OTAGO EARLY SETTLERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 34

OTAGO EARLY SETTLERS.

THE CLUTHA-TOKOMAIRIRO

REUNION

The show ground at Balclutha was on the 7th the gathering-ground of old identities from near and far, but chiefly from tho Clutha and Tokonmiriio districts, the occasion being the annual reunion of the Clutha Branch of the Ota go Early Settlers' Association. This gathering, which is hcid in alternate years at Balclutha and Milton has in the past been a very popular function, and that of the 7th was no exception to the rule. The fast-diminishing band of early pioneers of the province was well and worthily represented, whilst there was also a strong muster of descendants of the fathers and mothers of Otago — indeed, thn descendants of the early settlers evince as fetront> an interest in the annual gatherings ac do the early settlers themselves, and so long a« that spinf obtains there need be no apprehension for the future of tho Otaco Early Settlers' Association. It did one trood to vi'lk amonjr^t the crowd and wiliK'h the greeting of old friends and the louewing of ncquamt;>nce^hips of many years at;o. Throuahout the major portion of the da\ the weather was ideal for picnic purposes, and those, present, appeared to thoioughly etnov the opportunities afforded for ( hatting and talking over things nast and pre~ont. Thore mwt have been close upon 1000 present, and all appeared to oniov themselves thoroughly. The proceeding wore more or loss of an Informal nature, but during the afternoon the committee organised a number of sports events foi old aud joung. These were eagerly contovted, and* afforded much amuse^nent, alike to spectators and participants. 'Ihere was one person present who wa^ an Otago t-etUor prior to the arrival of the John Wickhffo on March 23. 1848, whkh is th<> date from winch the official hiitory of Otago takes its beginning. Tins pioneer was Mr Antonio .Jo-M-iih. of Taieri Mouth, -who permanently made this poiiion of the world hi» home ;iUo in lE4B. but about ihiee weeks prior to tlio arrival of the first settlement ship. Mr Joseph had visited Ola;:o hai hour the vein- j)ie\ iouslv. the whnlmsr vessel in which h*> wa- himng had its rudder damaged off tho Wpsi Coast t>< cini.n* into \iolent contact with a jKih^teu. J>u e Au» w § s y

brought round under make-shift steering apparatus to Otago harbour, where repairs were effected. Mr Joseph put in another; year at sea, and then, as above stated 1 , settled in Dunedin, engaging in coastal andl other trade, and finally betling at Taieri Mouth. He is a hale and hearty old man, and carries his years well. Tiie John Wickliffe was unrepresented, but of the Philip Laing's passengers the following were present : —Messrs Matthew Marshall, John Cal* lender, Alexander Callender, John Wintorr, and W. Jaffray. The Victory, which also arrived in 1848, was represented by Mr L Langlands, whilst the Blundell, of the earn© year, was represented by Miss Somerville, Mrs Robert Law, and Mrs Robert Christie. It will thus be -=een that of the paseengere who arrived at Dunedin in 1848, 60 years ago, nine, at any rate, were present »fc the gathering. Of the 1849 arrivals, aa far as could be ascertained, there were present Messrs William Hay and John Hay of (Romahapa (Ajax), George Calder, NorthEast Valley (Mariner), James Strain {Ajax), and Rohert Murray, of Clarksville (Cornwall). The last-mentioned took an active part in early Otago politics, and was m inembcr of the Provincial Council. The Hay family were amongst the first Clutha. settlers, and of those in the district whent they went there in 1849 the only ones alive to-day are Kinsr, the Maori. Mr William' Hay, and his brother, Mr George Hay. Amongst the many descendants of earlypioneers present were Mrs W. Shand and! Mr John Martin Smith, late of Greenfield, and now of Wangaloa, who waa horn in Dunedin in 1852, and was subsequently a well-known Government surveyor, and afterwards at contracting surveyor. Mrs Shand is a. daughter of Mr John Duncan, of Corner Bush, Waikouaiti, who arrived in the Mooltan in IH9 ; whilst Mr Smith's father arrived at Nelson in 1842, and came to D\inedm in 1849. There was a very large number of settlers present who arrived ia the fifties and later years, but space will! not aPow of their being mentioned, even if a complete list was available. The manner in which the whole function was carried through augurs well for the bigf gathering in Dunedin on March 23, to commemorate the sixtieth annher.sirv of the foundation! of the province. Public speaking was not made a feature of the gathering, but at the request of the committee short con.eratulatory speeches were made by Mr A* S. Malcolm. M.P.. Mr T. Mackenzie. M.P., and Mr A Joseph, tho earliest settler present. Mr Sinclair Wright was president, and Mr A. A. Grigor the secretary, and these two, with the members of the committee, are to be congratulated on the complete sucopss that atfend-ed their efforts. The Bakilutha Brass Band and Morrison a Pipe Band were present throughout the day, and added -very materially to the enjojabieness of the proceedings.