Lewis Pass Plaque Unveiled

Press, Volume C, Issue 29669, 13 November 1961, Page 15

Lewis Pass Plaque Unveiled

“I hope this stone will serve continually to remind us not only of those Whose names are on it, but of all who have carried out the words of the poet:—to seek, to strive, to find, and not to yield’.” said Mr J. T. Lewis at the Lewis Pass on Saturday. He unveiled and dedicated a bronze plaque erected by the Neteon regional com. mittee of the National Historic Places Trust to commemorate the Nelson Provincial Government surveyors who, workinc in the area during the early 1860’s discovered several important overland routes, including that through the pass. Mr Lewis is the greatgrandson of Henry Lewis, who discovered the pass. Henry Lewis was well known as a surveyor in the Neteon province His sons shared his interests, one of them becoming SurveyorGeneral of Western Australia, said Mr Lewis. His daughters mostly married surveyors or explorers. Mounted On Stone The plaque is on a large stone a few hundred yards on the Canterbury side of the highest point of the road. This site was chosen because it was the nearest point on the rood to the actual saddle be•ween the east and westflowing streams. The stone was discovered by the Nelson regional chairman of the trust (Dr. J. A. Jenkins) and Mr J. Pascoe, on the vaUey-fioor a few hundred yards from its new site. F-xing the plaque to the

stone and cementing the stone into its base was car. ried out by the Nelson district office of the Ministry of Works. The pass runs through from Cannibal Gorge on..the Western side to the upper valley of the Lewis river on the east. The western stream eventually finds its way through Maruia into Buller, while the Lewis is a distant tributary of the Waiau. Because of the teeming rain, the ceremony at the plaque was brief, comprising only the unveiling and dedication. The meeting then adjourned to a room at the Manila Hotel. About 80 persons attended, including many from Canterbury. The plaque bears the erest of the trust, and the words: “Lewis, Mailing, Stuart, Trwvers. and Rocfcfort explored this area from 1860. Cannibal Gorge was an important Maori east-west route.” Descendants of three of the other four men commemorated on the plaque were also at the ceremony. Several S|xUre. John Rocirfort's descendants present included Mr D. •nd Miss L Bloomfield, and Mr* W. Bullivant John Rochfort was a surveyor and geologist who was responsible for much of the early geological exploration of the Nelson province. He discovered the Amuri Pass during the survey work, which led to the discovery of the Lewi* Pas*.

I Mr Bloomfield said he hoped the plaque would tempt those who read it to delve further into the history of those commemorated. New Zealanders generally were lacking in a sense of tradition and history, and should try to learn more of the achievements of the early settlers, especially of their own ancestors, he said. W. L. T. Travers, was represented by his grandson, Mr W. L. J. Travers (who spoke at the ceremony) and a great-grandson. Dr. P. B. Mating, and his brother. Dr. T. C. Mating, represented Christopher Mating. • W. L. T. Travers was a soldier and lawyer who settled in Nelson as a solicitor. He was later for many years a member of the General Assembly, representing successively constituencies in Nelson, Canterbury. and Wellington. He was particularly active in education. Of the fifth man. David Stuart, little is known, except that he was a member of several Nelson survey parties. Mr W. J. Gardner, of the University of Canterbury, said the plaque also commemorated the Maori route through Cannibal Gorge. The Maoris probably came the gorge an their way from Kaikoura to the greenstone country, he said. Another speaker was Mr A. G. Bagnall (Wellington), vice-chairman of the central organisation of the trust. Dr. Jenkins was chairman at the function.