Ann Robertson joined her husband John in the Otago Provincial Government's ambitious but doomed project to establish a settlement on the southern West Coast at Martin's Bay. It must have been a very hard life for a wife and mother, but the family were not alone in the area.
Jamestown was planned to be an export port, linked by road to the rest of the province but the road was never built and the port was never improved. Like so many West Coast ports, the occasional flood changed the channel and shifted the bar, making entrance by ship an occasionally risky prospect. The ship carrying the first party of settlers, the James Edward, hit a snag and sank in the Hollyford river. An estimation of the number of settlers in that first party can be made from a report that 22 sections had been taken up at Martins Bay.
MARTIN’S BAY.
(From the Wakatip Mail.)
Through the culpaple negligence of a supine Government settlers from Martin’s Bay have been again compelled to retire inland, and to travel over a rugged mountain track, through torrents of rain, in order to obtain those supplies which they have been led to understand would be furnished periodically by sea route. Six men, named J. McDonald, W. Woodgate, J. Robertson, Tarr, and two others — most of them settlers as well as miners — arrived in Queenstown yesterday afternoon, by way of Glenorchy. They described their trip as a wretched one, having to suffer many hardships and privations, owing to severe weather, heavy rain falls, and a rugged road or mountain track to travel over. They state the population at the settlement consists of six families, or between 20 or 30 souls; that when they left (last Tuesday week) no vessel had called in for three and a-half months, and there was only about 300 pounds’ weight of flour in the place; no tea; and no tobacco for the last six weeks; while butter and other articles were very scarce. Tobacco sems to be almost a necessary article with the settlers, and we understand since that article became exhausted, they have been smoking dried tutu leaves, fern, and moss as substitutes. It seems they never think of meat, except on rare occasions when a steamer calling may sell a poor apology for a sheep for 52s or 30s. Their staple food consists of broad, imported breadstuffs, and produce grown by them. They have plenty of ground cleared, fine gardens, and, our informants state plenty of “spuds" are planted for the coming season. In the way of picnicking or pleasure trips also, they seem to be at no loss; for there are six boats on the Lake, where one or more of the families take occasional excursions. The climate, although rather moist, is reported to be splendid, and all are in good health.
Not only is there reason to complain of steamers seldom calling in at Martin’s Bay, but on the other hand our informants speak even indignantly of the almost impassable barrier between the settlement and the interior. Woodgate has now crossed over four times, and he says, what with the weather and bad roads, he never before encountered such difficulties in travelling. -Evening Star, 27/11/1871.
ANOTHER CRY FROM MARTIN'S BAY.
(From the Wakattp Mail.) The cry of starvation at our West Coast settlement was again repeated in Queenstown, when three other settlers and two Maories arrived on Saturday night, footsore and weary. The former are Henry Morrisson and two brothers named Woodgate. They brought a message from Mr Porter to Mr J. W. Robertson, of this town, and also laid their complaint before Mr Warden Beetham, who at once telegraphed the Government, stating that the settlers had run out of provisions and asked that a steamer with relief be sent round to Jamestown without delay. The reply received was, that the steamer Charles Edward had that day left Nelson for Hokitika and other ports, en route for Martin’s Bay. It is, therefore, to be hoped that ere this meets our readers’ eyes the necessary relief will have been rendered. We are glad to notice that the Municipal Council have taken some steps to impress upon Government the urgent necessity of at once exploring the Greenstone Valley, with a view to opening up a line of country where a track or dray road, if necessary, will be available all the year round. It is highly probable, from the testimony of a recent settler, that for an unimportant outlay such a track could be cut. The present and past necessity that exists, and has existed, for offering bonuses to steamers involves an actual loss to the Treasury, whereas any cost that might be incurred in forming a track and opening up the country would be a permanent gain, and tend to promote settlement. -Evening Star, 21/10/1872.
MARTIN’S BAY.
(Wakatip Mail.) Mr Hatch’s schooner Awarua will sail for Martin’s Bay, via Invercargill and Riverton, on Monday next, with supplies for the settlers there. The arrival of the schooner will be gladly hailed by residents at Jamestown, as they are becoming hard pushed for provisions; so much so that the residents have for weeks past been subsisting solely upon potatoes and fish, and even this diet not plentiful. Last week one of the oldest settlers at Martin’s Bay, Mr Robertson, was forced to come over to Queenstown to see about getting a supply of food for his family. Mr Robertson was accompanied by his daughter, a girl aged 16 years, and the first of her sex who has ever attempted the overland journey from the West Coast to Queenstown. Mr Robertson reports that all hands at Jamestown and Big Bay are contented and satisfied if they could only secure the great desideratum, regular supplies and communication with the outer world. -Evening Star, 9/12/1873.
Mr John Robertson, the Martin’s Bay mail man, arrived at Queenstown on the 30th ult., from that district. The ‘Mail’ states that he reported things were going on quietly and satisfactorily when he left except in one respect, and that was, the setters’ supplies were running short. As, however, the Maori steamer is to commence from this time forward running regularly to the West Coast, we trust there is little fear of a repetition of a threatened famine any more in that small community. -Evening Star, 7/12/1874.
MARTIN’S BAY.
(From the ‘Wakatip Mail,’) Mr A. H. Williamson, of Big Bay, gives a very favorable report of the state of the entrance to Martin’s Bay. He says that on the 15th ultimo, assisted by Mr Robertson and his son, he sounded from the outside of the bar into the river, finding all along not less than three fathoms of water, with a clear working channel of over half a cable’s length at the narrowest point (between the outer rock and end of the spit), running nearly in a straight line from seaward to the inner anchorage of the river. The end of the inner sandspit is also washed away for some distance, and between the latter and inner rocks there are now over three fathoms of water where only two were found to be before. The improved condition of the entrance to the river is attributed to the heavy rainfalls experienced of late. On the 7th of last month the heaviest flood known since the settlement was established took place — the lake rising over twelve feet, or some two feet higher than the highest previously known. We do not see, under these improved circumstances, why the steamer which periodically calls should not proceed directly into the river, instead of standing out to sea — a procedure which hitherto has necessitated the residents having to put off in boats for any provisions or stores they may require. Besides, once inside, any vessel could ride at anchor safely. Farming prospects are good, the amount of land under cultivation is small, owing chiefly to discouragement occasioned by the havoc created last season by the birds, which destroyed a great portion of the crops. What wheat, oats, and potatoes are sown, look well, however. -Evening star, 23/2/1875.
POSTAL SERVICES. (excerpt)
Wellington, April 23. The following are the accepted tenders for the performance or the mail services in the undermentioned districts in the Province of Otago. At per annum — between Queenstown and Martins Bay, J. Robertson, L60. -Evening Star, 24/4/1875.
The sixty pounds a year to Mr Robertson for carrying the mail every two weeks equates to just under $9000 today. He also agreed to carry the mail between Queenstown and Kingston for ten shillings per journey.
OVERLAND TO MARTIN'S BAY. (excerpt)
[Specially Written for the Otago Daily Times.]
Martin's Bay
The history of Martin's Bay settlement is one of disaster and mismanagement, and of so recent a date that it is both uncongenial and superfluous to recount the bunglings and mistakes which led to one of the greatest abortions which the Provincial Government of Otago ever attempted. It will be sufficient to keep in view the lessons taught by the failure, as a guide for the future how not to do things. Jamestown de facto has disappeared, and exists only on the survey maps of the South Island. The number of settlers has dwindled down to three families; and the miners of Big Bay are represented by a solitary specimen enjoymg the soubriquet of Maori Bill, but who is a native of the Green Isle. Maori Bill, who is of Herculean build and strength, has been a resident in these parts for upwards of 20 years and has contracted a monomania of a very acute type. His dress consists of a sealskin girt round his sinewy loins by a flax rope. He supports himself by seal-hunting and goldmining, and if a stray adventurous stranger pitches his camp within a mile or two of Maori Bill's whare he retires 10 or 15 miles either up or down the coast. Of the settlers Mr Robertson, who was amongst the first to settle at Martin's Bay, lay, at the time of our visit, upon his deathbed, having been bedridden for more than nine months suffering from a slow consumption. During all this tune he refused to see a doctor or allow anything to be done to him on account of his sickness. Mrs Robertson and their grown-up family, as well as the neighbours, did all they could to alleviate the sufferings of the patient, and though occasionally he took such remedies as were to hand, he would none of their advice. Such is the effect of long years of isolation upon the so-called lords of creation.
The folly of inducing people with limited means to settle on land densely timbered with a heavy primeval forest, rendered impenetrable by undergrowth, as was the case at Martin's Bay, very soon became manifest, and the collapse, when it came, drew down with it the more substantial and enterprising. There is still the complete plant of a sawmill lying on the beach, having never been removed since its delivery by the steamer. This incident tells a tale of its own. It is quite plain that agriculture will not be the means of establishing a prosperous settlement at Martin's Bay; it will not, even for many years to come, form an aid. Martin's Bay will have to depend upon its natural resources for development. Amongst these timber and minerals are at once the most abundant and most evident attractions; but before either can be made profitable, means of communication must be established. It is surprising to note to what extent this has been neglected in the earlier attempts at settlement. The mouth of the Hollyford offers a harbour sufficient for the requirements of the place for many years to come, but is blocked by a single rock, to remove which no attempt has been made. Were this rock removed vessels drawing up to 20 feet of water could enter Lake McKerrow, the head of which extends to a distance of 20 miles inland, thus placing the valuable timber of the Hollyford Valley and that of the thousands of acres abutting on the lake, within reach of a market.
Of the existence of minerals besides gold there are also ample proofs. Mr Webb has collected quite a museum of mineral specimens and as he intends to submit them to professional tests, it would be presumptuous in me to venture an opinion as to their value. Mr Robertson holds a lease over a valuable marble quarry abutting on Lake McKerrow, and generally the settlers are alive to the important part minerals play in the welfare of the settlement, still, prospecting is carried on only fitfully, and no thorough overhaul of the country is practicable until passable packtracks are constructed. The General Government are now constructing a pack-track from Hokitika to the mouth of the Haast River (Marks') on an elaborate scale. The track is cleared of timber 33 feet wide, with a metalled roadway of eight feet in width. The track is intended to open up the whole portion of the West Coast through which it passes, and has already led to important gold discoveries as well as inducing settlement under the Westland homestead clause. Considering the success which has attended this mode of drawing attention to the wilds of the South Island it is not too much to expect that upon properrepresentations being made to the General Government by the Lake County Council the former may see fit to extend the track, though in a modified form, as far south as Milford Sound, passing through Jacksons Bay, Big Bay, and Martins Bay. -Otago Daily Times, 7/3/1882.
John Robertson died of his illness and was buried at Jamestown. A sycamore planted on his grave is still to be seen.
We have to record the death of two former old residents — namely, Mrs Ann Robertson (relict of the John Robertson, Martin's Bay) at her son's residence, Lawrence, on the 13th instant, after a long and painful illness, aged 63 years; and of the wife of Mr W. Gardiner, at Dunedin, and for many years resident at Moke Creek. -Lake Wakatip Mail, 27/9/1895.
Robertson. — In loving memory of dear mother, Ann Robertson, who passed away to rest on the 13th September 1895, at Lawrence.
Thou art not forgotten, mother, dear, Nor ever wilt thou be.
As long as life and memory last, We will remember thee.
— Inserted by her loved ones. -Otago Daily Times, 29/9/1895.
OBITUARY.
LATE JOHN NEVIS ROBERTSON
There passed away at Dunedin on October l4th, at the age of 6l years, John Nevis Robertson, for many years a well-known figure in this town and district. Mr Robertson resided at Conroys Gully, where he mined for several years and then took to the fruit farming. The deceased was born on the 30th December, 1858, at Goughstone, in the parish of Logie-Coldstone in Aberdeenshire. He came to New Zealand with his parents when two years of age, arriving at Dunedin in 1860 in the 'Storm Cloud.' About 1870 went to Martins Bay where the father had taken up land for farming. At an early age, John left home and followed farming and shepherding on various stations in Otago, Southland and Canterbury. Later he turned his attention to mining and was among the first to travel in the rush to Mount Criffel gold fields. At Cardrona, in partnership with his two brothers — James Robertson now deceased, and Struan Robertson now in California, he engaged in mining and the party was very successful, the claim of the Robertson Brothers being very well known. About this time the Robertson Brothers sent an exhibit to the Dunedin Exhibition in 1889-90 of rich gold bearing soil and obtained a first prize for the exhibit. From 1892 to 1896 he was engaged farming at Munro's Hill, Tuapeka. Then mining again claimed his attention, this time at the Kawarau Gorge. From there he removed to this district about sixteen years ago and was mining at Conroys Gully. Later he turned his energies to fruit farming, establishing an orchard at Chapman's Gully, Earnscleugh, aud there he resided till a recent turn of ill-health made him visit the Dunedin Hospital. He passed away at Dunedin on Tuesday, 14th October. The deceased took a lively interest in all mining affairs, and was an authority on matters pertaining to water races and water rights. He is survived by one brother, Mr Struan Robertson of Los Angeles (California), and two sisters, Mrs R. Hyndman (Wellington) and Mrs W. Phillipps (Waikouaiti), to whom the many local friends and acquaintances of the deceased extend sincere sympathy. -Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, 22/10/1919.
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