Courageous pioneer women made mark

Continued from Page 19

FOR then,astoday, fashions were eagerly followed andthe civilisingcrinoline had notbeenbrought to Otago to be suddenly abandoned there.Atthe time of theExhibition, held in Dunedin in 1865,Otago womenseized theopportunity to promenade thestreets in thelatestfashions —their dressescovered with voluminouscloaks, their hair adornedwithpork-pie hats, their feet encased in white or striped stockings and elastic-sided boots.

Theycould also be gay. The papers of theday make it clearthatentertainments were eagerlylookedforward to and well attended,especiallyin countrydistricts.Dances were usuallyheldinahotel or,if none washandy,shearingsheds andbarns.

Onereport, culled from the oldfiles,tells,withwhatappears as reluctantadmiration,of‘‘the occasioninCentral Otagowhen ayoung lady clad as ajockey danced asailor’shornpipeas an extra, which, though much admired,was notrepeated’’. Becauseofthe complete absenceofefficient communications,partings betweenwives andhusbands were generallyofuncertain duration.Thewifeofone Southlandpioneer wrotethat she andthree otherwomen with their children were sent by the schooner Star to Invercargill,the voyage taking more than three weeks. On beingunitedwith herhusband,who had driven their cattle overland,thisbrave womanset out with him into the wilderness andhelpedtobuild thesod hutwhichwas to be their home

There were compensations, though.‘‘Yearbyyearour surroundings improved,’’ she wrote, ‘‘andasthe population increased, thecomforts and conveniences of lifeweremore easily obtained.Our family grew up around ustogladden ourhearts, andthe storyofour earlystruggles andtriumphs will be remembered by them andrecounted in turn to their children.’’

The experience of this pioneer wife wastypical of that of hundreds more gallantwomen whoassistedtheir husbands to hewtheir homes from the wilderness.Courageousand uncomplaining, they accepted each newsituationwith equanimity,equallingtheir husbands with displays of ingenuitytoovercomeshortages andprivations.

To theremotestcountry districts, thesewomen brought ataste of culture andrefinement from thelifetheyhad left behind.

The pioneerwomen were diligentgardeners andspared no efforttorecreatein this new land thefamiliarvegetation styles of theold.Mrs Cargill setapraiseworthyexample Shecultivatedmanyvarieties of flowers,aswellasfruit and vegetables. Hers were thefirst grapes seen in Dunedin.

It is also on record that thefirst scarlet geranium wasbrought to Otago by awoman whotended it carefullyinaflower potduring thelongvoyageout.

Such wasthe life they led. Forced to turn their hands to many taskstheyhad never done before—cooking,baking, sewing, washing, making butterand cheese,nursingand gardening—theydid notshirk their responsibilities.

Little wonder then; that many of theirdescendants, modifying this tradition of hard work to changing circumstances,have wondistinction in many fields. In most professions,Otago womenwerepioneers.

In 1891, Miss EmilySiedeberg enteredthe medical school, where she was,for atime, theonly womanstudent. Hers wasnot an enviable position untilthe men students became accustomedto herpresence. After completing herdegreeatthe medical school in 1895, Dr Siedebergcontinued herstudies abroad anddid not setupapractice in Dunedin until earlyin1898.

Whileshe wasestablishing women’srightsinthe medical school,Miss EthelBenjamin had embarked on abrilliant career at Otago University:tograduate in 1897 with thedegreeofBachelor of Laws. Shewas thefirst woman to winthishonournot only in NewZealand, butalsointhe BritishEmpire. Akeenadvocate of women’semancipation, Miss Benjamin wasone of the outstandingfiguresofthe day.

Within 50 yearsofthe arrival of the John Wickliffe andthe Philip Laing,Otago’s womenhad progressed furtherthantheir contemporaries at home.They had wonthe franchiseand they had equalrightswithmen in theuniversities, yet, even inthe midst of their emancipation, it is open to doubtwhether they were anyhappier than their mothers andgrandmothershad been beforethem.

Todaywemay pity ourpioneer womenfor theirwantofcomfort, lack of mechanical aids,utter isolationand loneliness, butthey did notpitythemselves.

The knowledgethattheywere participating in events,small, even insignificantinthemselves, yetall moving towardsagreat andnobleend,was for these womenadequaterewardfor the hardships.