Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1895. THE LATE MR. VALENTINE SMITH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 4955, 19 February 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1895. THE LATE MR. VALENTINE SMITH.

Wr. lind in the "olumns of the Olago Daily '/'j'ihcs the following interesting reference to an early experience in colonisation on the part of the late Mr Valentine Smith :

As the old landmarks arc passing away it is sometimes interesting lo note Hie changes which they have seen. For many years they saw nothing but progress; in recent times there has still been progress, but of a different kind, i This week the death of Mr Valentine i Smith in the North Island is recorded. . !Mc had little lodo with the history of New Zealand, but he had an inter- ; eating personal history, In 18-18 or j 1850, under the advice of Mr Charles ' Enderby, a colony was founded at the 'Auckland Islands. It consisted of about 100 white people, who found there ahont the same number of Maoris, Mr Enderby was manager of the company which undertook the colonisation, and held a commission as Licntcnant.Govornor from {ho Queen. Mr Valentine Smith was his secretary; Colonial Secretary, in fact to the smallest and most unsuccessful of British colonics. The idea was whaling and agriculture to aid whaling ships. The whaling came to nothing; the ships cruised about but got no whales, and that brunch of (he enterprise failed. The cultivation was . never anything but the most utter failure Nothing grew in the pitiless climate aud hungry soil of the island; (he very animals died of slurvatiou on the natural herbage. The amiable old gentleman who had started the scheme was deprived of his position as manager. When g ol 'd was found in Australia most of (lie mhaJutauts rushed thither; the tew who w^ 0 le (t eamc to New Zealand. Mr Euo> b y sljl l Governor without a people, wo.'' '° England, andtlicbawen islands were x ,rst forfeited to the Crown and then annex..''' I .'° -^ cw Zealand. A few of (he inhabits still survive in this country. Mr Valentine Smith did better servico as a colonist wlien he came to Now Zealand andiooknp Jiisrasi- < deuce in Masterton. At that JJnjc i tho native population was yory 1 numerous and the European settlers - 1 but few in number, and there was ' often an apprehension lest the latter * should some fine day be wiped out { by the formor. Peaceful relations, j, however, were maintained, and wo i [believe that the kindly manner and ti Utraigbtforwajd of Jlr Val- l(

online Smith, was in those days, a considerable factor in tiding this d portion of the district through * a critical • period. Somewhat Inter, we ouvselves remember o Mr Valentine Smith as the most {' prominent settler of the day " in all public movemonts. He was litted by character, education, and f capacity for tho highest positions, a but as a rule he accepted honors with some reluctance, and preferred ? a retired existence. We are not sure 1 wliot her the "fine old English guntloman" of the old type is as extinct as ] in Now Zealand, but while Mr Valentine Smith was amongst us we had an excellent represents 1 tivo of the order, Still lie neyor ! shirked his responsibilities as a Colonist. He was punctual, precise and unselfish in his attention • to all matters of public interest. It was also esteemed an honor to be associated with him on any local committees, and meeting him at such gatherings, is one of ; our own more pleasing reminiscences of old times in Mastertoii. Nowadays, there arc few men of his stain]) left in the Colony, the chevalier, mns pair d mns reproche, lias almost disappeared from the hind.