PIONEER DAYS

Evening Star, Issue 22448, 19 September 1936, Page 14

PIONEER DAYS

GABRIEL'S GULLY VETERAN FIRST FLIGHT AT NINETY-FIVE An interesting account of pioneering days in Otago and of life on the celebrated Gabriel’s Gully goldfield was related this morning by Mr William Ayson, of Waikaka (Southland). Mr Ayson can claim the of being the oldest passenger to fly in any of the Union Airways airliners, and at the age of 95 he is still alert and active. Although he has travelled _on hbrseback, in bullock wagons, in trains, in motor cars, and ships, this was the first time ho had entered an_ aeroplane, and he sincerely hopes it will not ha the last. He will be 96 years of age in December. Mr Ayson was born at Glenshee, in Scotland, in December, 1840. At the age of 12, his family emigrated to New

Zealand, leaving the St. Catherine’s Dock, London, in the Royal Albert. They were five months on the voyage, and berthed at the wharf in 1852, just behind the new Post Office. After a very short stay here, he was engaged by Mr W. Ferguson of the Island (Inch Clutha) as a rouseabout. It was there that he had his first fight in the Dominion, and Mr Ayson recounted it with great pleasure. He was working in the dairy separating the cream, when another boy came in and began sampling the milk. On refusing to leave fie was forcibly ejected, and a free-for-all resulted in the yard outside. - For some time after he left Mr Ferguson’s employ, Mr Ayson worked with his father on a 50-acre farm just out of Balclutha, it being the first farm in that part of the district. There were no ploughs or' such implements then,_ and during one winter, along with an elder brother, Mr Ayson grubbed three acres of ground. It may not seem much, but when" explained in detail it seemed to assume very large proportions. The ground was planted with potatoes and wheat, most of the latter being threshed with a hand flail. The following season he was sent by his father to-.bring back-a-“steel-mill ” weighing many .tons, which had- to be carried over seven miles of rough country and turbulent streams'. After leaving his father, Mr Ayson began what was to be his life’s work—sheep farming. He began this vocation on a 25,000-acro farm, shepherding the flocks. There were no fences, while there was also great danger from wild dogs, so that one had to follow the sheep wherever they went. The Gabriel’s Gully rush in 1861 infected him with the gold fever.- There were six men in his party, and they took up a claim which was worked for five months. There were numerous claifns in the vicinity, two neighbouring ones paying an average of £I,OOO weekly to each man, . while others brought in £IOO to £SOO a week a man. However, he was not so lucky, the claim just paying good wages. All types of men flocked to the fields—sailors, business people from Dunedin, farmers, and, in fact, practically every kind imaginable; It was to be expected that a certain amount of lawlessness would be prevalent, and the one policeman on the field had a hard time keeping law and order.

There were numerous fights, while a certain amount of robbery was carried on. One man in particular he remembered. While working at his claim ho noticed that a fight was starting just in front, of where his party had pitched their tent. A rough, bullying sailor who had been an annoyance to the peaceful element was challenging all comers and sometimes forcing a fight. A crowd quickly collected, and the law, in the form of the one policeman, was forcibly held back from interfering. Two or three men met their doom at the hands of this sailor, but a young carpenter announced : his wish to fight the bully.' His opportunity camo when, after knocking a man down, the sailor kicked him. The ensuing fight was fast afld furious, said Mr Aysou, hut there was never any doubt as to the result, and that was the last time that sailor was seen on the field. Mr Ayson only had one attempt at robbery made on him during his short stay on the field. Coming hack to his tent to prepare a meal one day, he noticed that the blankets and equipment was scattered all over the place, but fortunateliy the intruder had not secured some SOoz of gold hidden in a chest It was the custom in those days to bury the gold in a bag under the ashes of a fire, but in future all gold secured by Mr Ayson and his companions, was safely lodged in the bank. Of course, stores cost a lot on the goldfields, and at one time it was impossible to buy anything under Is, even salt costing Is a pound. The provisions had to be brought from Dunedin, generally by bullocks, and sometimes by horses, but the country was rough, and there was always the prospect of losing the while fording some river. The trips paid well, however, and Mr Ayson himself knew of several instances where men bad made £IOO or more from such visits. The place where his tent was erected was afterwards used to pitch a tent on, by the first women to visit the field, while shortly afterwards a store was built there. He was present at the Gabriel’s Gully jubilee celebrations recently, and was one of the two surviving men who had been on the field in 1861. One spot where miners had been engaged during the ’6o’s was still being worked, and apparently paying well. He left the goldfields, however, and settled down to sheep farming, at which lie lias been engaged ever since. He has a large holding at Waikaka (Southland), and specialises in .breeding Romneys and Corriedales. In his own words. “ it is the best gold a man can have.’’ Mr Ayson will stay in Dunedin for a few more days before returning home*