A REMINISCENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1925, Page 1

A REMINISCENCE

HOKITIKA BEFORE IT WAS A YEAR OLD.

To-day, Ist. April, 1925, brings to mind its predecessor sixty years ago on that auspicious day the good ship “Elizabeth Curio” whose master was one, David Curie, after a momentous voyage of six weeks, from Invercargill, landed his 1)00 passengers on the hank of the liver, then spelt “Okitikn,” mooring his Imrque to a tree stump as mooring piles were not quite fashionable at the time. .Many of the fathers and mothers of the succeeding generation arrived on this particular occasion. Among these were .Mr W. D. Banks, a Town Clerk in later years, also his wife and family. the late .Mr Win. Watt. .Mr Howclilfe, C hamberlain the notorious. 11 is also claimed that the more notorious Kelly of the Sullivan gang, was also a passenger. Among the lady passengers was .Miss Bain, afterwards .Mrs J. .M. Aitkcn, from whom the writer obtained some of the statements here given.

The ship’s cook, was Mr Robert Whale, afterwards in business on Gibson Quay: his “help” was one of his sons. Isaac.

What, there was of Hokitika then, was under canvas along the beach and facing the river; the first weatherboard place a “pub” run by one of (lie Fitzsimmons’ family, situated not far from the Host Office, was in course of construction. The “sawmill” would bo a sawpit “away up country,” about where the Rioncer Hotel now stands, at the end of Bealey C-d.. and timber was

sold for £2 per H)0, not so bad when one considers the conditions of the times. Revell St. in those far off days was a crowded quagmire ef seekers alter the new “Kl Dorado.”

The pioneers wore not easily daunted by the rain and overpowering hush, hut soon set to work and evolved order out

All the governmental machinery so dear to the British heart was soon set up and a lowa came into being which its early founders anticipated would rival its great neighbour—.Melbourne—with which it was in almost daily communication by a fleet of steamers and sailing ships. In less than three'years Gibson’s Quay was formed, \\ hart St. Revell St. and Ihe beginnings of other main thoroughfares were laid, the hush was chased hack, swamps and creeks drained out. In those golden days the spirit of enterprise enthused the citizens in ail sorts of development o( goldmining works and other industries. Some of them were perhaps ahead ol_ their times. Nowadays the sons aim daughters of those pioneers inherit the comforts and conveniences ol a modern civilisation, which the old times made possible lor us.