Early Days in Nelson

Levin Daily Chronicle, 31 May 1917, Page 3

Early Days in Nelson

MR W. O. NATION'S 'R®OO(L--laaarioNS. (Nelson Colonist). The city of 'Nelson is receiving a visit from Mr "W. O. 'Nation, a son of Mr W. Nation, who started' Tlie Colonist in 1867. Young Nation was 1? years old when he came to New Zealand, and he is therefore now in his 78th year. He is well ■ acquainted with Nelson, as it was in the early day, and he tells of the Maoris coming in their canoes, laden with peach- j es and potatoes from the. Taranakl side oif the Stirait, .and .landing. at the old Saltwater hrdge. The residents were as a large family then, and doors were not locked at night. But there were* prisoners in those days, and the gaoler was a Mr Crawford, when the . prisoners were at work on the Church Hill, always addressed tihem as Mr, land asked "Mr will you put a few barrow-loads over there?" as they were removing the soil. It was alleged, though there is no confirmation of the report, that when an entertainment was on in the town he would let the good conduct prisoners out to attend it, and tell them, if they were not in by 10 o'clock he would lock them out. Mr Nation well remembers '3>r iHochstetter and his lectures on the formation' of the country across (Blind Bay, and the mineral wealth that would be developed. And the inhabitants had bright visions of gold, coal and other sources of wealth. sToung Nation was fond* of roaming »ver the country and explored the caVes at Taikaika, the marble: deposits on the hillsides in that locality, Jenkins's coalmine at 'Stoke, and the Dun Mountain copper mine. When the Whakamarina diggings broke out ind the residents of Nelson took the jold fever and in hundreds crossed ihe Maungatapu with picks and ahov-1 sis, dishes and 1 tucker, our young triend threw tip his position .in the Dolonist Office, where he had worked Bor seven 1 years, and joined the ex-i sited throng that crossed the Pelorus' River and pitched their tents on the lew El 'Dorado, where pockets of *old were found on rocky bars in the rivier, 'in crevices, and among ■ the 'ootfl Of trees; where shoemakers, .aidOrs, chop assistants and every inlustry were represented amongst the imateur diggers whot stood up to their :nees in water, with' every variety of In dish, bringing to light the precious Mftal. Of the Maiori war at the beginning if the 'sixties, Mr (Nation has vivid ecollectione. Men, women and cbiL[ren had to forsake their farms in ["aranaki and hurry into 'New Plym■uth. The town became so congested hat it was decided to send! the woaen and children over to Nelson, and aany hundreds were 'brought across a the little steamer The Tasmanian laid. The Nelson people welcomed hem with affectionate sympathy, and pened their homes to many; they set side the public halls, where bedding nd other 1 J necessaries were provided, rhile the cooking wae done in the pen air. The husbands and older one had to stay and fight in Tara£M, and whenever news came from few Plymouth, and the Colonist isued (Extras, an excited crowd stood j a front of the office and looked in at he windows in expectation of further ewe. There were pitiful scenes at imes, when the death of some settler ? aa announced whose wife and family r ere in Nelson among the refugees. Those were the days when (Nelson olunteers were held in readiness to e Bent over to New (Plymouth. All ressed in 'IWebley'a INfelson tweed," hey were drilled by Sergt-Major Alorough (W. T. L. Travers 'being capain)_ in Tollemache's paddock, which iced on iHardy and OoUingwood Sts. "he old flint muskets were the weapns, until a supply of iEnfields came o hand. The company bad to be in eadiness to go over to Taranalri any ay, and! quite a number of persons rauld watch these volunteers fix baynets and charge across paddocks with lood-curdling yells upon an imaginry foe. But the Maori war came to n end and volunteers were dieban-

ded; and by degrees the majority c rejflugeea returned to their wreak© homes. Sixty years ago! And now M Nation is visiting our, city once , more He misses many of the old landmark, but he sees advancement and prosper ity on every hand, and he "is renam oured with the delightful and the gardens that* surround " them But he misses tihei friends of hii youth. • Nearly 'all have paSsedl tc the] We beyond, and, old /mjeanoitiw will be stirred if hfe wanders amon| the white headstones on the hillside where we bury our dead.