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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]
The Tokomairiro District
The Tokomairiro District was originally laid out by the New Zealand Company. It contains about 26,000 acres, of which 20,000 acres are level. Two small rivers intersect the plain—which is eight miles long, and has an average width of four miles—and, joining, go to the sea through a gorge in the coast range. The land is a heavy clay loam, and considerable portions were originally swampy through rank vegetation and stagnant water. This, however, has been all done away with, and through lime and good management, the whole plain is now in a high state of cultivation. Under the original terms of purchase little progress was made, as the settlement was a considerable distance from Dunedin, with no roads, and the Taieri river to cross. In [gap — reason: illegible], Mr. Robert Martin and Mr. Frank Chrystal settled on the east side of the plain, near the bush, and on the other side of the river they had for neighbours Messrs Stuart and Robinson and Mr. Popplewell. Messrs John Duthie, James Smith, W. Blake and Thomas Brookes, later on, settled near them, and Messrs John Salmond, Thomas Dall, George Lindsay, and J. G. Grey settled towards the gorge, and a few more on detached parts of the plain. Under the terms of purchase issued on the 1st of April, 1856, with the land at ten shillings per acre, with forty shillings to be expended on cultivation and improvements before a title could be securea, great progress was made; the whole plain was purchased within four years, and a real advance was made in settlement. Forty-six years ago, Tokomairiro was almost unoccupied; now it is a fertile and prosperous district, and may be said to be second to none. It owes its position largely to the abundance of lime in the district, and to the judicious use which has been made, locally, of this as a fertiliser, and as an industrial product.