"The Land of Never Worry."

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 353, 13 March 1908, Page 2

"The Land of Never Worry."

Some time ago a correspondent to the Wellington Dominion wrote an account <*s a trip in the Government steamer Hinemoa, and included therein is tbe following reference to Kawhia :—“Our itinerary next brought us to Kawhia, which we found to be a small township with big expectations. Of late there has been a heated controversary between Auckland and Wellington, as to which is best entitled to the trade of Kawhia, but a casual visitor would never be impressed with the fact that there was much to wrangle abmt. Kawhia had a land boom on at one time, but that with much of its former glory—if it ever possessed any—is a thing of the past. It was at Kawhia that the Tainui, which first brought the Maori to New Zealand, is said to have landed, and a venerable gum which had something to do with the event, is pointed out by the natives. That was the first great event in the history of Kawhia. The second was the landing there some four years ago of the late Mr Seddon, and the grand ball with which the occasion was com memorated. At tbe time of our visit public feeling ran high ou the iniquity of the Raglan or some other County Council in adopting the rating on unimproved values, and the local “Thunderer,” in a scorching leader, pointed out the dire results that were certain to ensure from such an act of public perfidity and encroachment on the rights and liberties of the subjects. Severaj of the residents came alongside in oil launches, and in tbe township tbe visitor meets with unbounded hospitality—this notwithstanding that Kawhia , being io tbe King Country is part of a prohibited area. Ono sanguine inhabitant, who Lounged about the steamer all day, and never seemed to do anything, was confident that the introduction of a pub would afford a much needed stimulas to kcal enter prise. Wnether his fellow burgesses shared hia views or not I am unaware. While we lay at Kawhia preparations for a grand ball on a scale of unprecedented splendour were in progress, and popular excitement aud expectations were at tbeir zenith. To me the oue outstanding feature of life there was that nobody ever seemed to do anything or to have anything to do. It was the “Land of Never Worry”— where nothing matters.”