Poet’s commune disbanded

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32706, 8 September 1971, Page 3

Poet’s commune disbanded

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI, September 7.

At the insistence of settlers along the Wanganui River, the poetphilosopher James K. Baxter has disbanded his community at Jerusalem, 43 miles up-river from Wanganui.

I The break-up came after a (special meeting of settlers on | Saturday when locals decided to ask Mr Baxter and his followers to leave. Mr Baxter immediately agreed to do so, and asked the community residents to pack up and go. As many as 80 persons had sometimes packed the commune at weekends. This afternoon only four of the permanent residents were still at Jerusalem. They were staying with the intention of improving and looking after the houses in which the commune residents lived. Mrs G. M. Horrocks, who lives in Kaiwhaiki Road on the river bank, was the woman responsible for starting a petition to have the community disbanded. The petition was presented at Saturdays meeting, and added weight to the move to ask Mr Baxter to leave.

Mrs Rangi Whetu, one of the tribal council from Jerusalem, and one of the per-

sons most anxious to see the community disbanded, said this evening that she was grateful for the support she had received. The Jerusalem village, she said, would now take a new lease of life. . Mr Baxter is now thought to be in Palmerston North, but he has told a number of people in Wanganui that be will be returning to live in the Jerusalem pa, probably next year. But Mrs Whetu said this evening that now he had left the village he would not be coming back. Mrs Horrocks said the community had been broken up peaceably and without any ill feeling, as from the beginning of this week. The future of the permanent community residents is doubtful. Mr Baxter has not been available for comment.