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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Ophir

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Ophir

Ophir is an old mining township on the south bank of the Manuherikia river in the county of Vincent, 122 miles north-west from Dunedin; and here a fine suspension bridge spans the river. A daily coach service connects Alexandra with Ophir. The old township has a post and telegraph office, a branch bank, churches, a public school, stores, and two hotels, Ophir was formerly known as Blacks, and probably it will again take this name, as a new township of Ophir has been surveyed on the north bank of the Manuherikia. This is on the line of the Otago Central railway, which, having been constructed up to this point in August, 1904, was opened for traffic. Three hotel licenses have been granted for the new township, and stores are (1904) in course of erection.

Mr. David Mitchell , Inspector of Works under the Public Works Department in connection with the Otago Central Railway extension, was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He was brought up as a stonemason, but had some experience on the Scottish North-Eastern Railway. In 1873 he came to Port Chalmers by the ship “Jessie Readman,” and had a general colonial experience, besides working at his trade, for a time. He joined the railway construction works as assistant overseer at Hyde in 1893, and was promoted to his present position in January, 1896. When the Deborah Bay tunnel at Port Chalmers was completed Mr. Mitchell was foreman of works for McKenzie. Brothers. He was married in 1872, to a daughter of the late Mr. K. McKenzie, formerly of Ross-shire, and latterly of Morayshire, Scotland, and has one son and one daughter.

Mcconnochie, William , General Merchant, Draper and Importer, St. Bathans, and Ophir; Mr. G. A. Francis is manager of the Ophir branch of this business, which is further noticed under St. Bathans.

Mr. George Albert Francts was born in December, 1875, at Naseby, where he commenced to learn his trade as a baker and confectioner. He completed his apprenticeship in Dunedin and worked as a journeyman at Waitahuna and Naseby till he established a business at St. Bathans in 1895. He was afterwards in business at Clyde, but disposed of his interest to enter on the management of Mr. McConnochie's Ophir branch. Mr. Francis was married in March, 1898, to a daughter of Mr. A. Haig, of Shepherd's Flat.

Mr. And Mrs G. A. Francis.

Mr. And Mrs G. A. Francis.

Leask, William , Farmer, Pomona House Farm, Ophir. Mr. Leask's property consists of 700 acres of freehold and 600 acres of leasehold land. In 1898 Mr. Leask erected a substantial two-storey stone residence of thirteen rooms, not far from the proposed terminus of the Otago Central railway. Mr. Leask was born at Pomona, Orkney Islands, on the 30th of March, 1836, and was brought up to farming, but went to sea when only seventeen years old. He became an able seaman, was subsequently engaged in whaling,
Mr. And Mrs W. Leask

Mr. And Mrs W. Leask

page 628 and had some very remarkable experiences. At least one of these is worth relating as a specimen of the hardships which are sometimes endured by seamen, and by way of contrast with Mr. Leask's own life as a comfortable colonist. On the 5th March, 1854, the “Felix of Banff,” commanded by Captain Hay, sailed from Storrness on a whaling expedition. On board there was a crew of twenty-four, all told, and Mr. Leask was one of them. When the ship reached the ice, very heavy weather was encountered, and after working night and day to keep the vessel afloat, and losing everything but the hull, all hands had, at last, to betake themselves to a small piece of ice, where for six days and six nights they underwent extreme privation and suffering, during which three of the men perished, the mate lost his reason, and half of the remainder of the crew died after being picked up by another vessel. One of the survivors, named Jacob Brown, was in such a state from frost-bite that when the party was rescued both his legs had to be taken off, and, in the absence of surgical instruments, a handsaw and a seal-knife were used for the purpose. Brown, however, survived it all, afterwards married, and became a successful citizen, Mr. Leask himself subsequently left Scotland, and on the 27th of December, 1856, he landed in New South Wales, whence he came to Otago in 1861. He afterwards returned to the sister colony, but finally settled in New Zealand in January, 1862. Since that time Mr. Leask has lived in the Dunstan district as a digger, farmer and hotelkeeper. He commenced farming in 1874. He has served on the committee of the Central Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and was for one year its president. Mr. Leask was married, in 1867, to a daughter of the late Mr. J. Corrigall, of Orkney, and has thres sons and two daughters.

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