rather fallen in price, but sheep are rather up if anything. Land has been more in demand than either for two or three months. Jane joins me in kindest love to you and James.



Wm. Lyon to Jane Deans.

Wellington, 12th August, 1854.

It was only last Saturday that the sad tidings of the death of my dear friend Mr. Deans reached me; although in a great measure prepared to hear it, it was a sad shock. I need not say how deeply I sympathize with you in this sad bereavement. May He who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb continue to uphold and support you.

I have administered to the will. Mr. Strang has forwarded it to Mr. Porter. I fear I will not be able to come down by the steamer the first trip owing to the short stay she will make at Lyttelton. I will, however, if at all possible come down the trip following which will be towards the end of September. Mr. Porter will instruct you to make out the necessary inventories to lay before the Registrar. Whatever arrangements you make with Mr. Graham I am sure will be satisfactory to Mr. Brittan and myself. I daresay there are many things you and Mr. Graham would like to advise with me about, but I hope the delay of a few weeks will in no way interfere with preliminary arrangments.

Mrs. Lyon has acceded to your request to allow Grace 1 to go down if we can prevail upon her to go down in the steamer. Mr. Waite 2 will take charge of her and send her over, but if not I will bring her down when I come myself.

No alteration could be made in the will, but I shall write to Mr. James on the subject. I think you may keep your mind easy on that matter, James will at once see the reasonableness of the changes.

With kind regards to Mr. Graham and yourself.



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J. Y. Deans to John Deans.

Kirkstyle, 22nd September, 1854.

Your letter of the 16th May reached us about a fortnight ago and you may be sure it gave our father and myself a great deal of sorrow to hear that your health continued so very bad. The last letters we had from you spoke in such a hopeful way of your recovery during the fine weather of summer that we were not prepared to hear that you continued so ill when the summer was over. Our father and I still trust that you will regain your health again, although we can scarcely expect that you will ever be so strong and vigorous as you were after such a long and severe illness. It is some consolation to us to hear that Mrs. Deans and your little boy continue to enjoy good health. It is so far fortunate for you that you have in her one who can attend to your wants with affection, and that you are not dependent, as you would have been had you continued unmarried, on the attention of strangers.

There is a considerable change in our father within the last three weeks. His appetite and general health continue much as they were, but his strength has given way considerably and his limbs are so weak that he cannot walk across the room without the aid of a staff. He is not able now to go out of doors and can scarcely go up and come downstairs with assistance. I think he has had something in the nature of a slight shock of paralysis and if so it is likely that it may return. He is so weak now that he would not be able to stand much illness. I will probably write you again by the Australian mail steamer which leaves Southampton in the beginning of next month. I will be sure to do so if our father is any worse. 3

I had a letter from Mr. McIlraith lately asking me to go through to Auchenflower to shoot partridges when the harvest is over. I am not sure if I will be able to go as I should not like to leave home while our father is in any way unwell. Mr. Stephen Ewen shot at Auchenflower on the 12th August and I believe had tolerable sport. I shot near Muirkirk and had better sport than I expected--22 brace in two days.

You mention that the grain crops in New Zealand have turned out well. I am glad to say that the crops in this country are also abundant. It is a blessing that it has turned out so, as it is said that the crops in America are very deficient,

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and the war with Russia will prevent our getting our usual supplies from that quarter.

It has been an uncommonly bad fruit season. I do not know anyone who has had as good a crop as ourselves. We have had as large a crop of peaches as ever we had before and never had them so fine in qaulity. We had also a good crop of gooseberries, Jargonelle pears and plums, but apples and late pears are scarce.

Our father joins me in kindest love to Jane and yourself, and in hopes that we may soon hear better accounts of your health.



Extract from "The Lyttelton Times," of 1st July, 1854.

Three short years have hardly yet passed away since the painful task devolved upon us of recording a loss in the person of Mr. W. Deans, which deeply affected the whole community of our then infant settlement. To almost every one of the first body of Canterbury colonists, Mr. William Deans was personally known, by all of them highly respected. Few amongst them indeed there are who have not had cause to preserve a grateful recollection of many a hospitable reception, much serviceable information unreservedly given by the two brothers who at Riccarton first commenced the arduous task of colonizing the Canterbury Plains.

In but a slight degree less known to our now numerous band of settlers, but not less universally respected and esteemed by them, Mr. John Deans has been summoned from among us. On the 23rd ultimo after many months' illness, he died of consumption, brought on originally by a violent cold caught when crossing the Isthmus of Panama.

If energy and perseverance, rewarded by success, can exercise an influence to lead others on in the road to prosperity and independence, then neither John nor William Deans have lived in vain. They whose examples have encouraged the struggling and cheered the fainthearted on to renewed hope and to exertion not unavailing at last, have accomplished one part of the mission each of us is sent here to fulfil--to help his fellow man.

But for the assurance which the visible results of the Messrs. Deans' industry at first gave of that prosperity which now surrounds them, the majority of the early Pilgrims would soon have left the settlement, dispirited and in disgust. And-

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the province would at this day be very far indeed in arrear of that flourishing condition which already bespeaks for it the third rank among the settlements of New Zealand. For those who thus contributed to produce them, such material benefits deserve and demand that lasting record, cere perennius, which should be found in the lively and grateful remembrance of the settlers.

We hope that the names of the brothers Deans may ever occupy a place in the history of Canterbury as prominent as that which their memory now fills in the hearts of many deeply attached friends, and of numerous acquaintances from among all classes in the province.


1   The daughter of Mr. Lyon, who afterwards married Hugh McIlraith, a brother of Mrs. Deans.
2   Robert Waitt, grandfather of Major L. G. D. Acland. Waitt was then in partnership with D. M. Laurie in Lyttelton, and owned Teviotdale station.
3   John Deans, Sen. died 25th August, 1856.

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