Quay, which then fronted on the sea. Of the three above-named, for instance, Maria Somes with first choice, selected a section at the corner of Norwich Quay and Oxford Street. Mrs. Somes was the widow of Mr. Joseph Somes, formerly Chairman of the New Zealand Company. This lady had purchased a land order for 50 acres with the object of founding a scholarship, and the revenue received from this section was afterwards of considerable value to Christ’s College. Felix Wakefield and Ann Bowen selected opposite corner sections on Norwich Quay and Canterbury Street. The situation of the first Christchurch selections has been already explained. The traffic to Christchurch was at that time by water—up the Avon. The wharf known as “The Bricks” was near the intersection of Barbadoes Street and Oxford Terrace. The first selections taken up were therefore all along Oxford Terrace, facing the river and near “The Bricks.” Mr. G. Durey, who came No. 22 on the list, was the first to make a Christchurch selection, the site being on the corner of Oxford Terrace and Kilmore Street. E.R. Ward, E. H. Kittoe, H. Savage, Rev. B. W. Dudley and F. L. Crompton all followed with selections in Oxford Terrace, between Colombo and Barbadoes Streets, a locality which did not afterwards prosper greatly. More fortunate choices were made by holders of some of the later numbers. Mr Felix Wakefield, whose second choice was No. 56 on the list, took the present site of the United Service Hotel, Mr A. M. Buchanan (No. 66) got the Triangle, and Mr H. Phillips with two choices (Nos. 69 and 73), selected the sites of the Bank of New Zealand, Warner’s Hotel and Hobbs’ Buildings. In passing judgment on the choices made by the pioneers, allowance must be made for the condition of the site of Christchurch in 1851, which has earlier been described.
It was not till two months later that the first sale of town sections in Christchurch and Lyttelton took
