EARLY SETTLERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10292, 29 May 1919, Page 8

EARLY SETTLERS

ANNUAL MEETING

SUGGESTED OBELISK AT KORO KORO. The annual meeting of the Wellington Early Settlers’,Association was held in Godber’s Rooms, Cuba street, last •light, Air John Smith presiding over a large attendance. Tne fourth annual report was presented, and showed that' during the yedr an effort was made to secure, tor recording, some of the stories of early i\ew Aea.aud experiences,. from a lew of those whoso'over seventy years of liio have been lent to'the uponuamg of tne. Dominion! ‘ Air J. ft. Jenkmson (president), Air W, A. Edwards (secretary), and the treasurer (Air X. State) interviewed some of the old residents, and by having a careful.report made by a stendgrapuer, secured many' stories which relate to' historical episodes' in liio.

The committee ' made 'the following suggestions for the future work of tno association: —That a historical roil _of members bo ’ compiled ■ by securing .ho autograph of members present and future. With a short biographical sketch or each. This work, together with other kindred work, such as securing records of incidents, etc., should bo under tlie direction of the Historical Commit ice, and someone appointed to carry it on: It certainly win occupy a good deal of time, and may be' the cause of some expense, but tnis is justifiable, because necessary. An effort should be made .o have again some publication either as a journal, or ..otherwise, which will enable those; members who cannot attend meetings to learn “the nows,” and which will also serve in a much more important way to record and keep in safety much of that which is now lost. Active steps should now .be taken to have the matter of the erection of some fitting memorial: of the pioneers who landed here in 1340-41. Attention has been given to it for some time by this association, and some practical work was done just before tbe war in 10X4. Of late, your committee has considered it from many points of view, and has several suggestions it, both ns to position and the form it should take. One is . that a marble column be put on the peaks of Tinakori. Hill, Mt Wakefield, or, ,if tbe spot , could be found, on Petone beach, an obelisk of some form of memento where our pioneers first landed. Another, the erection of an Early Settlers’ Hall in town Perhaps these could be made complementary, and thus have three forms. Some yeays ago a proposal was made to have a painting done, representing tho actual landing of the first arrivals at Petone. Other parts of the world have had such paintings of some early episode in their history, which, when hung in some fitting room or hall, are a truly important and link: also, a picture of our first City Council ought to bo obtained.

The chairman favoured the placing of an obelisk on the,spot at Koro Koro, or Petono beach, where the pioneers first landed.

Mr John Daysh, of the Wairarapa, said the suggestion of; erecting an obelisk was a good one. _ Members should get busy on the subject at once, for it was deeds and not words that"would count. ■

•Major Vina was not in favour of an obelisk bn the beach, as. ho thought it Would be likely to be washed away when heavy seas broke over the beach. Mr Stansill, an early settler who arrived in Lyttelton m 1862, stated' that a hall should be built, where the photo-' graphs and records of- tho association could bo kept: ' •, ■ Mr C. W. Tanner' thought it was foolish to even talk of a hall, as* to buy the suitable land and erect ' a building would cost considerably over £20,000. whereas an obelisk could be erected for a few hundred pounds. Several other members sjioke In favour of erecting a suitable obelisk, and eventually it- was decided to erect an obelisk on the spot mentioned, and ,to keep in view the question of the erection of a hall in tho near future. On the chairman’s recommendation the report was adopted. The following officers-were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr.J. E. Jenkinson; vice-presidents, Mcsdnmes L. M. ‘ Dawson, Redwood, Edwards’ Earle, Carter. S. Brown and Messrs L. B. West. 9. B. Harctmt*, ,1. A. Smith, H. Daysh, L. McKenzie, L. Stowe, F. P. Wilson. C. M. Luke, apd Neil Small: committee, Mesdames Sidey, C. Morris. H. Morris, Vine, Moore, and Major Vine, and Messrs Cooke. Moore. Smith, Bould, Clark and Orehison. Mr W, A. Edwards and Mr T. Staoe were unanimously elected secretary and treasurer respectively.