Touching Down in Dorie is an account of the settlement of the Kyle and Dorie Districts of Mid Canterbury.
The flat, mundane appearance of the area belies a surprising amount of conflict, tragedy and community cooperation within.
Far from being an account of unending hard work and staid social interactions, the book uncovers a great social life, some serious misconduct, a few characters worthy of the attention of the judiciary, and the odd conflict to boot!
I wrote the book, seen through the lives of the pioneer Carruthers family, which first bought the Beachgrove property out of the renowned Acton Station, and then later the Lysaght family who took over part of the property in the 1950s.
In the 1870s there had been quite a number of Southbridge settlers who bought properties on the south bank of the Rakaia, anticipating a boom in land sales when the proposed railway crossed the river near to Dobbins Ford.
The railway never happened, but the settlers stayed, among them Duncan, Lambie, Carruthers and Osborne.
As one of the 10 children of Andy and Nellie Lysaght who moved to Dorie in 1957, I grew interested in the story of the pioneers to the district and began researching and recording the history of both Kyle and Dorie – the two are closely entwined.
It traces the lives of David Blacklock Carruthers and his wife Eliza, their story illustrating some common aspects of Irish and Scottish migration to New Zealand.
The background Irish story that led to the Lysaght’s arrival in Dorie is also revealed.
Both families were subject to international pressures and national policies that shaped their decision making. Interviews with local families such as Dolans, McKimmie, Hurst and Harrison reveal a similarity of experience and vision as they established their lives in Dorie.
Among the colourful happenings described, the book records the global forces that acted upon these pioneers, the world events that shaped their lives, and the co-operative, communal life that emerged as a result.
The international events of the Great Depression, World War II and the impacts of national politics on local lives is recorded through the work and times of Carruthers and Lysaghts.
Aspects of life in the 1960s and 1970s are recorded before ending with the retirement from Dorie of Andy Lysaght in 1984.
– Touching Down in Dorie by Matthew J Lysaght can be obtained from Rakaia News, [email protected], 027 298 6110, $40 for a hand-delivered copy within Rakaia and surrounding areas, or Matt Lysaght, [email protected], 021 228 4422, $35 plus $10 postage.
