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Contributions to the Early History of New Zealand

1848

1848.

January.

First number of the Otago Journal published at Edinburgh.

February.

14.—Governor Grey and Mrs. Grey and Colonel Wakefield visited Dunedin prior to arrival of the settlers.

March.

22.—The John Wickliffe arrived, after a passage of 116 days.

April.

15.—Philip Laing arrived, her passage having taken 139 days.

16.—Dr. Burns preached his first sermon.

20.—Mr. A. R. C. Strode arrived in schooner Perseverance from Wellington, having been appointed Resident Magistrate.

May.

By the end of this month the whole of the emigrants had left the ship and taken up their quarters in Dunedin.

June.

14.—Bishop Selwyn visited Dunedin, staying two or three days.

July.

8.—Ship Victory arrived from London.

September.

1.—Church and schoolhouse opened.

21.—Ship Blundell arrived from London.

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).