REMINISCENCES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 651, 30 October 1909, Page 12

REMINISCENCES.

['.■ INTERESTING HISTORY BY MR. B. N. i' i • ' r ?' N '. KwUbSi. the present treasurer to the Palnierston Worth Übrough Council, hns Been connected with the town silica 1572, tliirty- <, j ears ago. Some interesting points in tho history of the town have beou turmshed to a Uommion- representative by Mr Keeling ,' EARLY D\YS * J™*' to Pnlmerston 'Jforth, said Mr E i IS. Keeling, m 1872, about Ho years after Sir i . Julius Vogel promulgated his public works policy/ Palmeldtou Worth then wis a natural 5 clearing sui'rouhded by bush, with apparently no entrance; This clearing was supposed to have been discovered by a man named Haitley, .descendants of whom,still reside in the dis- -, triot Ihe Native name of tho clearing was thnkr the place was first settled in 1870. Tho object of settling in the place f- originated from tho fact that there were i Scandinavian public works'labourers at the > j north and south of tho clearing, who required / ii' i a >, ,iu s ttr ' Mul othf r necessaries The - nrst stoieivcoper in Palmerstou North was Mi ' H. I hn(! ! son > who was afterwards Major of the borough on five distinct occasions Mr Snelson also ran tho post office, which natui ally was a very small Concern m those days > r Another early idsident was the late Mr "Ned" ',' S-T, W JI O ? a l l lc ? n i se ?< °L thc Palmer Hon .' Hotol-ths first hotel In tho district ' Tins hotel Btoofl somewhat near tho sito of thc present Hallway Hotel, Other caily iesidents inro Messrs. J. t Bichter, T Ivnnnestead, Jen-en, J. Waldegrave, Henry Phillips, Htrnnnn Wollermnn, S. Abrahams, J ,IJ Pcrrm, r Onkloy, &' 9 ( W ?ii l, J l l JrlNell , < wl, ° bllllt H>° C-orgo Bridge), T Nelson (who 'taited the "Little Wondei \ Var ety ht"re, now fie VrC A ) and other'. Messrs, Itichter, Nanneslcad, aud Jensen had,tne principal sawmill in tho place, but lh» first industry of that description was commenced l>yrMe-t"< Monson' and JJartholo men the latMi gentloman lesides uor, I believe, at levin, another prominent pioneer ' was Mr James lintcli, who diel in bvdnoy i about tni«e,jeus ago, Mr. Lmton had a great deol to do with the earl} dnys of Palnerston North The.country was dlvidol In highway districts' unuer boirds Ih 1872 Mr Linton was ' the first dork to the Mauawatu Highway 1-oanl The policy, of theio bonrdi was to Hpdid fill'the I'loney doiived from rciuiuo on t'/e country reads. In couri,e 6! time tho tonnsJi'itjile vsniit-d some monry spent on their own rteLt 'Jhis thoy ccitlcl not do until they formed their own local board, winch they did, nnd W Lliihn ftfts t'le fiM ehairimn lhi» loial b'iNd hstod for about two" jears. Then I' towspfoplcfound that with tho growth ot tic leun rlicy required mcue resources, and , f ijit ii'h nas Tho borough w.h ii corimrnted in Juk, 1877, and tho fir6t i i l i" uis held in An?n«t of the tame vear. M > ui wax the first Mayor, and I was the u ' tow ji clerk The population then, I beheve \hs \\i\ who Te=iried in 250 houses. In fcu area covtuug niut squaro miles /

Land engineer, Mr. J. T.;Stewart, at present presiding in; Wanganui. Mr.;.Stewart said at ; /the time that people would,one day thank himm ,for the;work,;although- they.grumbled years 1 ! ago,,'and.even.now, at the.size of the enolos-' uro.■■; lho, place in 1860 wns'm'erely a padlock. ~;Somo, pooplcsaid that it was a market square, .but; it .was-nothing of the kind; it' ;;}vns .simply.the'extension of the:street,...The: gardens ou each side 'of,'the railway lino 'were': Originally.the main.street.;- The Haitway De-i :partment;,wanted(the use'.'oi,these, streets, one' ,s;de. for; the railway,• station:.iind post office, the-otller .side for the.';goods 1 shed.- vThe-De-' jpartment tasked: permission ■-': of the : Borough : jGoUnoil .to"move the .'streets farther' out ■■ into ! -This was agreed to,.and later the | land;-wasi'presented' again-, to. the 'council as : pfeseras.;',.--It-- was a. mistaken' idea/that the' ! iWhole Square'-was a reserve.',./ Instead of that -t-he-Vplacc- 'was-'merely-- 0,- ; streets 'extension.-'The -.first '-ibeautifring -. took place .when.' the' Railway •• .Department- presented ,■ the ;raroa': ,back to •' the .::'Aniongst:.those,-'rWho :took :; on - aotive i .•parfiin'beantifying'-th j'. Spare. were ilcssra

.Amongst the performers wero four' Scandinavians, who sang glees. There was no piano, or other musical accompaniment, not oven a tin whistlo or concertina; but lste'r it was decided to devote tho.funds to tho Jirchaso . a har'monium.v ■.■■■-.'-.■.'-■■. - v . : -; > ::■■ "A WORK OP ART." L .'.The borough seal Is.'i work of art. There pro two shields. Ono dopicts an eagle, which is one of tho figures of. tho arms of Sord Palmerston, after whom tho town is named. The other shield.depicts a castlo, representing n city, with tho flag of. New .Zealand floating bravely on top, signifying a city of the Dominion. ; On. tho-top of both shields is a s-uall 'lion,:meaniiig a younger pup of the old ir'<m.' Nikon palms support tho shields, and convey another ;■ meaning, of; the name— tho town of Palm—which hns no .palm.trees at present. The motto again refers to -the name, being '.'Palmam qui mernit ferat"-"Lct him wear, tkv palm ,who-deserves it." •■ - ~ ■;...-• ::;' -,;PALMKRSTON TO NAHER. ",';., ~,. "The. Gorge coach road was just about com. 1

occupied a place near the present railway station. The first vehicle used in Palmerston North district was a dray with a body of New Zealand wood on English manufactured wlieels. The builder .was a sottlor named Mr. David M'Ewen, who had previously resided at Hutt, as a member of the Provincial Council. Mr. M'Ewen was a most energetic settler. :.';/,

T'V; : : : '. MAYORS. ';■'; V-v/V.-The present Mayor of Palmerston North is Mr. j; A. Nash j Mr. W. H. Collingwood is tha Town Clerk, arid Mr. R. N. Keeling, treasurer. Following is a list of the names of: former Mayors:—Messrs. G. M.' Snelson; J. Linton;. F.Jensen, A. Ferguson, L. G. West, S. Abraham, tt.' Edwards, W. Park, W, T. Wood, H. Haydon,'Chns. Dunk, E. o.' Hurley, M. Cohen, It Essey, . and J, A. Nash. • • '■■,;■.

Tho institution of what may be' called "bird week," to bo observed simultaneously allovor Now, Zealand, is suggested by tho Hnwkc's"Bav Farmers' Arnion. . It is proposed to ask nil' farmers to lay poison in (ho period iiom Juiy 15 to 18.- The. North Canterbury' Union, however; has Considered .the..proposal, and decided against. fixing -sarticular. days. •;•-.

i Mt: J. A. Nash; Mayor;of Palmerston North, came, to ' the- town ..about. ■,18S3-twenty-seveh years ago. 'As a boy,,Mr.:Nash worked at'tiio Old Ready Store, how known, as the U.F.C.A., and at thd age of 21 years' he ■ was'. appointed manager for Mr. Fred. Ireland, who died some .four years.later. Mr. Nash, carried on the business for .the trustees, but eventually an amalgamation was made'with,'the Wellinrcton and Manawatu' Hardware .'■ Company, .'which •business was later disposed of to Mr.-J, If

MR. J. A. NASH,'.• Gilchrist.-; Mr. Nash has always taken a keen interest in tho progress of l'nlmerslori North. He was chairman of tho Chamber of Commerce for two years, and with Mr. Manson was l one of the'founders of tho, Beautifying Society, which has transformed "The Square" from a wilderness to. a series of artistic . gardens." J'or tho past twelve years, Mr. Nash has Ven secretary . and .'treynijer •of tho Pnlmerstoii Isc-vta bowling CiUb. Ho'was elected a municipal, councillor in 1907, Mayor in 1008 and re-elected unopposed in 1903. v:-.

. The. armchair was. made for two, but ehb was occupying. it. algne. "I have' noticed;" said .the-mad sitting, opposite,' ."that' the prettiest' girls always marry the biggest fcols." —".Say 'ini ..more, .Miv Mlowljuy,''.- the fair maiden.' "I appreciate voiir friendship, but;! can. never bo your wifo." v •.;;-■;