EARLY DAY EPISODES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1430, 3 May 1912, Page 6

EARLY DAY EPISODES.

IN AND A HOUND POKIKUA. Mr. Elsdon Best writes:—Your account of items in the history of Pcri-rua of early paketia times, as taken from the Postmasier-Lieneral's speech, is of much interest to us of tho old bush legion of the realm of Ira. Albeit, that u person who makes claim for accuracy is olttimes a nuisance, will you allow me to watco a l'ew remarks uuunt tile above item—"ln 1820 tlio whalers established themselves at I'ori-rua." Was it so early? We think not. There were two shore stations, that of Gcordie Thorns, at l'nrcmata (near the old stone fort), and one at To korohiwa (corrupted into "Coalheavers" by whalers), near 'l'italii, also another on Mann Island. Wakefield places tho foundation of those stations in Cook Strait at about 1827, but we believe that the l'ori-rua stations were not among the first established, iirett gives an illustration of Thoms's whaliugstatiou. The canoe that was capsized at Te Rimurapa (Sinclair Head) was one seized at I'orirua by the raiders of Nga-puhi and other tribes in 1819. Its occupants persisted in keeping outside tho big rock off the poiiit, and so lost their lives,' the sea being very rough. The other canoes kept inside, and came safely through. When those in the outer canoe saw that they were doomed they grasped their muskets, and fired a volley, as a token of farewell to their friends, who replied with another volley. Then the savago fighters went down to Hades after the manner of their breed The old Maori track from Kai-whara-to l'ori-rua was not called "I'arerua," but l'are-rau, or, more corrcctly, I'are-raho, was the name of the track from To Korokoro to Tawa Flat, joining tho Kai-wharawliara-L'nrirua track at the month of tho Takapu Creek. l'ori-rua Road: Captain liiisfell was in charge of tho parties of soldiers and Natives. who formed the Pori-rua Eoad in tho "forties," but they did not "take it through tho Nga Tjranga Gorge," for. wo were into tho turbulent "sixties" before the.Nga Uranga line was opened. Tlio old road ran by way of Khandallah to Johnson's Clearing (Johnsoiiville), thence by "Russell's Folly" down to the Halfway Ilousc, and so oil past I'yebald's Corner, and down, the valley to Jackson's Ferry (near the Pori-rua I!.R. Station), London's Perry was where tho R.l\, Bridge now is at I'are-inata. Thoms's Ferry was near tho old fort, at the narrow part of the harbour.

Thorns kept the original accommodation house at Paremata proper, i.e., near the old fort After his time, Andy Green had a similar house there, and, after him came Bolton as landlord. Thorns was the man who said to a Wellington merchant: "When I takes a glass of grog out of my cask, I puts in a glass of water. When it gets too strong of water, I puts in turps. When it gets too strong of turps, I puts in Milestone!" Ami yet those pioneers lived! The stockades you mention were erecfod by tho road parties at various places. Wo have located all except Fort Strode. Perhaps some of your readers can supply tho de-ired information. Tho boat used by M'Killop, of the "Pori-rua Navy," was one that' had belonged to the "Tyne," that had been wrecked at Owhiro. Only three men were killed in the fight. i»g at I-Torn-kiri, Ensisrn Blackburn, !Wth Regiment. Private Tuite. 99th. and Roberts, cantain of mizzen-top, H.M.S. Calliope. The last-named two were buried on Mr. Abbott's farm, but Blackburn lies in the Sydney Street Cemetery.