"THE ELMS"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 34, 19 December 1944, Page 8

"THE ELMS"

HISTORIC TAURANGA LAND-

MARK

SPECIAL GRANT VALIDATED Parliament, in a clause contained in a Local Legislation Bill, last week validated a special grant of £100 made by the Tauranga Borough Council to Miss Maxwell, of "The Elms." Mr F. W. M.P., in speaking on the said that to many people throughout New Zealand "The Eims" would be quite a familiar name. Tauranga the loveliest town in New Zealand, attracted many thousands of visitors, and "The Elms" was a place where visitors li'ked to go. It was a beautiful old home which had been there from the very earliest days. It was in existence at the. time of the Maori wars and carried associations with the Battle of Gate Pa, inasmuch as "The Eims" contained many exhibits of interest at that time. The home had offered frequent hospitality to the officers of those famous British regiments which had their headquarters at Tauranga during those difficult days. The famous engagement at Gate. Pa would always live in New Zealand history, if onlj r for the reason that it provided an example, of what chivalry in war really meant. The British were supposed to be fighting a savage race. "When thej r thought of the dreadful things happening in these! daj-s when allegedly civilised nations met each other in warfare, how much could be learned from Gate Pa ! "At 'The Elms'," continued. Mr Doidge, "are many interesting mementos of those, days. Visitors take away with them not only a knowledge of what they have been, privileged to see at 'The Elms,' but they take away too, happy memories of the. charm and old-world courtesy of this gracious lady. Miss Maxwell lias lived in this historic home for a lifetime and has never hesitated to devote hours daily, over a long period of years, to showing to visitors things which are. of deep in;-, terest to those who love New Zealand and its early history. With her, it has been a work of carried on without any reward whatever. What Miss Maxwell has done, over that long period has given 1 pleasure to people from every part of New Zealand. The clause in the 1 Bill validates the action of the Tauranga Borough Council in making a , special grant of £100 to Miss Maxwell. It is not an act. of generosity • towards Miss Maxwell, but a recognition of her generosity and of her services to the people of this coun- : try over a long period of years. I am sure the House will gladly approve. the clause." The Hon. W. E.- Parry, who was in charge of the Bill, said he agreed with the member for Tauranga that Miss Maxwell had displaj'ed a fine " public and set a most worthy example. The Minister added that 1 he would like to take the opportunity of thanking the Mayor of Tauranga, and the Borough Council. Tauranga had a very fine Mayor, who had given him a great deal oi j assistance in public matters. ; The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. i P. Fraser), also paid tribute to Miss I Maxwell. "The Elms," he said, "was - one of New Zealand's historic - homes and he trusted that one day i it might be possible to include, it as r a national institution."