On sailors, citizens and the ‘six o’clock swill’
Several men were marooned on Snares Island or Te Taniwha, 100 kilometres south of Stewart Island, in 1810 by Captain Coffin of the sealing vessel Adventure. Running short of provisions, Captain Coffin gave these men the choice of going onshore or of starving afloat, although they were only one or two weeks’ sailing from relief in Tasmania. Much against their will, and equipped with a quart of rice, an iron pot and half a bushel of potatoes, they were marooned. By husbanding their resources and harvesting seabirds and seals they survived the rigours of the climate until rescued in 1817 by Captain Keith of the American ship Enterprise. The potato garden apparently covered the whole side of the Island. They had built five houses and had collected 1300 seal skins. If the facts are correct, it seems that no sealing vessels at all called at The Snares during those seven years. There is another suggestion, however, that the men were escaped convicts, and finding a secure if not snug life out of the public eye, they made no effort to make their presence known. There had perhaps been a fourth man and a legend has arisen that he went mad and the others pushed him off a cliff. In later years there were landings by fishermen and muttonbirders but fortunately no rats made it ashore and the island group remains almost free of introduced species, except for a few small weeds.
Honorary citizen
Invercargill’s first and possibly only honorary citizen is popular netball player Sandra Edge. The honour was bestowed by mayor Eve Poole on September 16, 1991. The citation reads: “...Whereas the Invercargill City Council being desirous of recognising the outstanding contribution of Sandra Helen Edge in fostering the development of school children, players, coaches, and creating public awareness and support in the sport of netball, as well as her own personal dedication to the game, during her stay in Invercargill in 1991, We, the Mayor and Councillors of the Invercargill City Council, do hereby proclaim that Sandra Helen Edge shall henceforth be known as Honorary Citizen of Invercargill.” Sandra first played for the Silver Ferns in 1985, became the New Zealand captain in 1994 and retired in 1995.
Last call for drinks
Six o’clock closing of bars was introduced to Southland, as elsewhere in the country, as a temporary wartime measure on December 1, 1917. It was intended to encourage workers to get home to their families and not waste time and money drinking alcohol. Although there was much debate in the leadup to the new law, on the actual day it merited a bare mention by the Southland Times: “The 6 o’clock closing of hotel bars comes into force today. The whitebait season is drawing to a close, and, except in the cooked state, is unprocurable. Bananas are unprocurable at present, but a shipment is due on 10th December.” New Zealanders got used to the ‘six o’clock swill’ as it came to be known, until closing hours were finally extended on October 9, 1967.