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Contributions to the Early History of New Zealand

December

December.

9.—Messrs. Mantell and Wills arrived at Port Chalmers from Waikouaiti for the purpose of completing the purchase from the Natives of the land from Akaroa to Heywood's Point, which they satisfactorily accomplished.

12.—Ship Bernicia arrived from London.

13.—First issue of newspaper in the settlement —the Otago News, four pages, published every alternate Wednesday, price 6d. "Printed and published every alternate Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock by H. B. Graham, Rattray Street, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand."

Prices of provisions: Beef, fresh, 7d. to 7½d. per lb.; mutton the same; 4 lb. loaf, 10d.; butter, 1s. 8d. to 2s. per lb.; flour, 16s. to 23s. per 100 lbs.; potatoes, £4 to £5 10s. per ton; sugar, 4d. to 6d. per lb. Cows, £12 10s. to £15; mares, £20 to £30; sheep, wethers, 20s. to 28s.; bullocks, per pair, £30 to £40. Wages: Mechanics, 5s. to 7s. per day; labourers, 3s. to 4s. The cricket players of Dunedin publicly challenge the cricket club at Wellington to a trial of skill at any point equi-distant between the Port of Otago and Port Nicholson.

Name of settlement changed from Otakou to Otago.

27.—Bench of Justices publicly return thanks for alacrity with which special constables turned out to suppress drunken disorder on the part of some American whalers. Population of settlement at this time (nine months after foundation) stated by Otago News to be—Dunedin alone nearly 500 (including 18 landed proprietors, 20 storekeepers, 24 carpenters, sawyers, &c., and about 100 labourers); at Port Chalmers, Anderson's Bay, Half-way Bush, the Taieri, and Molyneux, about 100 (including 16 land proprietors, 9 carpenters, &c., and 16 shepherds and labourers).