Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/259

Mayor of Salisbury. From October, 1858, to his death, a period of more than thirty-three years, the Rev. R. R. Bradley resided at Charteris Bay with his family, and the principal part of it, some 2000 acres, was in his possession. A great part was once owned by the late Mr. Manson, but he disposed of it finding he had too large an area to manage. There are a few small settlers in the Bay, the Simpsons and Hays, and very comfortable little homesteads they have, and lead happy and contented lives.

The old buildings erected by Dr. Moore are still standing: in fact he built the house in which the Bradleys now reside, though of course it has been repaired and altered. He had also a stone dairy and stalls, but these are fast falling into decay. The house is pleasantly situated on rising land about half a mile from the beach. In front is a fine view of the bay, Rabbit Island, and the long peninsula which nearly joins it, and so much reminds one of Onawe in Akaroa Harbour. In the foreground are newly grassed paddocks, a few stately trees, the pretty homestead of Mr. Hay, and the school buildings, which are very neat. At the back of the house is a splendid plantation of gums, with here and there a pinus insignis and a macrocarpa. In the bank at the back a cellar has been dug out, and very cool it is in the hottest weather. A neat macrocarpa fence bounds the flower garden, which is rich in many flowers. The roses look particularly nice, and amongst the native shrubs and trees are specially to be noticed some grand specimens of the mountain palm, the giant cabbage tree, which here flourishes most luxuriantly. Winding down the path to the left, past the garden, we come to the stockyard, which is very massively fenced and paved with stones. The stables are most spacious and excellent, as might be supposed, from their being under the management of Mr. Orton Bradley, the present owner of the estate.