AN HISTORIC SPOT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1922, Page 7

AN HISTORIC SPOT.

A VISIT TO PUKEARUHE. SOME IMPRESSIONS. (From Our Urenui Correspondent). The near approach of the tourist season, and the fact that Urenui and the surrounding locality is 'becoming more popular as a seaside resort every year, recalls to mind that amongst the many interesting spots, where a day or so may be enjoyably spent, is Pukearuhe, which, though now a thriving dairying settlement, can claim to bp one of the most historical centres on the coast. The excellent fishing to be ob- ' tained there is fast becoming widely known, and motor parties from New -Plymouth, Inglewod, and Waitara arrive every season to enjoy it, whilst the sheltered jbeach forms an ideal spot for either bathing, or holding picnics. In the days of the Maori war it was a camp of considerable importance for the Armed Constabulary, and judging from r.the tales of the old veterans (who how unfortunately are becoming few and far between) many stirring scenes must have been witnessed there; and it was also in this. locality where that much revered pastor and pioneer—the Rev. Whiteley—was cruelly massacred by the Natives. The memorial tablet erected to. his memory may be seen near the site of the old block house, whilst a cairn is shortly to be built from stones collected by the settlers.

The block house itself, which stood for many years and served a variety of purposes, was removed by Mr. A. Davis, and converted into a motor garage and the condition of the timber of which it was constructed testifies to the durability of the New Zealand rewa rewa or honeysuckle, which is as sound as on the date of building, in the vicinity of fifty years ago. Following the road down to the beach, another object of interest may be seen in the shape of an old totara stump, standing well out on the sand. From the Maori legend connected with this stump it appears that very many years ago, before the appearance of the white man on these shores, there stood oh the banks of the Mokau river, number df miles up from the heads, a twin totara, which it was decided to fell and convert into canoes. Before felling, the different tribes held a big korero, and with the tohungas, performed certain rites, the conditions being that after the tree had been cut into lengths it would be sent down the river during flood, and whenever the sea cast up each length, such piece of timber would become the property of the tribe living in the locality, the whole contraption being declared tapu to anyone outside those interested. Three lengths were recovered, and the story goes that one went to Mokau, one to Onaero, and the ■other to Wai? tara. The old canoe standing for many years on Big Jim’s Hill, near Waitara. was supposed to have been built out of one of the logs. The stump eventually found its way to Pukearuhe, and remains tapu till the present day, the penalty being bad luck in the near future, and it is claimed that this has been verified in a number of instances.

Getting up on the mountains and striking the Gilbert road (which at one time was the -only way of reaching Uruti), a quiet walk brings one to Mt. Davidson, which is a scenic reserve, and from the top of which a magnificent view of the surrounding country may be obtained. Lodking inland the major portion of Uruti can be seen, whilst on the other hand Mokau, Tongaporutu, the Sugar Loaves,. Mt. (Egmont and all the stretch of country intervening, form a lovely and interesting panorama. But the most noteworthy spot on the mountain is where, right in the heart of the reserve, a winding belt of pungas denotes the route of the road which the A.C.’s tried to form in order to secure a navigable track to Tongaporutu. Their months and months of hard toil came to naught, and ends in the face of a big papa bluff. Eventually the present tunnel was excavated and remained for many years the only means of communication. The stately belt of pungas will long remain as evidence of the spirit of enterprise which formeel one of the chief characteristics of that grand body of men who suffered and endured'hardships in order that this fair country might become a link of the British Empire.