MAORI MEMORIES.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 June 1938, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES.

f EARLY SETTLERS. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) Dr Rees, of Wanganui, writing in the “N.Z. Gazette” in the early days, gave some interesting details. Soon after Wellington and Auckland, four other settlements were formed. In November, 1840, some 200 pioneers, having no hope of getting country lands nearer than 40 miles to the village of Wellington, and finding their small capital depleted, left by small vessels for Wanganui, then known as Petre. Old maps named the river “Knowsley,” which in the N.Z. Company’s flattering pamphlets is shown to be “navigable for large vessels.” Fourteen tons proved to be the safe limit in those days. Like every West Coast river, drift sand made the entrance dangerous. The only “road” to Wellington, 120 miles away, was at low tide with a score of unbridged rivers to ford or swim. There were many hundreds of Maoris. A large pa within view of the embryo city across the river was known as Pu tiki whara nui (great tribal injury). The next settlement was in Taranaki in September, 1841, undertaken by the New Plymouth Company, and named after a similar venture in Massachurette. This syndicate bought 50,000 acres from the N.Z. Company at 2s per acre. It was then announced that every purchaser of 100 acres at 30s per acre would receive a town acre free. Mr Carrington was sent to select the town site. Influenced by the beauty of Egmont amidst its forest plain, the venture was a success. At the end of 1841, 27 people came to found their homes at Manakau, but their title to the land was not proved, and the attempt failed. The fourth of these ventures was at Nelson, a somewhat more promising adventure.