HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 372, 17 December 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.

♦ [By William Rout.]

(Continued). The feeding of so many people, consisting of eleven hundred and sixty parsous, exclusive of those attracted by a chance of business arising from the numbers congregated in one place, necessitated regular supplies of provisions and other commodities. These were brought up the river by steam vessels from Auckland, as the surrounding district was unsettled. The cargo of these vessels was delivered to the military canteens, established at the encampment for supplying the troops with provisions, etc. They also brought up other commodities for a store which was started by a Mr Johns (first on the banks of the river, but afterwards removed to the corner of what is now Duke and Chapel-streets, near where the smithy of Mr Gemmill now stands), for the supply of the other settlers.and camp followers. This store started in 1864,\ has been continued ever since, and is now represented by Mr Thomas Wells' establishment.

The mails were also conveyed by the steam boats and then taken to the barracks, where the letters were sorted and delivered by the sergeant in charge from the orderly room, though sometimes in his absence the people helped themselves to the letters and papers. In a short time it was found necessary to appoint a special overseer to this department, but one of them being of an avaricious nature embezzled a sum of money amounting to £40,. the proceeds from sales of stamps, etc. His action was discovered, and he was arrested and tried in the Supreme Court at Auckland, but the evidence being insufficient to convict him he was acquitted, though on his liberation as he was strolling along the cliffs close by the harbour of Auckland the same day he fell off and broke his neck. Towards the end of 1864 a redoubt was built in Victoria-street at the rear of the present Court-house, called the Ten Star Redoubt, it being intended for the accommodation of the ten company's belonging to the Third Regimeut, being one star for each company to defend. The building now in use as a post-office was erected for the officer's mess-room at the same time. The land comprising the town, containing one thousand aud eighty-three acres, was surveyed immediately after the encampment of the troops by a Mr Gwynneth, the surveyor, when several of .the streets were lined out and partially formed by the militia, particularly Barrack-street aud its continuation down by the lower terrace to the river, for a considerable amount of traffic passed between the Teu Star Redoubt and the canteens by a road now disused, winding down the bank to the river side. A belt of land ten chains wide surrounds the town, and was originally intended as a run or commonage for the use of the militia, but afterwards reserved as au endowment for the public, the rents of which now total up to a considerable sum of money, and assist the authorities in the maintenance of the streets. The town proper contains six hundred aud fifty acres of land, the domain three hundred and ninety-two acres, aud the lake forty-one acres, the level of the -laud being two hundred and twenty-eight feet above the sea. A telegraph line for military purposes only was opened in November, 1864. Its first office was a tent on the west side of the river. At this time, ihe end of 1864, no attempt had been made to grade either streets or paths. What was done by the troops was simply to remove the worst obstructions that impeded traffic. A small lake of water occupied the middle of Victoria-street, from the .site of the present Bank of New Zealand to Dukestreet, wherein vehicles used sometimes to get bogged, and it was possible to see drays stuck fast in the mire as late as 1874.

In 1865 a large store was erected by Mr Philip Lempricre, close by the coiner of Barrack and Duke-streets, and another store was built and opened near the boat landing by Mr John Kirk wood. All the then trade of the towu was transacted at the three stores. An hotel was then built on the north side of Duke-street, opposite Barrack-street, by Messrs Hagin and Robinson, called the Duke of Cambridge ; these persons had charge also of the public pound adjoining for straying cattle. There was also a bakery and general store opeued by Mrs Wylie, and a smithy iu Chapel-street by Mr Harding, now GemmiU's. The first school for the education of the children was held at the Ten Star Redoubt under the charge of Mr Joseph Sped ding. After the occupation of Cambridge by the troops, a Native Land Court was set up to hear and examine evidence as to the rightful ownership of Maori lauds, and to issue titles to such portions

as these owners wished to sell or lease to the pakehas. Aud it is rather a curious fact in regard to the acquisition of the surrounding land from the natives, that William Thompson, the Maori Warwick, or Kiug.maker, the originator of the Native Land League, was the first person to bring the Ngatihaua land before the Court, for the purpose of leasing Matamata 'to Mr J. 0. Firth ; for Thompson had previously made his peace with the Government iu an interview with Mr Civil Commissioner Mackay in August, 1864During ISGS other Ngatihaua chiefs put a portion of Maungatautari through the Land Court, as also part of the Gorton estate, situated ou the east bank of the Waikato river; the Maungatautari land was adjudicated upon by Chief Judge JETcnton, and afterwards leased by Lieut.-Colonel Lyon and Mr Josiah Hamlin. The Gorton lands were purchased by Mr W. Thome Buckhmd, and managed by his son Mr Alfred Ruckland, and the late Mr George Walker, conjointly. Thus, Mr W. Thorne Buckland was the first purchaser of land iu Cambridge for purposes of settlement; he also purchased several sections of land from the militiamen on their disbandment, and, having tho command of money, he gave the settlement a good start, enabling the district to run alone, financially. Some time in this year tho troops were disbanded, aud the Government expenditure ceased, while the officers and men drew lots for the town and country sections that had been previously surveyed for their occupation, part of the land the Government had set aside for their use. Many of them settled down at once ; Mr Robert McVeagh and Mr Hannon being the first settlers to build and oocupy their country sections, for most of the others preferred to remain iu or near the town, fearing au attack from the natives if they resided on isolated farms. These sold their land' with the liabilities of service and occupation attached thereto, to more venturesome people, who vvere not troubled with the same fears, and it is to these last and to those military sittlers who madehomes on the land that the present inhabitants are principally iudebted, for they, by enduring privations and hardships of various kinds, incidental to all colonial pioneers, patiently and willingly laboured to convert the little settlement of huts and whares into a prosperous and pretty town, with comfortable homes and smiling homesteads. The purchasers of laud from the militia were bouud to act as substitutes at all drills, which were held regularly every month until 1866.

Another version connected with the settlement on the land, by the men of the 3rd Regiment, should in justice be given :—" An impression prevails that the militiamen abandoned their lands from fear of the natives. Such was uot the case, for great numbers of the meu settled upon their country lands, and honestly tried to cultivate it, iu the face of the greatest difficulties, as there were no roads or bridges over the great number of swamps which existed in those days; the commonest seeds were hard to obtain and very expensive; there were no agricultural implements, except spades ; one man had a plough and horse, aud his charge for ploughing was £1 per acre for the towu allotments. The first crops were a complete failure, the land being sour fern, and no artificial manures obtainable in those days ; there were no drays for some years; one man whose farm was some four miles from the town had a wheelbarrow, and was known to have wheeled home a load—a sack of potatoes and a 1001 b bag of flourthrough very rough tracks. The main cause of the militiamen leaving the district was the opening of the Thames goldfields in 18677 tor numbers of meu of the 3rd regiment were miners, and sold their land for anything they could get, to enable them to get to the diggings. A fifty-acre section of land, with a town acre thrown in, could be bought for £5 to £lO ; many of the best acres in Cambridge were sold for a few shillings by men anxious to proceed to the diggings. One well-known Auckland land agent, at that time (1867) bought from the men dozens of fifty-acre sections; his price was, in all caees, £5 ; needless to say, he has reaped abundantly. As an iostanco of the courJPge of these men, some 200 of this 3rd regiment of the Waikato Militia volunteered in 18(33 for service under General Cameron, during the Taranaki war of 1864-5, enduring many hardships ; they afterwards received the iMe.w Zealand war medal ub a reward for their gallant services. {To be Continued.)