The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 29th, 1928.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 February 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 29th, 1928.

OF HISTORIC INTERESTS. The legendiery story published last Saturday of the naming of Hokitika, supplied an interesting narrative which suggested the great historic interest which actually centres round this locality More might well be made of the historical facts which collected and collated would provide a history of great value as to the part the distict has played in the growth of the Dominion. It would ap|>ear that it was along these shores'that the li.st white men saw New Zealand. Tasman and his crew have gven us the first record of the discovery of the islands, and the log account indicates it was on this West Coast where the mountain range was sighted, but the densely wooded hills showing no open country, did not invite the explorers to seek a landing, and so they worked north, describing the coast line as they went. That description fits in with the general contour of the Coast hereabouts, and so we may take it that from the earliest times Hokitika and locality came into interesting vision. Captain Cook, who came so many years after Abel Tasman, also voyaged the territory hereabouts from his view from the sea. But it is evident Mrs Morrinson’s narrative of the native time®, covers a period in the history of the place, long before the coming of the whitfe men A reference is made to the battle at Mahinapua. There are re-

cords of other native encounters hereabouts, and knowledge of long native treks as the Maoris made their way down the Coast. In various parts of the district native axes ami other curios of a long past age, have been recovered. Native settlements existed up the Aralmra, river am! also the Hokitika river. Only recently a green-j stone ax'o was discovered at Koitclangi where the natives must have lived in considerable numbers in times past. Then there are the accounts of the Maori raids from the North Island and from the East Const. Those from the North came clown the Coast, while from the cast they crossed the mountain passes and made their various trips mostly in search of the invaluable and much prized greenstone. All these accounts are in substance the early history of Westland and something might 1 ;• done to collate what is available before it is too late and produce a volume of very interestinf history which would he on record for all time. Ilosenrcli in that direction now should he comparatively easy with so many well found libraries up and down the Dominion. The principal difficulty would he to find the time for the patient research which would be necessary to peruse records and glean from the reports and papers a complete story of the, distant- times involved. It is nevertheless, a duty which should he performed, and it would be pleasing if ways and means could be provided to carry it out. This seems to bo something more than a local matter, for it would prove of national interest, and the suggestion might well be taken in hand in the public interests. The matter is commended to all those who are interested in a work of the nature referred to, and some beginning might well be made without delay while there is yet time and much first-hand knowledge available.