THEN, AND NOW.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 4

THEN, AND NOW.

EARLY KILBIBNIE HISTORY. Within a radius of three miles of whero the new Kilbirnio Post Office stands (at the corner of the Seatonn and Lyall Bay Roads) these were the old sites, said tho Hon. T. Mackenzie yesterday when officially opening tho post office, of forly Mivori pas and kaingas. History of. thrilling interest' to tho Maoris clung around the namo of Hαtaitai—the name given in the early times to tho peninsula and tho hills bordering Evans Bay. From Shag Point, half a liiilo westward of tho post office, many a war canoe had departed by Waipounamu .(tho South Island). Shortly before the first European settlers appeared at Wel-lington,-'the fierce Te Rauparnha and his Xgatiawas had settled there. Tradition, proceeded tho Minister, said i that the exit from Wellington Harbour "was where South Kilbirnie now stands. At about the time of the reign of Qjeen Elizabeth the present onlranco was opened and the Lyall Bay entranco closed. The names of those who obtained the first Crown grants of Evans Bay blocks, continued tho Minister, wero Messrs. A. R, Sutherland, W. M. Smith, S. Bcvans, W. N. Luxford, It. Jenkins, J. T. Wingfield, Geo. Hunter, and J. V?. Rooerts. Captain J. Coutts Crawford, E.N., obtained the greater portion of Miramar Peninsula and subsequently acquired the land held by those first named, together vrith blocks of the peninsula originally held by Messrs. AV. N. Luxfo»d, W. Bowler, and the Rev. V. G. Hine. _ The Wellington racecourse was at one time on the.far side of East Krlbirnio.