WANGANUI REDOUBTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 191, 26 May 1934, Page 3

WANGANUI REDOUBTS.

ONLY TWO REMAIN i THE TROUBLOUS PAST. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) WANGANUI, May 23. Ifi and around Wanganui in the early days were many block houses, but to-day only the remains of two are to be. seen. One of these old redoubts is at “Marangai,” the station owned by the Cameron family. It was built by the late* Captain Cameron of inch lining and weather-board, a six-inch space between being filled with wool. The building now forms part of the homestead outbuildings, and the loopholes can be seen plainly from the main Wel-lington-New Plymouth highway.

The Brunswick block-house was moved from its original site many years ago, and to-day the top half—all that remains—is hidden behind an old creamery used as a shed. This old twostoreyed building saw quite a little action,, for it was built on a knoll near die oliief native track, which passed through Brunswick up the coast. It was surrounded by a deep ditch, and was extensively loop-holed. Another interesting reminder of the early and troublous days at Brunswick existed until a few years ago. It was an underground tunnel running from a farmhouse out to a deep bush-filled gully. When the third homestead to be built on the old site at the farm was completed, the tunnel was filled in. In most of tiie early pictures of Wanganui the great "Rutland” stockade and block-house in Queen’s Park stands out prominently. There was another smaller one on Cook’s Gardens, called the York Stockade. It is realised to-day what an asset these two historic buildings would have been to the city, hut, in spite of the efforts several prominent citizens —notably tile late Mr 0. Burnett —they were demolished in 1887 by the Town Board. The present Post Office at Waverley stands on the site of the old Wairoa redoubt, built through the efforts of the Hiddlemas and Dickie Bros. On the hilltop to the left of the road after passing the bridge beyond Kai-Iwi township was situated "Woodall’s Redoubt,” built as a shelter for the settlers and for the men then constructing the road up the valley. On the south of Wanganui, at Turaldna, a redoubt was built on the hill, part of which is now the Turakina Cemetery.