REUNION HELD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 128, 1 June 1934, Page 14

REUNION HELD.

ALBERTLAND SETTLERS.

TRIBUTE TO THE PIONEERS

(From Our Own Correspondent,)

PAPAROA, Thursday,

The seventy-second anniversary of the sailing from England of the two first emi- ' grant ships with the settlers for the Albertland districts, was celebrated by the holding of a reunion tea and concert in the Port Albert hall. There -was a large gathering. Old friendships were renewed and new ones made over a bounteous repast which was typical of district hospitality. Mr. T. Wilson, of Paparoa, eon of the late Mr. T. W. Wilson, one of the pioneer settlers of Paparoa, opened the concert with an able address, in which he said he totally disagreed with the idea that the Albertland colonisation movement had been a failure. All the great plans laid by its promoters had been far from realised, but the thriving district and the established settler descendants to-day were the proof of success. He emphasised that the emigrants were specially selected as people of character, and this was: practically one of their safeguards among the early Maoris. They kept the peace among themselves, and treated the natives fairly and kindly—thus they aroused no resentment among them. The religious life was the great foundation on which the pioneers built. Though some were reduced to fioverty yet they came through the ordeal oerng nothing of their character and refinement. An enjoyable concert programme was provided by the "Lyric Four" from Auckland, assisted by Mr. and Mrs. McLennan and Mesdamcs Busbridge and Gorby.