PETONE'S EARLY SETTLERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1034, 25 January 1911, Page 6

PETONE'S EARLY SETTLERS.

SEVENTY-ONE YEARS AGO. . "It was seventy-one years ■' ago on; Sunday," said the Mayor of Petonel (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) at the meeting', of the Borough Council last "since the first settbrs landed on Petone-' beach. A few. years ago an attempt was made to provide some memorial of' 1 these early settlers, but for some reason. .'- the whole thing-fizzled out. I would suggest that each councillor should think ! the matter over carefully, and endeavourto devise some method of giving effectto the scheme formerly mooted. Each.councillor might endeavour to get together as many articles as possible which have been handed 'down by early settlers. We could guarantee to take every care of them, and provide a room in which to place them. I think it would be wise," concluded Mr. M'Ewan, "to in some way commemorate, the arrival of the early settlers seventy-one years ago." , . . "Your Worship," said a councillor, "I. would suggest that wo should erect those bathing sheds straight ajvay." Other members developed the suggestion, but the Mayor said it was not. the erection of a memorial he had in view, but simply to make a collection of relics. . ■ _ ,

Councillor Piper said the clerk mighft correspond with the late Mayor - (Mr. George London) and. obtain any tion available as to what had been donei ■in tbe past towards setting up an early settlers' memorial. Another good idea; would be to get a list of the early set- f tiers and communicate with some of their descendants.. Intlie Christchurchl museum a room had been set aside for ■the reception of photographs and other relics of the early settlers,' including records of the ships in which they arrived and the date of their arrival. Thesame might be. done by the council in l'etonc. It-was agreed that the course recom-< mended by Councillor Piper should tw adopted. '