Duvauchelle's Bay is one of the most beautiful and interesting district. The township has a population of about one hundred persons, and possesses a church and a public school, a good hotel, and a post office, with a money order and savings bank branch, and a public telephone. It is built on a lovely bay at the end of Akaroa harbour. The bay is finely sheltered, and the neighbouring scenery is characterised by romantic beauty. Dairying and sheepfarming are carried on in the district, and fishing in the bay, and cocksfoot seed is cultivated on the slopes and hill sides. The district has one historic spot of exceptional interest; namely, Onawe, the site of the fortified pa, the capture of which, in the year 1831, gave the finishing touch to Te Rauparaha's conquest of the South Island Maoris. Duvauchelle's page 633 has saleyards where monthly sales are held, and it is connected with Lyttelton by steamer, and with Akaroa and Little River by coach; Akaroa being seven miles distant and Little River twelve. The coach from Akaroa to Pigeon Bay passes and repasses through Duvauchelle's on three days of the week. There is daily mail communication with Christchurch, forty-eight miles distant.

Barker, Beilby, Coach Proprietor, Duvauchelle's Bay. Mr. Beilby Barker was born at Decanter Bay in 1859, and educated at Little Akaloa. In 1874, he entered the service of Mr. S. Lee, coach proprietor, Christchurch and Akaroa. In the same year, Mr Barker's father purchased Mr. Lee's line of coaches, so that young Barker was brought up with the business. The road was opened from Christchurch to Akaroa in 1872, and the first coach was run through by Messrs Mitchell and Burton. In 1881 the railway was opened to Birdling's Flat, and the coach ceased to run to Christchurch; in 1883, the railway was extended to Little River, which has since then been the terminus. Mr. B. Barker afterwards purchased the two lines of coaches from Akaroa to Little River and Pigeon Bay, and runs both lines regularly as advertised. As might be expected from Mr. Barker's early training, he is quite at home on the box seat, and he is the only man that has driven four-in-hand to Okain's Bay and Little Akaloa. Mr. Barker is always ready to help any cause that tends to advance the district, and his fellow colonists. He is chairman of the school committee, is a churchwarden, an active member of the sports committee, and of the Jockey and Trotting Clubs. He was married, in 1891, to Miss Noonan, and has one son and two daughters.