A PIONEER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10130, 2 December 1910, Page 3

A PIONEER.

INTERESTING INTERVIEW.

An Age representative recently had a very, interesting chat with one of the Dominion's pioneers, in the person of Mr Hunt, senr,., of Pal- -\ merston North. The old gentleman carries his 79 summers with an easier gate than plenty who have only half a century to their credit. In reply, to a remark that he looked well,_.i he said with a smile, "Yes, hard work hasn't killed me." Mr Hunt arrived in Wellington by the ship Alma 54 years ago. He said about the time mentioned, he dropped into an auction room in Wellington when the land near the reclamation was being sold at £lO per foot. A person who was .with him at the sale asked Mr Hunt what he thought of the price, and the old gentleman said, "If I had; £IO,OOO I> would invest it; Wellington is going to he a second Liverpool." Mr Hunt's regret is that he hadn't the "needful" at the time to back up his opinion. His ■ first job'was on road formation, in charge of a batch of men near Greytown. Wages, 5s per day, bosses 6s. "Flour was then £36 per ton," said Mr Hunt, "and it cost £8 per ton to cart it over the Rimutakas." He related several amusing episodes that occurred in Greytown during his stay there. At one time a marriage was celebrated. Some of the workers erected a platform on a wheelbarrow, on.■'which they" placed a chair. The bride was" seated on this, and wheeled to the "Rising Sun" Hotel, where the hoys were treated right royally. The settlers were very unconventional in those days. Mr Hunt assisted to erect the first whare in Carterton for Jimmy Ridgway. He recalled the names of many old Wairarapa identities long since dead. He subsequently returned to Wellington, and spent some time in Makara. When he arrived in this district IJalmerston was unknown', and at Feikling their were a few surveyor's.tents. He was present at the Foxton Heads when the Maoris received payment for the Foxton block by Sir Walter Bxiller. He settled in the Rangitikei in 1864. He said he recently paid a visit to the Wanganui cemetery where lie counted dozens of names over the graves of old resi-dents,'arid'well-known in the Rangitikei, and whose ranks are yearly being thinned out. Mr Hunt is now residing in Palmprston enjoying a well-earned rest after a will-spent and strenuous life.