Auckland and Wellington were settled in 1840, and in March 1840, large farming operations were commenced at Waikouaiti, Cherry Farm being the first farm in New Zealand.
For some time back the residents have made a point of worthily celebrating the anniversary of settlement, and the forthcoming one, to be held on the 15th inst., will be the seventy-first of settlement and eleventh of celebration.
Those celebrations the first of which took place in March, 1901, were initiated by Mr Langlands, then secretary of the Otago Early Settlers' Association for the purpose of giving old identities who could not attend the association's reunions in Dunedin or come out at night an opportunity of meeting near their own homes on a sunny afternoon to exchange reminiscences and where the younger ones could be provided with congenial recreation.
So far they have been a source of great enjoyment to all concerned.
The success of the first meeting was so pronounced that Mr Langlands was encouraged to organise early settlers' picnics at Balclutha, Milton, and Taieri, which are still being carried on.
No doubt part of the success of the celebrations at Waikouaiti can be attributed to the lovely views of seascape and landscape on the journey, its own natural beauty, and the commendable way in which the duties are carried out by an enthusiastic committee of ladies and gentlemen and the painstaking secretary (Mr Thomas Allcock).
• A concise idea of the extent of the operations and responsibilities of the Otago Education Board was given by its chairman (the Hon. T. Fergus) in acknowledging a vote of thanks at Ravensbourne yesterday.
The board over which he presided, and of which he was a member as far back as 1878, had under its control 238 schools, with 582 teachers.
These schools were attended by between 20,000 and 21,000 children, and there were some 2500 boys and girls learning manual work, cookery, woodwork, and agriculture.
They had in the Technical Schools, which were practically under the board, 1100 pupils, and in Dunedin there was a magnificent institution for the training of teachers in which they had 100 of the finest specimens of young manhood and young womanhood that could be met anywhere.
"Who would not be proud," he asked, "to occupy such a position as chairman of that board?"
- ODT, 11.3.1911
