REMINISCENCES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 498, 23 October 1909, Page 3

REMINISCENCES.

A contributor to the Horowhenua Chronicle writes interestingly of early days on this coast. In referring to MrG. W. Russell’s residence in Foxton about 30 years ago, when he edited the Manawatu Herald, the writer says : Mr George Ruessl succeeded more than once in being returned as M.H.R. to represent his constituency and have a good time occasionally in Wellington, like the rest of them, though I fancy he looks back with longing memory for the time he had in Otaki, when he and his brother, (now editor of the Dannevirke Advocate), together with the writer, under the guidance and secretaryship of the late Mr Thynne, drove down the coast in a pair horse buggy from Foxton, on the eve of an election, to take Otaki by storm in support of the popular successful candidate, the late Hon. Walter Johnston, then a budding politician. We found the town crier, with his bell, in a stentorian voice, beseeching the populace to vote for Suelson (the Opposition candidate), and as in those days, there was no such act as “ bribery and corruption,” but “all was fair in love and war,” including elections, one of our contingent was told off to get this man tight at once, which was so successfully done that, although he was not to be bought over, he persisted during the rest of the day in ringing his bell and shouting to all and sundry “ Vote for Old Sneezum ! ” Needless to say it had not the desired effect.

After a house to bouse, or wbare to whare canvas had been made among the Natives aud the few pakeha inhabitants, a ball, concert and converszaione was given in the large Maori school, at which the dusky belles assembled in great force, bedecked in white muslin, kid gloves and shoes, as they at that time knew how to do, and all went as merry as a marriage bell, especially after a well-known Romney breeder had regaled them with two or three of his much appreciated comic songs, not forgetting one called “ The Schoolmaster,” in which he was wont to impersonate the actions and appearance of the then existing pedagogue and schoolmaster of the port of Foxton—one, John Hulke, a fine type of his profession, as many of his pupils, now old identities, have cause to remember and eulogise. I regret to say that he afterwards died suddenly in Wellington, where he conducted several schools with credit to himself and the Empire city.

Three days were spent by this cavaclade in Otaki, which voted en masse for Walter Johnston, and so turned the tide in his favour. Another shining light in our seaport town (Foxton) was the medico, politician, and bugbear of all backsliders, John Rockstrow, since retired on a well-earned income, and now residing in Palmerston North. He could, I know, fill these pages with amusing, instructive, historical matter during the many years he administered to the sick and wounded in that locality, a fine specimen of an intellectual foreigner, always willing to relieve the sick, whether able to pay or not, or attend a public plattorm in the interest of progression for our country and the country at large. Here let me say that the prevailing feeling ot rivalry among the Rangatira or public spirits of Foxton had much to do with its present belated position. The late Mr Whyte, of the well-known hostelry, ycleped, Whyte’s Hotel (and whose eldest son now farms at Tokomaru) did his best to advocate the opening up of roads for traffic with Rangitikei and the budding settlement known as Palmerston North. However, such was the dog-in-the-manger policy of some of the residents, who were opposed to Dr. Rockstrow, Mr Whyte and others, that not one yard ot metal was put down outside the town, till their persistent pigheadedness had driven the Manawatu railway past their doors, and left them isolated at the other end of the world, calling for the remark I well remember made by “ Melbourne Jack,” the then driver of the Foxton-Wellington coach, of which Mr Hall (now of Otaki) was proprietor, viz., that “’ere long the Robinsons (of pastoral fame) would be grazing their sheep in the public streets, and using its parish church for a woolshed.” This prophecy, I verily believe, would have been realised but for the impetus afforded it through the aforesaid inexplicable rise in phormium tenax.

This, however, came to the rescue, and saved the situation, so that now, were “Melbourne Jack” alive, he would see in place ■ of sheep many flaxmills drinking their water along the banks of the river, and new buildings lining it£

j streets while the suburbs posi- ' tm ly glisten with painted dwel lings ui modern architecture. “V./e la Fokiton ” (as the half-caste French Maori would say) and may your shaded rays of a tropical snn never, grow less, or obliterate the enjoyable memories of the past. But before this narrative leaves you it. behoves me to mention the names of two old pioneers, the late T. U. Cook and the late Captain Robinson, who had long service with the East India Chartered Company. These two oldest pioneers squatted and took up all the Coast land, respectively, south and north of Foxton, e’en before it breathed its natal breath, where they lived and died iu ripe old age, leaving issue many stalwart sons and daughters who married with neighbouring families, doing credit to the country selected by their enterprising parents. One of the former’s daughters married, or was married to a son of another pioneer settler in this district, the late Chas. Symons, who pioneered the flax industry iu these days of old, “when knights were bold and Symons held their sway,” and the aforesaid son, whom Miss Maiy Cook married, continued the industry to some purpose till just lately, when, I understand, he has taken his wife and children to Hastings to reside. Another daughter of this sterling settler was married to no less a personage than New Zealand’s noted Actuary, Mr F. W. Frankland, who, after serving our Government Insurance Department faithfully, and alterwards that of London aud New York, returned with bard-earned wealth to die iu the birth-place of his bride, where they now live peacefully and happily, he having, fortunately, failed to be elected as its member in Parliament.