Our Suburbs.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 8, 26 May 1894, Page 9

Our Suburbs.

no in. EAST INVERCARGILL. This place is still in its teens as a borough, but will attain its majority in three years, having been constituted in 1876. One of our oldest business men —Mr Joseph Stock — was its first mayor, and his councillors'were Messrs A. Cross, J. E. Hannah, J. Gray, and H. Graham (the two last-named died some years ago) ; while Mr T. Surman held office as town clerk. Mr Stock was succeeded in the mayoral chair by Mr A. Cross, whose successors were Messrs A. McOallum, J. H. Geddes, R. Manisty, L. E. Reade, T. Findlay, and J. A. Mitchell. Several of these gentlemen served for more than one term, and Mr T. Findlay is presently in office, with Mr W. G. McKay rs town clerk, a position whose duties he has discharged with the utmost satisfaction to all concerned since 1878. As first constituted, the borough consisted of the McMaster’s, Sylvan Bank, and Barwheys Estate*, but that of Hallsboroiigh was afterwards taken in, thus adding a third ward to the municipality and entitling it to elect nine councillors. Incidentally it may be noted that in the early stages of its career the way of those at the head of its affairs was greatly smoothed by the information and advice cheerfully placed at their disposal by Mr TV B. Scandrett, whose knowledge of municipal legislation was never sought in vain. The first valuation made in 1877 returned the rateable value of the properties in the borough at £3195 as against £3671 for 1893-4, hut in explanation of the comparatively small increase it should be mentioned that recent valuations have been made on a considerably lower basis than the first one. The borough has an area of 121 acres, and the following are the statistics regarding it :• —• Estimated population, 850; number of dwellings, 159 ; ratepayers, 199 ; and number of rateable properties, 214. The total rates levied —general and special—amount to two shillings in the £, and the borough indebtedness is represented by a consolidated loan of £3OOO, which has been obtained at a low rate of interest, and a good deal of which has been expended in such public works as drainage and ashphalting. For some years the meetings of the council were held in a building in which the late Mr Jackson kept a private school. He was a very old resident, and many of the young people received a sound training at his hands. He was a man of saintly life and characterlocal Wesleyans hold “ Father ” Jackson in loving memory —and he showed his colours in a quaint fashion by placing a number of texts of Scriptures in various conspicious places in and about the building. Five or six years ago the council shifted its quarters to the building on Elies Road known as the Assembly Rooms.

The councillors haying had the streets and drains attended to, next took up the question of lighting, with the result that arrangements are under way with the Invercargill Corporation for the introduction of gas. From this it will be seen that the East Invercargillites believe in a progressive policy. The history of the borough, although on the whole uneventful, has not been without its stirring episode*. Some years ago an attempt was made to have it added to Invercargill. This was successfully resisted, and then came an effort to have a strip four feet wide on the eastern boundary of Elies Road taken from East Invercargill and added to that thoroughfare. One day the fence of a worthy burgess named Martin’Hughes was attacked. Martin, who was in town at the time, speedily heard the news, and hurried to the rescue. A crowd gathered to await developements. Martin, nothing daunted by the odds, set to work, and as fast as a post was dug out he replaced it. Eventually the “ enemy”

grew weary and retired, leaving Martin victorious. Then another citizen of East Invercargill, the late MrW. Bulleid, sued the Invercargill Corporation for trespass, and, won his case in the Supreme Court, wherethis “ Russian policy of annexation was hotly denounced by his counsel. As a result of that action the Judge held that Elies Road was of statutory width without interfering with the excess area in East Invercargill, and so ended the battle of the boundaries. About 10 years ago a movement was initiated for bringing the township of Richmond Grove into the Borough, but this was prevented by difficulties connected with the old Invercargill Road Board. A number of sections belonging to the late Mr J. T. Thomson intervene, but he set apart a road between the two places, and there is probably no reason why amalgamation could not be carried out at any time if desired. The inclusion of Adamson’s, on the north-eastern boundary, may also some day be effected. From a very early period in its. career East Invercargill has possessed a brewery, but it has been without an hotel for some years, a local option poll being against the continuance of the license. From a business point of view the Borousrh is fairly self-con-tained. Messrs W. G. McKay & Co., have well-stocked general stores ; Mr H. Raines has a combined bakery and grocery business ; Mr J. Humphries has an old-established butchery business ; Mr J. Donnelly, and Mrs Quinn a bakery and store, respectively ; and Mr Harper has recently started in the boot line. In addition to the Assmbly Rooms, in which the Christadelphians hold services every Sunday, there is a small hall in Jackson street, in which the Presbyterian body conduct a Sunday school and hold services at intervals. Mr T. Middleton can tell a good deal about the early days of the settlement. He arrived here in 1858, and assisted in the surveying of East Invercargill, afterwards buying a section on Elies Road for £2O, from Mr P. Dalrymple, In those days supplies sometimes ran short owing to vessels being delayed by bad weather and Mr Middleton recalls the fac that once when there was a scarcity of flour Mr W. H. Calder, now of Melbourne sent two bullock teams to the Mataura and got a ton from Mr Stewart, a runholder there, and retailed it in Invercargill at 9d per lb. There was plenty of money to spend on roads and bridges in those days and houses were going up in all directions carpenters’ hammers were heard all day. When Mr Middleton came here there were only fourteen huts in Invercargill, and the Albion Hotel was not the stately and handsome edifice it now is—it was built of upright split posts and clayed inside. Small as it was it served some useful purposes—Mr Middleton remembers that the late Mr T. Watson opened a branch of the Oriental Bank there, and that he assisted him to get the bank safe through one of the windows/ In those “good old days business men had quick turnovers. Mr Middleton states that in 1863 Mr S. Beaven, who had an ironmonger’s shop where Price and Bulleid now do business, took £2400 in sales over the counter during the month of May. Mr Middleton had his share of prosperity, but has since experienced the vicissitudes of colonial life. “Sweet,” says the poet, “are the uses of adversity,” but it is hard to see where the sweetness comes in when a colonist who has reached his 78th year has to chop firewood in Seaward Bush for a living.