Burke Manuscript

Burke Manuscript: Page 250

Transcript

The first Home settlers to Canterbury N.Z. were undoubtedly a fine body of people, a good sound mixture from the three countries, with Wales thrown in, the English largely preponderating and a few Germans (a few, that is the proper proportion wanted of that element, for it is likely to be troublesome when numerous). They were splendid specimens of the old country farmer, physically sound, practical, hardheaded men who faced the difficulties at once, fenced in their sections, tore up the flax and tussocks, put in trees, both fruit and ornamental, and in a few short years gave the place a homely look. They were a well assorted lot. There was amongst them a good proportion of offshoots of County families, such as Watts Russell, Creykes, Walkers, Lances, people who gave a true tone to the new settlement. Professional men were also to be found, such men as Drs. Moore, Parkinson and others.

Those in the four ships that arrived in 1850 found the country a desolate looking place. Captn. Thomas and his Vandemonian carpenters, sawyers, and chainmen, had made certain preparations in the way of buildings, and pegging out town lots, ready for the new comers. Otherwise they saw nothing but bare hill sides with here and there a patch of scrubby timber in the gorges. A few adventurers had found their way down from Wellington as publicans and storekeepers, and from Akaroa came a few of the Nanto-Bordelaise Frenchmen, the relics of the fond dream of France, to make New Zealand one of her colonies. There were also a few others who had previously found their way to Akaroa and settled there, and from thence emanated the brood of Pavitts, Cuffs, Farrs, which has since overrun the country. Parker, who built the Zetland Arms was one of them. Robert Heaton Rhodes, who developed into a millionaire, and his wife left valuable legacies to public institutions, then occupied Purau and that part of the peninsula, as a grazing run, and found a good market for carcase meat with the whalers, coasters, and other craft.

Dr. Donald, for so many years the padre of Lyttelton, had also found his way there, either by appointment from the authorities or on a medical venture. His trip resulted in a career of thirty or more years, dispensing physic and so called law, an assister at accouchements, and an authority at Colonial inquiries, winking at the