WELLINGTON’S HARBOUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 874, 18 January 1930, Page 10

WELLINGTON’S HARBOUR

JUBILEE OF THE PORT STORY OF PROGRESS “Wellington the Growth of a Great Port” is the title of a publication prepared for the Wellington Harbour Board by Mr. T. Lindsay Buick, to commemorate the Jubilee year of the Wellington Harbour Board. From 1880 to 1930 is chronicled the ach evements of the pioneers, early statesmen, and members and officers of the beard during its 50 years of administration of the harbour, and it is interesting reading. From the time of Captain Cook's second voyage in 1773, when, leisurely beating across the strait which now bears his own name, he observed an "inlet” xvhich he could not recall having previously seen, the story of Wellington and its harbour is told with a wealth of historical and interesting detail. The story of the early main settlement is also of keen interest to *ll students of New Zealand history Mr. Buick tells how Whatonga, one of the earlier Polynesian voyagers, sent his sons. Tara and Tautoki southward from the Bay of Plenty to search for a new home, where he might be free from a scolding wife. Their quest brought them to the harbour of Wellington, which the pioneer Kupe had also visited. Settling on Miramar Peninsula Tara's people took the tribal name of Ngai-Tara, and gave to the harbour Its original name, Wha-uganui-a-Tara, signifying the great harbour of Tara. RAPID INCREASE “There is interesting speculation as to its origin,” says Mr. Buick, hut it Is sufficient for our purposes to know that ever since the eyes of man beheld it, Wellington Harbour has been a magnificent sheet of deep water, upon whose breast the navies of many nations could safely ride, and conveniently manoeuvre. Twenty thousand acres of sheltered surface, fathoms in its deepest part, with tougu anchorage at the bottom, is surely a rich natural endowment of which any country might be proud, and f° r which New Zealand has reason to be profoundly thankful.” From 1881, when the assets of th* board stood at £128,124, to WN when they are recorded at £2,727,b>9» the trade and finances of the harbour are also faithfully dealt with. Shipps tonnage increased from 347,995 3,644,487 and trade from 129,165 tons to 2,172,40 G tons.