THE HUATOKI STREAM.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1915, Page 7

THE HUATOKI STREAM.

To the Editor. Sir,—ln your excellent leader entitled "The Town's Sanitation" in your issue of the 21st ultimo you mention, among other matters, the pollution of the beautiful Huatoki stream, flowing through the centre of the town. You suggest that "to prevent further pollution the stream will have to be diverted or culverted." Not necessarily so; at least not the beautiful reach extending from Vivian street bridge to the 'bend at the south-wast corner of the gaol. The present filljng-in works opposite the boot factory suggest \o me the intention of the Borough Council to level across the stream to the old railway level, when it will be imperative for the Borough Council to have it culverted between Vivian and Powderham street bridges. In addition to the pollution of the stream, which occurs only below Vivian street, with ahnost every conceivable rubbish, its naturally graceful banks are, in several places, also overgrown with noxious weeds and unsightly plants. Having long been interested in 'both the native and pakeha history of the classic old stream, so famous in the Maori traditions of Taranaki, it invariably seems to me extremely regrettable that so little has been done to preserve and improve its native beauty. The long and earnest researches of Mr. Percy Smith and Mr. W. H. Skinner in collecting and publishing the traditions of the Taranaki tribes fully illustrate their tribal love of the charming old* stream. Mr. Percy Smith informed me that only lately he ascertained that the river derived its name originally from' a notable Maori woman named Huatoki, who was murdered on its banks many generations ago. Mr. Smith also stated that previous to obtaining the information he thought that the name Huatoki ("hua" plenty, "toki" axe) might have originated from the practice of the Maoris making large quantities of axes and fern and flax beaters from the several varieties of basalt occurring in the bed of the stream. In former times it was famous far and near for its plentiful supply of large eels, which lias ever been an important article of diet with the' Maoris. The sites of half-a-dozen line old formerly fortified pas remain in the vicinity of the course of the stream, attesting "the skill of the Maori tribes for centuries who taught the "civilised" nations of our time to construct trenches and dug-outs to protect their armies in war time. Some of the trenches remaining around the uiarae, or citadels, of these grand old pas, and those in other parts of Taranaki, are amongst the largest and most perfect that I have seen and examined in any part of New Zealand. Five years ago an old Scottish lady remarked to me that when she came as "a wee lassie" to live in New Plymouth many years ago, "the Ilenuj and Huatoki were bonny fern glens." The words still very aptly express what" these lovely valleys should unquestionably be to-day. Many of the present generation derive great benefit and pleasure from the work of those old citizens of thirty or forty years ago, who gave their labor in working-bees in assisting to make l'ukck'ura Park what it is to-day. And why not likewise with those of the present generation! The summer is nigh. Let us form an occasional Saturday afternoon working-bee and unite in clearing and planting the banks with graceful tree-ferns and other native plants, to restore some of the lost sylvan beauty of the Huatoki valley.—l am, etc., W.W.S.