EARLY DAYS RECALLED.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 February 1919, Page 6

EARLY DAYS RECALLED.

COURT WORK IN “SEVENTIES.”

, Speaking at the prize-giving cere- , raony in connection Avith the New Plymouth Girls’ High School last r week, Mr. Justice Chapman said ( that his interest in Taranaki went back to the early days 70 "years ago, when his father was a Judge and had to take Taranaki in his rounds. It was not then a question of motor-cars and secretaries and typewriters; to 1 reach Taranaki it was necessary to •hire a schooner or -to walk. He had ’often heard his T fathcr tell the story of how- in 1844 ho* had set out from Wellington, to New ; Plymouth in a : Sydney schooner, but • hea\ r y winds drove them north for eight days, and then could'*not land at New. Plymouth "The only solution , was for the Judge to be landed- at the nearest ■ point ’of land thaf could be reached, and he was put ashore at Albatross Point j2B miles from Kawhia. whence ho had to walk with Maoris to carry -his baggage and to swim the rivers "on the way. On reaching the town 'he held the sessions and set off to , " walk back to Wellington.