The Wairarapa Daily Times, 25 January 1906
(New Zealand)

LATE MR JOHN GRIGG
An Enterprising Colonist
The late Mr John Grigg, of Longbeach, to whose memory a statue was unveiled in Ashburton, recently, was an Aucklander in the early part of his long career in New Zealand, landing there from Cornwall in 1855, after six months’ sojourn in Australia (says the New Zealand Herald.) Early in 1867 he removed to Canterbury. At this time there were only two shepherds’ huts on Longbeach, and Mr Grigg and his family had their permanent home at Avonbank, near Christchurch. The total area of the land, including reserves, which Mr Grigg took in hand, was about 35,000 acres, and he ultimately acquired the freehold of between 31,000 and 32,000 acres. Although Longbeach was marked on the official records of the province as an impenetrable bog, there were small patches of dry tussock land. These places were used as grazing places for stock, while draining operations were being carried on. The draining of Longbeach was a long, laborious and costly undertaking, which extended over a period of 30 years. The work turned out successful to a degree, and in 1874 Mr Grigg began to dispose of portions of the land which had been drained, and the land finally retained, the homestead block, consisted of about 12,500 acres. About four years prior to his death, Mr Grigg lost his eyesight, and his health began to break up. His work in connection with Longbeach would enable Mr Grigg to be classed as a local celebrity in Canterbury, but the part he played in establishing the frozen meat industry gives him colonial fame. It is to his courageous energy and enterprise that New Zealand owes its frozen meat trade, and many a statue is less well-deserved than the one that now stands in the centre of Ashburton

Contributed by Bob Bolitho