LOOKING BACKWARD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3199, 25 September 1917, Page 6

LOOKING BACKWARD

EARLY SETTLERS MEET INTERESTING REMINISCENCES A blustering wind and oven grey skies did not tend to make Dominion , Day a very pleasant one. Beyond the flutter of a few ilags, the only manner in which the tenth anniversary of the declaration of New Zealand as a Dominion was celebrated was the gathering held in the Town Hall last evening, under the auspices of the Enrly Settlers and Historical Association of Wellington. The floor of the big hall was comfortably arranged with small tables, fringed with chairs, in a manner highly conducive to social intercourse, and throughout the evening many yarns relative to doings and sayings in the days long eince fled were interchanged, many of the old people re'fiewod friendships which had long been held in suspension, and, in several instances, shipmates, who had been parted by circumstances that were unavoidable, cam© together once more, renewing memories of their youth, epont in tho vicinity of the little "fishing village" on the shores of the calm waters of Fort INicnolson, now grown to a healthy and vigorous maturity. . The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), in according the early settlers and their defendants a hearty welcome, said that most of them had at one time or another gravitated through Wellington, and there was nothing the people of the city wished to do more than to make them welcome. To the old settlers of Wellington he wished to say in connection with the war (in which so many of their young men were making the supreme sacrifice) that to them was due the credit foi what they had done. The principle tlmt had upheld the early settlers in their strnoirles and privations had proved to be α-reatlsset in enabling their boys to carry out their part in the great contest Ttee were still with them some of the settlers of the early times Among them was Mrs. James Taylor, of Tawa Flat, now 91 years of age, who con! still read without spectacles and Vinrl soTTcelv a grey hair on her lieau. When he had vfsite y d her the other day, ehe attributed her v tality to the freecontented life lived by the settlers, a life lived under the happiest conditions, a*d in which' were established the broadest sympathies one with the other. JNo voune neople could have a tetter hentage landed down to them than the noble example of those who had. gone! before. (Arrolause) Before ; resuming his seat he&r read apologies tor non-attend-ance from the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward. Mr. Justice Chapman, Mrs. Louisa Snekon, and others.

A Glorious Heritage. Sir Robert Stout said they were met to celebrate Dominion Day,.and to have some social intercourse with each other. New Zealand was fortunate in its early settlers They came out with the luguest ideals of nationhood-come to form anegation that would eliminate many of the evils of the old life. One found that sentiment expressed in tho speech s o£. those early settlers. One of those wls the lat/l*. Earie,/fherston *vho»' speeches in the old Provincial. Council reflected the noblest pnnorota. Then they had the greatet .jateSw Zealand had known in James Edward »V" as T £ e we« r calledX £l Krbert-both'imbued with the best •ideas of life and government, as was shown in, their speeches in Hansard. The. one thing that had struck him on coming to New Zealand was not so much the. beautiful scenery-the gorgeous bush, the beautiful rivets, and water-falls-but that splendid sp.nt of hope which was in evidence everywhere JSol only hope, but faith in he present and future, aye, and charity, 100. (Applause.) Sir Bobeil'Stout *aid he had only been in the Dominion for fifty-three and n half years, and referred to the wonderful grqwlh in population and wealth n Ilat-time. As to wealth, they had only • o look at the last War Iμ*. If it had been suggested a few years ago that they could have raised, skteen millions thev would have been hushed at Yet it had been done, and Sv done. The speaker, also referred to the growth of the Dominion as a producing country, and J™"**! than *ft* as vet they were still only at rue other country of 'its size in tlie world, S^h^tr^rpth ?n Hie war he could say, paraphrasing SSuSS.'KS.ffI

A Prelate's Reminiscences. His Grace Archbishop Redwood said that Sir Robert Stout had said very j»fc msm Sx^«uitw',rph| X ons enough to darken tile air used to K out of\he bush. .He vemembered tho first peach grown n> Nelson. Hi* sister had brought home a peach from the first tree to bear fruit. And ho ie. nembored, foo, how carefulthey were to "to the stone, ond pU«t il, and afterwards it bore them, loads of peaciips. Then in the case of apples they used to sive air the pips, set them in suitable and' aFterwards plant the youn? trees out. The sneaker paid a great tribute to sritlers o> oln lor the ndmiriible pnirit of comradeship that prevailed Zen. them. There were no denominat naf differences ften. Hi. athert greatest friond was a non-Catholic, and when he died his executor was a nonCatiolio. In tto» day> tney had perfect confidence in one another and there wns a fine_ spirit of fellowship, a stale of society, he was afraid, not to be found again. In those rt"vs they had their troubles. Ihere were th» Maoris, who on one occasion were massacring ncople only on miles W from their place. The settlers in'elrnUi." his father, had to po into NelZ , ul drill. Them they hm t a fort on the hill where Hie cathedral now stood, and mounted cannons there, too. With a small Kunboat m the harbour thov wore nuito pre?md for the worst, but gradually the natives brenme fnondly. The? u«cd to come round very often and walk straight into the house. No one dared say a word to them. His mother soon .learned how to handle them. . Her method was to provide plenty of kai fcai [ food) outside.' So much did they appre-

date the attentions she .gave that they came to think a great deal of her. The speaker could remember, too, when the first horses came to Nelson. There win great excitement among the Natives, who thought at first that they were big dogs. It was explained that they were florses, but as the Maoris could not eay the word horse, they got as near ns they could to it by calling them hoi, and that is the Maori name for horse nt the* l present day. .Finally, His Grace paid a fine tribute to the youth" of the dJuntry, who were showing such magnificent courage and self-sacrifice. That was the great test—self-sacrifice. He was proud of them all; he was proud of his five nephews who lay dead on the fields of .France. As they could look back on the past with pride, they could look forward with pride and certitude in the knowledge that the same spirit lived to-day as in the past. What progress would be made in another century, no mind could realise; Inciiientlly Atclibishop Eedwood mentioned that he was the first New Zealander to graduate for the priesthood, aii'd ga"ft a brief, but interesting sketch of the course of his studies to fit him for holy office. Hw chatty discourse delighted all who heard **, the applause vrnieh followed iKrng the eincerest form of appreciation. Early Wellington. The lion. G. W. Russell, who arrived in Wellington from Tasmania 52 years ago, gave a sketch of what Wellington was,like- in those days—the town, harbour, churches, newspapers, etc. . He also recalled several of' the well-known eettlers, and conoluded by 'paying il tribute to tbe character of tho pioneers of Wellington. The Rev. James Paterson epoke of the courage and fortitude of the first cottiers, and said it was on account of the character of-those people that they were en- ; abled to bring about friendly relations, with the Maoris.' They had sought no revenge against the Natives, and refrained from wiping them out, as they might have done, in which way they preserved the race and earned their respect. Some Old Settlers. Among those present were Mr. William Udy, of Greytown, who arrived in Wellington by the Aurora in February, ISiO, nt the age of 2J years, and who has never been out of the Dominion aince. Mr. Udy, now in his eightieth year, is still hale and hearty. His people took up their residence /in Petone (then Britannia), and after being burnt out came into Wellington, and took up their residence in Pipltea-Street. Two other interesting personalities were Messrs. W. B. Allen (Wairarapa) and T. A. Allen (Hutt, 74 and 77 years of age respectively, both of whom were bo/-n in Wellington. Mr. Allen, sen., who was the father of nine (four sons and five daughters), all of whom are still alive, came to New Zealand in 183S, and was one of the first to take a cargo of kauri from Auckland °During y the evening an •orchesttra, under Mr. H. Cumming, played \ capital selection of old-time, well-remembered airs. Mrs. Parsons sang "Should He Upbraid, witli wonderful sweetness and culture, and with her daughter, Mrs. Ben Wilson, eang that fine old duet, ' I Know a Bank." "Farmer" Daysh, of flie Wairarapa. contributed '.'The Grand Old Flag, and Mrs. P. P. Wilson sang "The Little Damozel" charmingly. Miss Phoebe Parsons and Mrs. Hill played the accompaniments. '_ .