Okain's Bay was named by a Captain Hamilton, who, while passing in his vessel, happened to be reading a book written by Okain (O'Kane), an Irish naturalist. Messrs Fleuty, Harley, Mason, and Webb were the first who settled in the bay. They were there before 1853, and were soon followed by Mr. Thomas Ware. As in the other bays, bushfelling was the chief industry in the early days, and it was followed later on by farming. Okain's Bay is perhaps the largest of the bays on the north side of the Peninsula. It is much wider than the others, and the district contains a larger area of flat ground. The river which flows down the valley is navigable for fair-sized cutters. Okain's Bay is a prosperous farming district, and has a church, a public school, a public library, an accommodation house, and two stores, and possesses some interesting Maori relies. It is connected with Lyttelton by a steamer, which plies by way of Little Akaloa. Cocksfoot and ryegrass seed are produced, dairyfarming also is carried on, and there is a co-operative cheese factory. There are pheasants and hares in the district, which is connected by a daily mail service with Christchurch, fifty-six miles distant. The local post office has a telephone bureau.

Okain's Public School was built about the year 1875. It is situated on an acre of land by the main road. There are about sixty-two names on the roll, and the average attendance is fifty. The headmaster has an assistant.

Mr. Walter Thomas, Headmaster of Okain's Bay public school, was born in 1875, in Sydenham, Christchurch, and educated at the Opawa public school. Having passed the entrance examination, he commenced teaching, served the usual pupil-teacher's course at the Opawa school, and was afterwards trained at the Normal School, Christchurch. He was subsequently master, successively at Porter's Pass and Russell's Flat public schools, and in May, 1900, was appointed to his present position.

Okain's Bay Dairy Factory, Okain's Bay. This factory was established in 1894, for the manufacture of cheese. It is situated on the main road, and is a well constructed wooden building, with an engine room, a making room, and curing room, and is fitted with the latest appliances for the manufacture of cheese. The factory's boiler is filled by natural pressure, with water from a spring in the neighbouring hills. In 1901, a complete buttermaking plant was introduced into the factory. The total output for the year ending about June, 1902, consisted of sixty-one tons of cheese, and four tons of butter.

Mr. David Cunningham was appointed manager of the Okain's Bay Dairy Factory in 1899. He was born in Scotland in 1879, and is the third son of Mr. Peter Cunningham, a farmer, of Wigtonshire. When he was about eight years of age, his parents removed to Warwick, England, and there he was sent to the public schools, and afterwards trained to farming. In 1897, he left England for New Zealand, and shortly after landing was appointed assistant-manager of the Wyndham Dairy Factory, on the boundary of Southland and Otago. He subsequently held a similar position in the Stirling Dairy Factory, near Balclutha, Otago, until his appointment to his present post, in 1899. Mr. Cunningham was married, in 1902, to Miss Mason, of Okain's Bay.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.
Mr. D. Cunningham.