EARLY SETTLERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 101, 23 January 1920, Page 4

EARLY SETTLERS

ANNIVERSARY DAY REUNION. Yesterday afternoon the Early Settlers' Association met at the Oriental Bay Kiosk to celsbrate the eightieth anniversary of the landing in New Zealand of our first settlers. There was a. very large gathering, the hall being filled to its utmost limits, and an exceedingly interesting and enjoyable afternoon was passed with music (vocal and instrumental},' and the exchanging of many reminiscences of olden times. Some of those who were present numbered more than . four .score years—one was S7—and they wore still hale and hearty, and still filled with a keen zest for life,, keener even, than some of their descendants who have had a less .strenuous life, Mr. Jonkinson, the president, occupied the chair, iind among those who contributed to the musical programme was "Farmer" Daysli, of Martinborough, w'iio sang the ever-popular patriotic song, "The Dear Old Flag.'' Early settlers from ({icytow n and Paraparaumu, Palmerston North, and the surrounding districts, representative of those who arrived I'.f the earliest boats, were included among thojo in the room, and needless to say (here was much to exchange with one anolhc-i Th& Rev. J. Mackenzie, formerly a chaplain with the N.Z.E.E., w<ts one of the speakers, and ho told several incidents that were connected with his father who had landed in Blenheim in December, IS-W. One of t'liese incidents illustrated the closeness to nature with which the settler? of those days lived. Open liouso to strangers was the rule, and one day strangers passing through called in at the homestead. Unfortunately, iiis father and mother had run out of supplies—there was absolutely nothing to eat ia house. Without further delay the mother told the children to run out to the cornfield, cut some corn, nnd get it ready, and she would make some scones. This the children did, thrashing it with flails and afterward; grinding it in a hand-mill, with tho result that in a very short timo beautiful hot scones appeared upon the table. It was a ease of getting direct to the fruits of the earth, with a direct depenflenco upon those iridts, and probably with belter results to human beings in eor.sequtnce.

Mr. .fenkinson also spoke, and welcomed back among them Mr. Ronald Lyon, who had returned to New Zealand at Christinas time from :.orvico overseas, and who had previously been their secretary. .Mr. C. M. Luke was another speaker. Following tho gathering a memento of the occasion in the shape ot a bouquet, of Howers, accompanied M'it'll the root! Irishes of the association, was sent to Miss Iteefy in the Victoria Home, who had celebrated that day her seventy-eighth birthday.