THE PHILIP LAING PASSENGERS.

Evening Star, Issue 3168, 16 April 1873, Page 2

THE PHILIP LAING PASSENGERS.

QUARTER CENTURY COMMEMORATION OE THEIR LANDING.

About one hundred and twenty persons, immigrants by the Philip Laing, with their descendants, assembled at Port Chalmers yesterday, to celebrate the landing of the passengers by that vessel on the 15ih A pril, 1848. They met on the phd form of the Dunedin and Port Chalmers railway at Dunedin, and were conveyed by train to Port Chalmers. O r n their arrival there they were saluted by the usual number of ;:vus fr 'in Tayler’s battery, and spent some time in inspecting the railway pier, and the tine vessels lying alongside. Some of the now venerable immigrants by the Philip Laing had not boon in Port Chalmers for more than twenty' years, while sc* veral more had not pcviously seen the railway. Their remarks \ver fi interesting, when they compared the small vessel of 500 tons, in they reached New Zealand, with the magnificent Zealan lia and Euterpe; and the contrast between Port Chalmers twenty-five years ago—a few huts in a wilderness—now, a town well laid out, with graving-dock, wharves, and railway, struck them very forcibly. After some time spent in inspecting the Port and the improvements, the whole party assembled at hotel, whore a cold repast, with tea, ’wa« provided. Although, the line weather had induced Bjany to be present who were not expected, the provision was ample, and by a little contrivance—the ladies being first attended to—everyone enjoyed, to the full, the refreshment provided. His Honor the Superintendent, by invitation, presided at the lunch, and must have felt intense interest when, on looking round, he recognised old faces, many of which he had pot seen for years. Not only were there men advanced ip years with their wives, but their sons with their y/iyes, daughters with their husbands, and children .of all ages ; youths and maidens, boys and giHc, pjjildren just able to run, and children in the arms, All the old people were cheerful and happy, apparently glad once more to meet after the toil and wear and tear of a quarter of a century. The heads of families present were —Messrs John Barr, William Barr, Thomas Buchanan, A. J, Bitfnß, J. Buchanan, P. Callander, Alex. Callander, James Callander, Janet Clearwater, Charles Crawford, James Cullen, Dickson, W. Duff, Alexander <feraide, Robert Hastie, W, Jeffray, Frank Marshall, David Miller, Archibald Mercer, M. Patrick, W. Martin, II M'Dermid, Thomas Robertson, Mrs Wm. Stevenson (widow), Mrs Isabella Stevenson (the oldest of the passengers), Mrs Stuart (widow), Messrs George Turnbull, W. Welch, A, G. Watson, and two Misses Sinclair. After lunch, wiiie wac introduced, and His Honor, in proposing the fyealtji of the passengers by the Philip Lajng, sqfd he hftd no idea, when he accepted the invitation given him, that he would be asked to take the cnair, or he might have prepared a few words for the occasion ; but through press of engagements he had hardly had time to arrange hia thoughts. It would, of course, be known ho was not one of the Philip Laing passengers, and therefore perhaps he had no right to bo present. ( <; Gh, yes; we arc glad of the honor.”) It happened, however, that he had a small finger in the pic out of which the Otago Battlement emerged, and which led to the Philip Lafng and other vessels sailing for Port ,Chaim,ers. ffq did not know of any part of his life’s history o t which he was prouder than of being a member ,pf the London Committee for the settlement gf Otago He thought the spectacle exhibited that day (yesterday) justified the ardor of himself and others on that subject twenty-six, seven, or eight years ago. If any 0110 that time had prophesied that Port Chalmers, then a solitude, would in twentyfive years be vocal with the steam whistle, lie would have been set down as lunatic and put into a straight-jacket. If anybody had ventured to foretell that such magnificent steamers as the Nebraska would have been safely moored at a railway pier in Port Chalmers, he would ho ve been set down as an enthusiast. He .coißesyod he was one of the enthusiasts. He did not know what he might be tempted to say, were he to attempt to depict what may be twenty-live years Imnee. when the half-cen-tury would be celebrated. He had no doubt many present would meet for that purpose. Ho himself might not be one of them, hut whoever lived to see it would see more important changes than during the past twenty-live years. As head of the Province he might be allowed to congratulate them on the success which had their efforts as pioneers of settlement. Those who came later could form no idea of the toil and hardship through which the early settlers passed. For his part, he knew no nobler work in which men could engage than that of building up a new country. For a man to transport himself and family 15.000 miles over the ocean, when the track was but little known, was an act of greater heroism than that of fighting the battles of bis country, or seeking glory in the cannon’s mouth. He hoped within a few mouths to see safely moored at the Fort Chalmers railway pier steamers of large, tonnage direct from the: Home Country, after making the passage in forty-five days, and bringing out SOU to 1,000 people each trip. When that time arrived, as come he hoped it would, many old identities would avail themselves of the opportunity ot

visiting the land of their ancestors. He ooked upon that and returning in comfort is a great object to bo attained, through ■stablishing such a line of steamers. lie uppOied every head of a family present had uore or less achieved a fortune. He was remarking shortly before to a friend that, al ■ hough there was no great display amongst them, many present were substantial men. In fact, he desired nothing better than to hold their acceptances for a large amount, for be would have no doubt of their being duly met at maturity: which was more than could be sai l ■ J many who pretended to higher positions in societ}'. He concluded by asking them to drink to the prosperity of the settlers by the i’hilip Laing, and their posterity. Ho was very much struck with the fact that one friend who sat close to him at lunch pointed out two of his great-grand-children. He doubted whether there was another man in Otago who could boast like 'Thomas KoV>eitsou of having 74 children, grand children, and grcat-graml-childrcn. if every settler who came to Otago exhibited the same result, immigration would not be needed. The toast, which was coupled with the name of Mr A. J. Burns, was drank with enthusiasm, and the past brought to remembrance by singing “ AuldLang Syne,” a la national Mr A. J. Burns, as one of the Philip Laing passengers, was happy to see so many present, and amongst them the Superintendent, for many of them knew the action he took in forwarding the original settlement of the Province. Twenty-five years had passed since the good old Philip Laing showed her nose at the Heads. Many an anxious look had been cast for the shore He well recollected that the first land made was Stewart’s island late in the evening, the sun was shining, and the glory of his rays rested upon its mountains. He bad a vivid impression of the anxiety shown to get a glimpse of their adopted land. The next day they advanced along the coast, ami the day afterwards sighted the Heads. Navigation in those days was not so certain a science ns now : it was no joke to make a voyage from one end of the world to the other. Masters of vessels did not then possess the perfect instruments now in use, and th- refore every such voyage was more or less one of discovery. On reaching the Heads, they observed one little black speck, which soon proved to be an enormous fellow six feet two inches in height, folded up in au enormous pea-jacket. He went on board, walked up to the skipper, and said, “ Please, I am your pilot.” “Indeed,” said the skipper with some appearance of contempt. But old Dick Driver soon let Captain Ellis know it was not the lirst time ho had been on board ship, and brought her up in Kapiti Bay, That was on Saturday—just such a beautiful day as they were then enjoying. Everyone remarked that the country locked like a terrestrial paradise. The next day, bunnay, a great demand sprung up for fresh water. He saw Mrs Stevenson laughing ; she evidently remembered it, and some young fellows, of whom ho was one, volunteered to fetch some. He recollected that the lirst person he met was old Sandy M'Kay, who gave him anything but a hospitable reception. Somebody had annoyed him the night before, and he wreaked his wrath upon him (Mr Burns). It was necessary to look out for houses for the immigrants especially the ladies and children ; but they wc:e difficult to find, for Port Chalmers contained only four or live cult to get a house over their heads, but determination and courage enabled them to make themselves comfortable. Notwithstanding the hardships, however, Dr Ramsay remarked that it was difficult for a man to become ill, and, in fact, shortly after, he left— • starved out—so healthy was the place. The gathering was a happy one. At the time tliey landed, no one imagined Otago would take sjjslp an influential position as it had taken in New Zealand. Why was it ? Other Provinces assgrtefj.' that neither the soil nor the climate was g.q°4- H 6 thought it was due to the early settlers thgt the Province had progressed, and was the result of their pluck, energy, and determination. (Loud cheers.) He thought the early settlers owed much to the Associations, both in Edinburgh and London, for having founded a settlement in which men could worship God according to their consciences, for a nation that forgot God would not be a nation long. That had been proved over and over again. The Province had to thank the members of tho N. Z. Company for founding a settlement in which education was within the reach of everyone. He bered when his Honor, in 1853 or 1857, proposed to construct railroads instead of macadamised roads. He (Mr Burns) had the honor of seconding it ; but the idea was laughed to scorn by some who never did the Province any good, nor themselves either. It would have been well had the idea been adopted, for roads had cost ten times as much na railways. When he was in office he disbursed L23,()ffi) for r.oad metal on the road from Dunedin to East Tam, and it required renewing very shortly. A railway would hiiye cost far less and have been more useful. It would have cost L 7.000 or 18,000 a mile. (A voice : You could not have borrowed the money). It was nonsense. Money had to be borrowed to make the metalled road, and it could oven lappc easily have been borrowed for a railroad. That was a foolish one, and should be a warning foi' th e future. The Phillip Laing passengeis had attained a position in New Zealand they could not have reached at Home, although perhaps they had not obtained all they wished, yet when they landed many sneered at them. He did not think future changes would be so visible as those that had taken place during the past twenty-live years, for every one must admit they had been most rapid. {Mr Buhis sat dpwn amid loud cheers ) The proceedings .termipalef) with dance. It may not he uninteresting to state tqat one of the passengers informed ,us tlnVt tljio day on which the Philip Laing passengers arrived was the counterpart of yesterday warm and bright, but that snow fell the following day.