LOOKING BACK.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1920, Page 6 (Supplement)

LOOKING BACK.

TARANAKI IN THE 'FIFTIES. GLIMPSES OF QUAINT LIFE. WHAT THE FIRST SETTLERS SAW. There is a remarkable fascination in looking back—back to the days when the world was primitive, and when men had to labor to fashion out of nature all that they wanted—back to the days before steamers and trains, before metal to make roads, bricks to moke chimneys, and a hundred and one other things of every day use and custom to-day. To the pioneers who knew these days they are now full of wonderful memories; to the youth of today their stories provide a wealth of interest, romantic as any book of travel.

There are several residents in New Plymouth to-day who remember 'the town in the fifties, and they tell their reminiscences, with enjoyment, their eyes twinkling as they relate experi* ences which to us who came into a ready-made world, as it Were, are only stories of hardMip, but there is not a trace of complaint, not a murmer of suffering, from these hardy pioneers who did so much to maie the country what it is to-day. Can you, who, perhaps, has glided easily, along a beaten path amidst all the civilisation of the last twenty years, picture New Plymouth about seventy years ago?. It was to provide some glimpses of old New Plymouth, which pieced together, might suggest what the town was like in those days, that,a Daily News representative went to see Mr, S. Percy Smith, who, now in his 81st year, is enjoying the fruits of a strenuous life in the service of his country. In the quiet retirement of his pleasant home Mr. Smith enjoys watching the expansion of the town which he knew as a barren settlement, and his memory is fresh with little pictures of New Plymouth seventy years ago.

With his father and other member* of the family Mr. Smith left England on August 8, 1849, in the clipper Peking, of 600 tons. The conditions on this small ship were very primitive, and the voyage was slow, so that it was not until December 4 that the first port of call—Port Chalmers—was reached. The Peking then went on to Wellington. Christchurch had not then been founded, and here Mr. Smith's father and Mr. George Curtis left the ship, and set out to walk overland to New Plymouth in order to prepare for the arrival of the ship there with the other settlers. From Wellington the Peking went to Nelson, and there the passengers saw the wreck of the Berkshire, which ran ashore on the spit and broke her back. Mr. Kirton, a resident of New Plymouth, was a pas- ; senger by the Berkshire. On the morning of Feb 4. ISSO, the Peking anchored off New Plymouth. , BEFORE THE HARBOR.

The picture presented that morning, when compared with that of to-day, presents remarkable contrasts. The open coastline ran in front of the settlement with no stone unplaced to change it from its natural state, and inland dense forest stretched away towards the mountain. This was long before the first ideaß of building a breakwater, so the vessels anchored in the open roadstead and surf boats plied between the shore and vessels anchored near Moturoa.

Part of, the area now covered by the town of New Plymouth, and towards Fitzroy (then known as Henui) was cleared of bush, and the signs of settlement were provided by about a hundred building* dotted here and there—the official offices, the first stores, and the homes of the first settlers. These buildings stood, in no particular order, in the lower part of the town from Marsland Hill towards the sea, and communication was obtained by straggling roadways, for the day of properly metalled roads was ■ptill far away. The forest extended close to the town, settlement having made little encroachment. Inland Vogeltown 'was then covered with bush, which extended across to the Waiwakaiho on the one side and towards Omata on the other side.

Devon Street in those days was just like a country road, roughly made, and with no surface other than its soil, and another street which Mr. Smith remembers on its present route was Brougham Street. Where Devon Street crossed the Huatoki there was a small bridfre —the only means of crossing the river—about 15ft wide, and the cost of its construction in puriri was about ' £BO. There were no newspapers, public notices appeared on a board affixed to the east end of the bridge. The preI sent centre of Devon Street was then, also the heart of the settlement, and where Messrs Webster Bros.' new mart is being erected was the site of the original Courthouse, with the prison at the rear. A TOWN OF BULLOCK DRAYS.

The condition of the roads in those days was not the only remarkable! feature about them, for they were notable for their wheel traffic, which j consisted entirely of Ibullock drays. Two or three times a day a cart drawn by eight or ten bullocks would pass along Devon Street. The great sight of somewhat later days was a onehorse dray owned by a Mr. "Billy" Richards, and the people used to go to their doors to look at this wonder whenever it passed along a roadway. 1 At this time the original part of St. Mary's Church existed, but Marsland I Hill was of a different appearance, i rising cone-shaped to 40 or 50 feet above its present level, terraced on the sides, and comprising a fine Maori pas. To-day a fine panorama is unfolded from the top of Marsland Hill, but before this top was cut on", the view was more extensive and a fine picture of the countryside was presented. Many old settlers, Mr. Smith says, will remember, on the St. Mary's side of Marsland Hill, a big slab of stone covering a grave. That was where Mr. Brown, lather of Major Brown, was buried. When the military first came to New Plymouth, and the top of the hill was cut away to provide room for the erection of barracks, the earth was swept over the sides, so that this grave was covered, unknown.

Another interesting landmark which has long made way to progress was Mount Eliot, whicn covered Ithe triangle near the railway station now bordered by Queen Street. Ariki Street and St. Anhyn Street. It was a beautifully terrawd poll, and was e«V«rf v fe.

shrubs. On the cast side there was a long, low cottage, which was known as Government House, and whew Sir. Smitft arrived at New Plymouth Sir George Grey and Lady Grey were in residence there. "I rememDer," related Mr. Smith, ''that one day my brother, Bisters, and Trnet Sir George and Lady Grey on the bench, and they chatted to us, and invited us up to Government [House, where they gave us some apples."

THE FIRST SCHOOLS. Though there was no education system in force in these days there were schools in New Plymouth. Mr. Smith was then ten years old, and the school he attended wa,s situated at the bottom of Vivian street, where it crosses the Huatoki, and- this school was kept by a Mr. Heardsworth. Of those who attended Mr. Beardsworth's school there are now living in New Plymouth Messrs W. D. Webster, John Black, Joseph Hoskin, and Percy Smith. The system of education (Mr. Smith says) was not very advanced, being chiefly confined to essential rudiments, but it was thorough, and served as a stable foundation on which to carry further knowledge as opportunities for learning improved in future years. Remembering the hours of play at this school, Mr. Smith relates that football was unknown in those days. Can the youth of Taranaki imagine a school where football is unknown! Prisoners base and a* game called black bull appear to have been the most popular pastimes. There was also a school for girls at this time. It was kept by Mrs. Samuel King, and was situated at the Junction of Devon Street and Dawson Street, ji-st opposite where the Convent now stands. These Kvere the only I schools in New Plymouth seventy years ago, and in their primitive way I marked the first step in education in Taranaki.

TX>VERS op dancing. \ A glimpse of tlie scene in thosejdays on the site of the heart of Devon , Street to-day is full of interest. Two !of the most notable buildings appear to have been the town's two hotels. One was situated on the site now occupied by the Bank of New Zealand, and it was a frail, low structure built in cob, a material used for many houses in these days. There was no such things as bricks, so there were no brick chimneys. This hotel was at first simply a low, one-storied structure, but it was later replaced by a. large wooden building called the Masonic Hotel. And here is evidence of the spirit of these early settlers, for we fn.d that iu this barren settlement one of the most striking features of the Masonic Hotel was a fine ball-room. Dances were regularly- held here, and they proved a source of attraction to many, while they are remembered as very spectacular affairs—social events of the first importance. In these days when in almost every country outside New Zealand ball-rooms are regarded as essential in hotels, it is a curious thought that the early settlers of New Plymouth seventy years ago set the fashion of 1920! The other hotel was on the site now occupied by the Criterion Hotel, and it, was known as the Rtih Hotel. It is described by those who remembered it as a curious old building, standing some distance back from the road, and representing a good type of the comfortable English inn. It had all the quaint characteristics of the English inn, a type entirely unknown in this part of the world today. There were no banks in New Plymouth then, but a few years later the ffrst bank was opened in a small building on the ground now occupied by Messrs White and <Sons. It was a branch of the Bunk of New Zealand, Mr. Thos. King, father of Mr. Newton King, being the first manager.

OLD PEOPLE UNKNOWN. The government of New Plymouth was then in the hands of the agent of the New Plymouth Co., of New Zealand. When Mr. Smith arrived at New Plymouth the agent wns Mr. John Tilson Wickstead. Mr. (later Sir. Donald) McLean was also in New Plymouth then engaged on behalf of the General Government in purchasing blocks of Hand to extend the settlement. Mr. McLean was the first white man to cross the country from the Wanganui River, to upper Waitam, by the Taumata-Mahoe-tracTc, and the Rev. M. Govett did so soon after. Everyone—the officials and the new settlers—were young and healthy, and an old man- or an old woman were unknown in the roads (there were no streets) of. New Plymouth in those days. The original settlers mostly came from Cornwall and Devon, and they were a splendid lot of Britishers in the prime of life. The new and unbroken land placed a task before these hardy settlers that only splendid physique and indomitable courage could conquer, but it is pleasant In hear the original settlers' stories of days of pleasure liberally mixed with their periods of trial. The ball-room at the •Masonic Hotel has already bpen mentioned, but later on in his Tcminiscenocs. Mr. Smith returned to the subject of dances. Balls were frequently held in New Plymouth, and on those occasions they also proved a source of attraction to people living at a distance. It was a remarkable sight to see these settlers, all lavishly dressed, coming into town in a bullock cart, (he ladies, in all their finery, sitting on stools in these cnmberous and slow vehicles. But the bullock dray was the only vehicle for the purpose—nobody had at this time reached such heights as Mr. "Billy" Richards with his horse-drawn cart! On all occasions when the outlying settlers were attracted to "town" it was by the bullock cart that they came, and it was a genial crowd who came to races —on the very place where races are held the bullock carts; assembling all the carts on the hill, so that they provided a splendid "grandstand" and there they filled a day which was more like a picnic than anything else. These were great days!

Tn January, 1 Ss:"> the whole of New Plymouth suffered from the great earthquake that, raised the bottom of Wellington Harbor pome three or four feet. Tt was said at the time that every chimney (built of cob) in the place was knocked down. Tt was a terrible experience, the shocks continuing for three days afterwards.