8-9 May 1872

Next day we landed at Oamaru in surf boats, and drove into the Country, and to the celebrated Oamaru Stone Quarries. The Country is fine Agricultural Land, and grows the best Wheat in New Zealand, of which large quantities are shipped to England. The stone which resembles the Caen Stone in appearance is very valuable. The Govt. are expending money on a fruitless attempt to make a shelter for vessels, or a breakwater with £40,000 expenditure. The land at Timaru is equally good with that at Oamaru. We safely arrived at Wellington on Thursday, the Hon. W. Reeves, Minister of Public Works, accompanying me to my lodgings.