AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21420, 12 March 1935, Page 6

AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT

OLD LETTER FOUND HISTORY OF SIGNATORIES An interesting curiosity which provides a link with Christchurch of almost 50 years ago has been unearthed in the building in Hereford street, near Strand lane, which was formerly occupied by the New Zealand Insurance Company. It is an old letter, addressed "To Whoever Finds, and it was hidden, on its own evidence, beneath a window-sill at 1 p.m. on May 15 1889. The letter was found in good condition but the paper, the handwriting and the letterhead speak of the period almost as emphatically as does the date itself. Contents of Letter The following account of the ceremony of depositing the document is given- "The hole through which this shppt is to be dropped was made at 10 15 am. this morning, Wednesday, May 15, 1889, owing to alterations at the letter press. This sheet will now be respectfully slipped through the opening to the singing of Auld Lang Syne' so whoever finds this in years to come will be able to count how lon« it has been in its resting-place ] viz" the foundations of 196 Hereford j street West, Christenurca, being the | office of the Canterbury branch of he New Zealand Insurance Company, the staff of which on this 'memorial date Col The ° signatures which follow are those of David Craig, the manager, William Lythberg, R. Dobbin J. b Hawkcs, J. Way, E. E. Heywood, and I L Ruxton. Nicknames are appended —in the case of Mr Hawkes the nickname is "Pugilist." The letter asks several questions ot posterity —"Is the West Coast l ail way finished yet?" and whether the Kaikoura yet comes up to Christchuich via Heathcote. though no explanation accompanies the latter question. "The Posterity of Canterbury, A.D. 1989 —long may you live," is another line. And. at the bottom of the envelope, "God Save the Queen. Along with the letter is a verse ending witn the lines:

"To be found by some person or persons unknown. When the above sweeps are dead and their spirits have flown."

A final note, in the nature of a postscript, says that since the contents of the envelope were written, the stall had found that the message would not go right to the bottom of the building but would only rest just underneath the top of the window ledge. llow the Writers have Fared Of the six signatures to the letter three are now dead and three are still living in Christchurch. Originally urnted as members oi one staff they have since been widely separated and have taken part in many occupations. The manager, Mr David Craig, leit Christchurch and went to live at Auckland where he died. His daughter married a Christchurch bank manager. Mr William Lythberg, a Swede by birth, was, after he lett Christchurch, appointed manager of the company s branch at Wanganui. Later he went fo the West Coast, where he died. Mr R. Dobbin, until his death two or three years ago, was well known in ccademic circles in Christchurch as a member of the Englisn and Classical Associations at Canterbury College. I-Ie had a varied scholastic career in early life, leaving Liverpool to become tutor to the son of an Irish nobleman, and later becoming a teacher at Scotch College, Melbourne. After occupying the position of headmaster at the Catholic High School in Christchurch, he decided to enter into business, and took up the position with the Now Zealand Insurance Company which led to his .signing of tne recently-discovered letter. Later he was transferred to the Dunedin branch but the yc.trs of his rctiienient were spent in Christclunch, where he made many friends at Canterbury College. Mrs Dobbin is still living if) Christchurch. Mr J. S. Haw'kcs is now well knwon in the city as the secretary of the automobile association.

Mr J. Way is at present living in Christchurch. and was, for many years after he left the New Zealand Insurance Company, engaged in the timber business. Mr E. E. Ileywood, who, according to the other surviving members of the j staff, was responsible for organising the wilting and depositing of the letter, is now dead. Mr I. L. Ruxton is now living in Christchurch, though he has travelled much since he signed the "memorial"' letter. He was in Wanganui, Nelson. and Napier, and in 1902 he went to India where he remained till his return 'to New Zealand in 1912. All the surviving members of the staff well remember depositing the letter. They regard the whole affair <?£ rather a joke, though they had no idea that the document would be found so soon.