The Hawera Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1924 HISTORICAL TARANAKI.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 December 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1924 HISTORICAL TARANAKI.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’cloet m Hawera Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham. Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuni, Opunake. Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Road, and Ararata.

The older residents say with pride that no part' of the Dominion has more interesting or a greater number of historical spots than Taranaki, and it is said that there ’is scarcely a square yard of country between Wanganui and Mokau that has not some dose association with those stirring times which we speak of as the “early days.” If we take the period after the arrival of the first settlers, "Waitara is full of historical spots, even from the very inception of settlement (when Wi Kingi forcibly ejected the pioneer surveyors) until half-way th/ough the war of the sixties, where were gathered the bulk of the forces in Taranaki and where some of the fiercest engagements between pakeha and Maori took place. We are aft aid many of the sites of Maori fortifications and other spots of interest have disappeared and can never be restored. The pity of it! If one turns hack through the files of the Star one finds many an interesting account of incidents and important events which occurred in the days when forest covered the greater part of South Taranaki, when tarred roads, motor-cars, and dairy factories were unknown. Some of the writers—they were gifted with a facility for dear evpres, sion—-have passed to that great unknown from which no traveller returns; some, we are glad to sa.y, are still with us, and are as keen as ever to give to the present generation their interesting accounts of the early days of settlement. But in these days of I rapid movement and pleasure-seeking! the majority of people do not seem to I attach due importance to traditions! and old-time associations; in fact, one! wonders if t} ie historical sense has been lost. New Zealanders have every reason to be proud of their heritage. The early settlers were people of a splendid type, and we have no reason, as Australians have, to draw a curtain over the past. Vigorous, hardy men and women came to these is'ands in times when stout- hearts we-e needed if they were to win through in the stern battle of life. The wonderful progress which has

been made in the low decades that have passed is the best testimony possible of the sound foundations laid down by the pioneers. New Zealand is the happiest countiy in the world and every traveller who returns from across the seas emphatically declares that fact. But are the people to let the early history of their country, and especially the history of tins beautiiul province, fall slowly into oblivion? How can it be kept green in the memory, and how can it be passed bn to future generations? One feels that unless some definite effort is made the history of the province will be largely forgotten, and in a comparatively few years most of the people will have to plead guilty of ignorance of even the chief events of the early days. History should be one of the most important subjects in our schools, but we fear that for some reason it has in the last ten or fifteen years been permitted to fall back into a secondary position. Perhaps the formation of an Historical Association would lead tO' a revival of interest in the history of the province and enable the building up of a continuous tradition -rihe foundation of patriotism and the civic spirit. Such an association could do a great deal of good. The places of main local historic importance, such as Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu and TuruturuMokai, to mention but two near at hand, would receive more publicity through the association, a museum, or other . tsuitable institution, for the ■gathering, care 'and protection of objects with historical associations, drawings, models of old buildings, records of events, and so forth,, could be established; regular meetings of members of the association could be held when matters of historical interest and importance could be. discussed and suggestions made. These thoughts come to one as one looks at Taranaki to-day and then tries to imagine the pio\ ince fifty, sixty, seventy years ago. Such an association a,s suggested may never be formed; nothing more may be done; but, of this one is certain—it is a. sad mistake to permit the past, its stirring deeds, and its great associations to fade out in the mists of the years. How general is the tendency .nowadays to hustle and bustle along life’s -way from- youth to old age, and neglect entirely the history and the lessons of the past, which can so truly be referred to as glorious, because of the noble men and women wro, in their day and generation, gave so much towards making the Dominion the happy and prosperous country it is to-day. And have the ; people no need to follow in their footsteps. Those who think of modern life its tendencies and its dangers think that there is serious need for a revival of the spirit of the pioneers anc. early settlers, who lived and died as men, real builders oLt-his favoured part of the mighty British Empire, to which it is a privilege and an honour to oeloug. That spirit may be revived through a keen studv of the history of early Taranaki, its people and the places where stirring deeds were performed;