THE LATE JOHN DELLOW, SEN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 13, 14 January 1876, Page 2

THE LATE JOHN DELLOW, SEN.

[communicated.]

It is becoming our duty now oftener than of yore to have to chronicle the departure from this life of one or other of the old settlers and pioneers of this province and colony. John Dellow was one of the most hardy and enterprising of these pioneers. Used to a seafaring life on the New Zealand coast for many years, he did not hesitate to face the hardships attending a rush such as that which took place to the West Coast at the opening of the gold-fields in this part of our province. He was one of the first to peg off a claim in the Upper Buller Valley, in which district he has been a respected resident ever since. Travelling to and fro for " tucker " between his claim near the Newton and Jacklin's store at the Devil's Grip while mining, made him thoroughly acquainted with the requirements of the district, and he chose the Owen as a suitable site for the opening of an accommodation-house, and even-" tually on his claim becoming worked out he settled down on this spot.. 3?or the past nine or ten years he has resided here and become known as one of the most hospitable of hosts, and his house looked upon as the best and most comfortable on the line of road, being entirely free from the extortion or insolence that so often characterises roadside houses. The following quotation of a letter we have by us from an old traveller on the Buller, will be interesting to our readers : —

"I cannot help looking back to those rougher times on the Buller, when there were no wireropes and chairs across the rivers, and the roads were knee-deep in filthy, stinking mud, and were blocked up with fallen trees and other obstructions, and strewn with dead pack-horses benes — 1 cannot help looking back, I say. to the pleasure with whioh I used to look forward to arriving at the Owen, and the hearty welcome with which poor old Dellow treed to grett one, smothered, as one always was, in mud, and notunfrequently wet to the skin. The moment the horses came in Bight of his home, he or his eon would come out to help to unload them, and when this was done, the blazing logs in the comfortable and spacious mud house, the change of clothes if wet, and the well-cooked supper of the very best he could give— and this without any delay or waiting for it — made one forget the misery of the day's journey, and did much to keep people travelling down the Buller at all at these times, when from the neglect with which the district was treated it was closed to all except a very few, win from one cause or another were driven to seek a- living amidst the dangers and difficulties that beset it. At one time a good many hard-up men were traveling on the Buller, and became a heavy tax on Mr Dellow, for not one waa sent away from or passed the house hungry — they all received the same accommodation as those who paid. Mr Dellow also established a free ferry of his own accord at the Owen, anl was one of those who attended to it properly and punctually, never ke: ping any one waiting (although h* never charged anything for it) longer than it took him to walk from the house."

Oar correspondent is only one out of tmny who can testify to Mr Dellow's good sterling qualities. Mr Dellow's remains were taken from his residence at the Owen where he died, to the Church at Wakefield, wheie a considerable number attended the funeral, others who would hare been there were prevented in conaequeace ot an omission which occurred to miKe known tie place and time of but ill. We have only to state in conclusion that Mr Dellow was a colonist of 34 years standing, and that previous to his departure for the BulUr he was well known and reipectel in the city of Nelson among the shippers, merchants, and others connected with the port of Nelson.

"We take the following from the N. Z. Times of Wednesday : — To - night entries close for the principal events at the forthcoming regatta, and, in order that there might be no mistake in the other provinces, the committee telegraphed to various parts of the colony informing the various clubs of the fact. Letters or telegrams posted in any part of the colony, and bearing the postmark of to-day will be received, therefore it is more than probable that the total number of entries may not be known to-night. Up to the present time entries have been received from the Cam Club (Kaiapoi) for the foar-oared outrigger race and pair-oared batswing race ; from Thames there are entries for the four-oared outrigger race and four-oared batswing ; from Dunedin, Nelson, and Hokitika crews are also expected, as well as another from Kaiapoi. The Annie Ogle, Spray, and Zariffa have left Lyttelton for this port in order to take part in the yacht race, and others are expected. There are a number of crews in training from the clubs of this city, and it is proposed to send the Star crew for the great race to the Hutt to go through the milling process. A Wanganui telegram dated January 10 says : — Burke, a railway contractor, was accosted on Saturday night by five men, formerly in his employ, and who demanded some wages that he was unable to pay them. He did not reply, and turned away, when one of them knocked him senseless with a stone. Burke was conveyed to a tent, and subsequently to an hotel. He is likely to recover. The men are to be arrested this afternoon.

As every theory with respect to the origin and descent of man is entitled to a respectful hearing, the account of the creation which is accepted by a North American tribe of Indians, as recorded by M. Simion in his A Traves les Etas Unis, is worth noticing. It is as follows :— In the beginning the earth was covered with mist. The Great Spirit took his bow and arrows, and shot so well that ha scattered tha jaist, The earth became

visible to him, but there were no men upon it. Then He took clay, fashioned a man, and set him to bake. Man came" out white ; the fire had not been strong enough. The Great Spirit began His work again, and this time man came out quite black j he had remained too long in the oven. It was necessary to try a third time. The experiment at last succeeded, and man came out done to a turn ; he was the redskin, the most perfect of human types.

Ifc will be remembered that in November last, a man named Hugh Hannah was found dead at Lake Ohau, Otas;o, under circumstances that led to the belief that he had been murdered. An individual known as Martin Cunningham was the last person seen in his company, and on the day of the supposed murder, this man disappeared mysteriously. A reward of £100 was offered for information that would lead to the apprehension of Cunningham, and this reward seems to be claimed by Mr Thomas Bould, of Pahautanui. It appears that a man who was known as William Phillips has been for some days past knocking about Mr Bould's Hotel, and that while there he conducted himself in a most improper manner. At last he made use of certain threats towards Mr Bould which induced that gentleman to come to town for the purpose . of laying an information against him. When Mr_ Bould arrived in town he read the description of the supposed Otago murderer, and found that it tallied nearly with that of the man Phillips. He thereupon obtained the services of the district constable, who arrested Phillips. The prisoner was taken before the Resident Magistrate this morning, and remanded for a week. — Wellington Post. Palmerston, a township in North Australia, situated at one end of the great overland telegraph line, must be a pleasant place to live in. Though important news from all parts of the world passes through by wire daily, the telegraph operator is not of course permitted to divulge it, and the Palmerston people, " the world forgetting," are by the world forgot, except once in ten weeks, when a steamer arrives and sails. The correspondent of the South Australian Chronicle thus describes the place : — The Palmerston people being tired of standing at their doors and gazing up and down the vacant streets, arranged, a few days ago, a little amusement in the shape of races. The attendance was good, considering the population (150). The weather was delightful (ly hot), and the ladies (12) graced the gathering with their attendance. All the horses came from a considerable distance (2000 miles), and in doing their preliminary canters carried themselves with a bearing that seemed to say they thoroughly understood the vast changes of fortune which would be the result of their approaching struggle. Over £10 was bet on one occasion on the ground, but the bet was supposed to have been afterwards drawn. As the meeting was exclusively a gentlemen's meeting, not savoring in any way of the turf or ring character, nearly every gentleman rode hia own horse, or was supposed to do so. The ground was in good condition, although a little parched, and the events were well contested. The whole affair passed off to the satisfaction of all present, except, perhaps, to Mr J. Lewis, who seriously sprained bis ancle, and to Mr G. Stanway, who had his collar-bone diilocated. These little accidents, however, will occur at all meetings of the kind. No one would deny a Palmerstonian a day's pleasure occasionally if he can invent one, for in no part of the world is the British subject more likely to bring his lingering existence to a termination through ennui, dyspepsia, bilious fever, and liver complaint as in this misery-stricken brazen-clouded settlement of the Far North. No change, no excitement, no vessels entering the harbor, except the steamer every ten weeks; the news of all the stirring events of the world pass through the town daily but no man knowing it, for the Argus eyes are on the wire, and the iaith of the operator is inviolate. The smallest item of gossip is exchanged with satißfactioD, and enlarged upon, and the doings, public and private, of every man carefully noted; but all these form poor stimulants to sustain the spirits against perspiration, prickly heat, and mosquitos. No; Palmeraton is not the place to which a young man would be seat to see life, and it is only fair thbt the inhabitants should have their races."

A good story is mentioned by "Elfin." It is said that at Warkworth the last person who has become a freeholder is always the nest mayor. A poor woman at Wark worth, who was not *• a scholar," received a letter by post. Not being altogether satisfied with the readings given by her neighbors, she resolved to evoke the assist* ance of authority. Accordingly, she went to the very highest power to which she had access, namely, the Mayor of Wark worth. It so happened that his worship, in vernaoular phrase, •'could not mark his nationals on a bread loaf." It is said that the next best thing to being wise is looking wise. The Mayor of Warkworth took the poor woman's letter with the profound gravity of Lord Burleigb in the Critic. And the Mayor of Warkworth remained equally, silent. The poor woman at last guessed the true cause of the silence and timidly observed— " Mister Mayor, yer haddin the letter the wrang way up," "Woman," sternly replied the Mayor, of Warkworth, " div yer think as wad befit to be Mayor o' Warkworth wivoot aa c«d read it owtber way 1"