Summer 2015 Issue 127 on the Waterfront

OTAGO SETTLERS NEWS SUMMER 2015 ISSUE 127 ON THE WATERFRONT From the first settlers through to the twentieth century, Otago The harbour itself was a central component in the everyday Harbour experienced a period of rapid industrialisation and lives of these communities. It enveloped transport, work and development. Economic development and expansion not only recreational life. Before the roads were built, ferries and boats had an effect on the lives of early settlers, but also on their were some of the main modes of transport to and from the city. The main towns depended on material and agricultural environment. Forests were cleared, roads built, land reclaimed, shipments across the harbour. Harbour-centred events such wildlife introduced or exterminated, and much of the Maori way of as regattas, swimming competitions and boating brought life eroded. While some of the original bush and animals have been communities together and created many fond memories of the restored, the settlement of Otago Harbour has had an irreversible area. impact on the land, and in turn, the land has had an irreversible impact on its settlers. Alongside these ecological changes, The arrival of people, from the early moa hunters to the each community, from Aramoana to Taiaroa Head, possesses a first European settlers, led to the decline of flora and fauna. distinct history and identity. They each experienced rapid social, Whales and seals were hunted nearly to extinction, while the environmental, economic and technological change yet they each clearing of bush for farmland severely reduced the native bird population. (Kakariki parrots disappeared from Dunedin maintained their own ways of life and sense of community. altogether.) Quarrying, the construction of the Aramoana mole and land reclamation transformed the layout of the harbour. Construction of the Port Chalmers graving dock in progress. The dock was begun in 1868, completed in 1872 and buried in 1976. OTAGO SETTLERS NEWS 1 Meanwhile, rapid expansion and industrialisation led to the rise th of population as well as pollution. The 116 This summer I was asked to put together material for an information station for the exhibition Life on the Edge: Communities of Otago Harbour. The project involved selecting Annual General Meeting and captioning a series of historic images of communities in and around the harbour. I chose photographs to represent change Business was conducted briskly and decisively at the Annual and continuity in the landscape and settlement. In particular, I General Meeting on 16 September. President Susan Schweigman wanted to show the establishment and subsequent development presented her report (distributed with the Spring newsletter) and of the harbour. I have also included several photographs of Treasurer Keith Clifford explained the unaudited accounts for people at work and leisure, which offer a glimpse of everyday 2014-15. As all savers are aware, interest rates are not what life in early Otago. In the event, of the 68 images selected, they were, so income from the Association's investments is lower about two thirds were used on the information station, and than in 2013-14. To improve returns, a slightly less conservative several others are displayed elsewhere in the exhibition. choice of investments has been decided on, and administrative costs have been reduced. Following the acceptance of the The research process involved finding and selecting accounts, his task done, Keith then left early in order to pack photographs, paintings, lithographs and surveys of Otago for his flight to England the next day to attend the Rugby Union Harbour. Most of the photographic research was conducted World Cup. Next the remaining fifty or so members voted on the in the Toitü Otago Settlers Museum archives, as well as the nominations for officers of the Association. Susan was re-elected Hocken Library, the National Library, Archives NZ, the Port unopposed as President, prompting Vice-President Hilary Allison Chalmers Museum, the DCC archives and newspapers via to praise her as 'the glue that holds the parts of the administration Papers Past. The majority of the information was acquired together.' Hilary and our former financial adviser Pete Smith were from digital archives, but I spent a significant amount of time elected Vice Presidents nemine contradicente. There were no going through albums, newspapers and other collections in the additional nominations for the committee, so the nine candidates Toitü Otago Settlers Museum and City Council archives. The were elected without a dissenting voice. The new committee illustrations actually used in the exhibition come mainly from member is Graeme Hall. Toitü's own collection, including its bound volumes of the Otago Witness. On retaking the presidential podium, Susan explained changes to the regulations of the Association that affect membership. During my research I ran into a number of obstacles. Most Progressive discounts for membership fees are to be discontinued notably, a large portion of the photographs had not been in order to make administration simpler. The over-60 category is properly labelled or dated. I was able to find some information to be changed to an over-65 one to reflect the change in the by locating the physical copy, reading about them in other local official retirement age. This will not affect those already members. histories, or finding the picture in newspapers. Nevertheless, However, if you know of anyone thinking of joining who has turned there were some images that I had to exclude due to lack of 60 but is not yet 65, encourage them to get a move on as the over- context. Another difficulty I encountered was damage to or 60 category will still be available until 1 July 2016. No members mislabelling of images and resources. Some images were fall into the Junior membership category for the under-eighteens either of too low a quality or too damaged to include. (nor have any for quite some time), so this is to be abolished. It will be replaced with a Student category for those aged 15 to Thank you to the OSA and the History Department at Otago 25, at a fee of $20. Reflecting the modern ambiguous use of University for giving me this amazing opportunity. Special the word, 'Student' includes secondary school pupils as well as thanks to Peter Read and Emma Knowles at Toitü Otago university or polytech students. Younger children are encouraged Settlers Museum and Alison Breese at the DCC. to join with their families under the Family category. Two people who need not worry about any of these membership Emelia Mixter categories are Sue Gow and Seán Brosnahan, made Honorary OSA–Otago University History Department summer intern for Life Members of the Association at the meeting. Sue became 2014–15 Secretary of the Association in October 2008 and guided it through the busy and difficult period of the rebuilding of the Museum. She handled everything with the utmost equanimity and good humour. Life on the Edge: Otago Harbour Communities will be on show Seán joined the Museum in 1988 and is now the sole survivor in the Special Exhibition Gallery until March 2016. of the period when it was still owned by the Association. Phil Dowsett reminded us of Seán's outstanding and unstinting service to the OSA, including his (anonymous and often unacknowledged, but far from unappreciated) assistance with this newsletter. Every member will know his history of the Association, To Fame Undying. Jennifer Evans next summarised her annual report — reprinted above — which was received officially by acclamation. 2 OTAGO SETTLERS NEWS In Victorian times, medals were worn every day on a soldier's service dress, so most, like their wearers, got into quite battered condition. Many veterans of the Crimean War of 1854-56 were drawn to Otago and its gold, so we are fortunate in having inherited quite a few medals from this conflict. One of the rarest medals ever issued was a local one, the New Zealand Cross, 17 of which were awarded by the Governor to local troops in the 1860s as they initially did not qualify for the Victoria Cross. Medals for long service and good conduct began to be issued in 1830, and the Otago Museum has the distinction of owning number two. The first official medal awarded to New Zealand women was the Queen's South Africa Medal, given to nurses who served in the Boer War of 1899-1902. One of them was Sarah Ross (née Noonan) of Dunedin, who served in Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve. She returned from the Transvaal an invalid, and was Guest Speaker presented with her QSAM by the Duke of Cornwall (the future King George V) when he visited Dunedin in June 1901. She became Many medals were worn to the meeting, several of them signifying Matron of Wairau Hospital, Blenheim, the following year. All seven important awards for community service, while others appeared nurses from Otago and Southland were also given a special local to have been given for no more than completing a few lengths medal by their provinces. Nurse Ross was however out-done by of the swimming baths. An even greater variety of decorations her fellow Otagoan Colonel Fred Waite of Balclutha, who fought was described by the guest speaker, Brian Connor, honorary in both world wars. He accumulated a total of 16 decorations, curator at the Otago Museum. Wearing his own medals, Brian self- among them bravery, campaign, long service, civic, coronation and deprecatingly pointed out the danger of inviting an enthusiast to talk jubilee medals. on his pet subject. He explained the main categories of medals comprise those given for acts of bravery, military campaigns, long Hilary Allison thanked Brian for his talk, pointing out that medals service, commemorations, and coronations or jubilees.

Load more