V.

Incidents.

During its career the plucky little News contained a large amount of valuable information, as well as affording excellent selections of reading matter, and had its councils been more plain and forbearing, less provoking and defiant, its future was very well assured; but, with bulldog tenacity it held its own cherished opinions, refusing to concede one iota, and so hastened its own extinction. There was no give-and-take even when no vital principle was at stake, simply theoretical or speculative opinions were in debate, and with something like perversity it goaded on its opponents to ungenerous reprisals.

Many interesting items might be culled from its pages, but limits insist on brevity, so selections must be curtailed. The petitions of the workmen and labourers employed by the New Zealand Company, in all 30 signatures, to Wm. Fox, Esq., principal agent—setting forth that they were compelled to work 10 hours a day, at the low rate of 3s a day as wages; these facts, coupled with the deduction of broken time, and the high price of food and clothing, rendered life uncomfortable and unbearable—received short shrift in a lengthy reply, refusing to accede to either request, and he thought the wages sufficient for a working man. The recognised hours by private employers were eight per day, and wages one shilling higher. The petition of the labourers was backed by another signed by an equal number of mechanics and small tradesmen. The News took the part of the workers, and vigorously analysing the reply from Mr Fox, said it was "shuffling," and bringing in the position of the employed at Wellington with longer hours and smaller wages (2s 6d), launched into the very midst of the "Great Labour Question." Was this candid? Was it answering the prayer of the petition? the News asked, and said emphatically it was not! and the effervescings of a "Land Purchaser" and of a "Landed Proprietor" as published in the paper failed to convince to the contrary. Both these correspondents strongly supported the views of Mr Fox, and in return got somewhat severely handled by the News, which repudiated with scorn the insinuation "of displaying extreme acrimony against the New Zealand Company and its agents either as a body or individually. If a public good is done or improvement conferred it would page 19 not remain silent or give praise 'with slow and greedy measure;' but if they do not fulfill their promises and professions, it is a duty to take notice of misdeeds, and in a spirit of plain dealing sincerely to point them out with their remedies. In doing this our judgment may sometimes err, but our aim is to be just both to employer and employed, disavowing All party spirit and narrow minded bigotry."

The prices ruling in Dunedin were, in March, 1849: Beef (fresh), 7d to 8d per lb; bread (41b loaf), 10d; butter—fresh 2s, salt 1s 8d to 1s lOd; cheese (Bathurst), 1s to 1s 6d; coffee, 1s 4d to 1s 6d; eggs, 1s 6d to 2s per doz.; fiour, 16s to 18s per 1001b; ham and bacon, 6d to 8d; mutton, 7d to 7½d per lb; milk, 4d per quart; potatoes, £4 10s to £6 per ton; fowls, 4s per pair; ducks, 4s; geese, 14s; wild ducks, 3s 6d: sugar—loaf 7½d to 8½d, raw 4d to 6d; tea, 2s to 2s 6d; cows (milch), each £14 to £18; mares, £20 to £30; sheep (wethers), 20s to 28s. Wages—mechanics (per day), 5s to 7s 6d; labourers, 3s to 4s; shepherds, from £30 to £40 for selves and wives; farm servants, from £20 to £30; female servants (very scarce), £12 to £20 per annum.

Following the quotations of prices of provisions, etc., thus given, it is correct also to note the rents quoted by the Company for quarter-acre sections in town, and ten acres suburban land. Each were £4 per annum on a lease for three years, value given for buildings and improvements at the expiry of the term. One would say rather a stiff figure at the time, representing a capital value at, 5 per cent, of £80 for the town and eight shillings per acre for the suburban sections in their wild and natural condition. The Trustese for Church and School Property let their sections at the same rental, making the lease for seven years. Private owners for choice sections got as high as £12 per annum. The usual rent charged for wooden houses was about 25 per cent, on their original value, and in some instances 35 per cent.

The first Anniversary Day was to be devoted to sports, and the bill of fare issued by the committee proves creditable to their exertions and to the generosity of the subscribers, and the editor adds: "The day is henceforth stamped in the Otago calendar as one set apart for hilarity, mirth, and cheerfulness, and as such we have no doubt will be anxiously looked forward to by the thousands yet to inhabit Dunedin—a day of unbending from the everyday work of life; to mix socially together, and in the remembrance of the past to gather fresh courage for the future." The sports occupied two days—Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24,—the first page 20 devoted to rival contests in the cricket ground and aquatics in the bay, winding up with a ball in the Royal Hotel long room in the evening, about 40 or 50 ladies and gentlemen meeting to enjoy the "festive dance," and "morning's grey light was beaming" when the majority of the party separated. The second day was devoted to horse racing, on the course hurriedly prepared on the belt near Linden School, above Walker street. A large section of the community, however, kept the day by thanksgiving services in the kirk.

The religious controversy waxed very hot, representatives of all shades were drawn into the vortex, and gave vent to their feelings in letters—acrimonious and personal. Indeed, so intolerable had it become, that the editor at length discreetly resolved to close down and refuse further publication.

This does not include land sales, only the amounts collected by the Government through their officials at Port Chalmers, where the Custom House was situated. These surpluses were regularly sent off to Wellington, as far as possible in gold, leaving nothing behind for local expenditure; draining the settlement of specie and substituting Government Bank of Issue Notes not negotiable outside the colony.

Dunedin had not hitherto the right to call itself a "Town," but early in 1849 a proclamation appeared in the Government Gazette conferring the title on both it and Port Chalmers—twins; helpless, indeed, as no endowment was attached, no authority constituted, or privilege attached. The old regime was to continue, ruled by a Bench of Justices and protected by a foreign police. It was reserved for the Provincial Council to bestow more than a name. The germs of social advancement soon began to develop themselves, as a branch of the: Manchester Unity Order of Oddfellows was established, a Public Library was opened, building societies were set agoing, concerts inaugurated, a teetotal society projected and, strange to tell, a rush to the diggings in California talked of.

Meetings were held protesting against the introduction of convicts proposed by the Home authorities, native industries (principally in timber work) manifested themselves, the proverbial big gooseberry, potato, turnips, and cabbage were temptingly exposed, roads to the interior were started, the Saddle Hill coal mines were announced, traders for ports north and south were fully advertised, and the streets in Dunedin almost neglected.

A rather interesting advertisement appeared in the News signed by Captain Cargill, asking settlers to forward to him at Dunedin, at reasonable cost, specimens of native produce, in timber of certain dimensions, two tons of Saddle Hill coal, birds, fishes, and seeds, trees, shrubs, and plants for transmission to London for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Whether any were sent is not recorded.

The houses in the settlement in 1850 built of stone were 5, brick 5, weather boards 85, poles and logs 14, grass and poles 10, clay 85;—a total of 204. The first flour and sawmill, erected by Mr Valpy at Water of Leith, were started in May of that year.

The regular abstraction of money from the chest to Wellington could no longer be tolerated, so a cry was got up: "Send Back the Money." Indignation meetings were held, stern truths told, veiled threats whispered, with the result that the Government vessel Acheron, which on June 13 took £900 off to Wellington, was next month sent back with it, not all in coin—gold and silver—but mostly in Bank of Issue Notes, looked on with little favour. And to placate the turbulent inhabitants a Judge of the Supreme Court, with a handsome salary to be paid out of the returned surplus, together with that of another appointment as Resident Magistrate, with a good screw to be drawn from the same source, together with the indication of a gentleman gaoler, well endowed to be paid from the same exhaustless fund, the people ought to be more than satisfied; find means themselves to make their roads, and as crime was reported to be almost an unknown quantity, now was the opportunity to manufacture some and encourage trade.

A draft of a bill intended to provide local Government was also forwarded for consideration, the constitution of the governing body to be two-thirds elective and one-third nominated, with the power to appropriate the surplus revenue. It was not received with much acceptance, and it was ironically asked, would it not rather have to make up deficiency than disburse surplus, and that neither mayors, aldermen, or paid officials were needed, the people were quite qualified to manage their own affairs in a practical way?