SETTLERS’ REUNION

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 103, 25 January 1939, Page 8

SETTLERS’ REUNION

Anniversary Day Gathering

WAY OF THE PIONEERS

Following the usual custom, the Early Settlers’ and Historical Association of Wellington held a reunion on Anniversary Day to commemorate the landing of the first settlers on the foreshore at I’etone Pt) years ago. The gathering took place in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Courtenay Place, on Monday afternoon.

The guests of honour were Messrs. G. E. Smith, of the ship New Era, 1845, and John Fensham, of the ship Oliva Lang, 1858, Miss C. A. Allen, Mrs. E. Chisholm (nee Allen), Mrs. Lloyd (nee Stratford), and Messrs. W. B. Allen and Mark Maxton. Professor F. K Wilson, president of the association, presided. After the singing of “The Old Hundredth,” the hymn sung by the settlers when they gathered on the beach, the roll-call of the oldest settlers was taken by the secretary, Mr. W. Toomath.

Professor Wilsou referred to the stout hearts of the men and women who faced so great a voyage iu sailing ships to an unknown land peopled by a savage and unknown people, and compared their outlook on life and their spirit of self-help and co-oper-ation, not altogether favourably, with the present general tendency to lean on others and particularly on the Government. The way of life of the pioneer was a hard day’s work for a day’s pay; every man was a worker, for he who did not work could not live, he said. The fair day’s work was every bit as important as the fair day’s pay, but today the day’s pay was too often regarded as of more importance than the day’s work. The Centennial. Professor Wilson referred to the celebration of the centennial next year, but expressed some regret that the suggestion he had put forward last year that a fund should be inaugurated for the building of an Early Settlers’ Memorial Hall in a central position, could not have been carried further. An obelisk with - suitable surroundings, at the landing place at

Petone, would mark the spot where the pioneers came ashore, but would not, he thought go far enough. Certainly a considerable amount of money perhaps £40,000, would be required, but the descendants of the settlers were not confined to 'Wellington and many of them were wealthy people. It should be comparatively simple to build up such a fund, and, though now it was too late to achieve success before the centennial, perhaps a start could be made in the years immediately following. During the year, Professor Wilson continued, several valuable documents relating to the first arrivals had been traced, but he was sure that there were many more in the hands of private persons who did not attach to them their real worth. He appealed to all who had such documents and manuscripts to hand them to the Turnbull Library for safe keeping, or at least for copying, so that they would be preserved. Such documents were stored in a fireproof room and all were kent in duplicate so that, except in' the event of a major catastrophe, the records would stand for many years to come.