MEMORIES OF EARLY WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 109, 1 February 1941, Page 7

MEMORIES OF EARLY WELLINGTON

Mr. Marcus Marks Looks Back

THE EXPEDITION TO PARIHAKA

A resident of Wellington for no fewer than 72 years, Mr. Marcus F. Marks, in an interview recalled _ some of his memories of early Wellington and of the military expedition which was sent to Parihaka, Taranaki, to deal with a threatened revolt by Maoris. "I can remember coming to Wellington aS a child four years of age,” he said. “We came to Wellington from Nelson via Pict on. by the small steamer Taranaki. 1 was placed in the women’s cabin. It must have been a rough trip, for, even to this day, 1 can remember hearing the other children in the cabin crying their hearts out and the crockery being smashed with every roll of the little boat. •‘I was only five years old when the Huke of Edinburgh visited Wellington —the first member of English Royalty to visit this part of the world,” said Mr. Marks. "I can remember sitting on a woman's knee in an open carriage and seeing the flags flying and the bands playing. ••Another of my memories is of Mrs. Cooper’s school in the Sydney Street cutting. This was a private school for the Thorndon youngsters, and it existed for many years. Mrs. Cooper was a dear old soul, who held the. respect of all parents and the affection of her scholars. One of her little idiosjncrasies was the treat she used to give all her pupils before they left for their homes each Friday afternoon. No child liked to miss those Fridays. Yet all she did was to have on hand a bathful of beautiful cold water from the Grant Road spring, and pieces of coconut for each child. It does not sound a great treat in comparison with the Eskimo pies and ice creams of today, but I tell you we appreciated it.” Mr. Marks was a member of the Wellington Guards when the trouble occurred at Parihaka, through the Maoris, led by the prophet Te Whiti, interfering with the survey of lands acquired from the natives. It had been revealed to the prophet in a vision that the time had arrived when the white man should be driven into the sea. A serious revolt was threatened. so troops had to be assembled to met the danger. Members of the Armed Constabulary and volunteers from the various corps in Wellington were taken to Opunaka by the steamer Hinemoa.

•‘lt. was a rough trip, and the Hinemoa could roll,” said Mr. Marks. “We were all so sick that many of us rolled into the scuppers and lay there violently ill, not caring what happened to Te Whiti or anyone else in the world. We were all too darned miserable. At last we made the land at Opuirake, but there was no port or wharf. We bad to be taken off in surf boats, into which we had to jump when they lurched near the steamer's side. At one time the surf boat would be alongside and the next minute 20 yards away, such was the state of the surf. Then from surf boats we were transferred to carts, which took us ashore. “The first, night ashore was terrible. The wind howled and most of the tents were blown down. I remember the Wellington Navals, their tents were all blown down and the language they used was beyond description. However, it was a serious business. Te Whiti was given up till noon on a certain day to submit. We surrounded the pa and lay down in the bush and bracken with loaded rifles awaiting the signal to fire on the place, should he decline to surrender. Only one shot was fired during the campaign. That was when Arthur Dixon, Wellington, when cleaning li'is rifle, shot himself through the foot.”