KAWHIA DESCRIBED.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3621, 19 February 1883, Page 4

KAWHIA DESCRIBED.

A special reporter of the Auckland Herald, who has visited Kawhia, gives the following particulars regarding the township :—" It is a comparatively small area, of 44 acres, having 17 chains frontage to the beach, but has a considerable depth. This place was the property of the late Mr Charlton, a man of great energy, and a pushing enterprising settler, who was eulogised by Professor Hochstetter as the model of a pioneer settler. Even after 20 years' desertion the place exhibits the traces of his industry and thrift. The remains of well-planted orchards are abundant; cherries, apples, peaches, pears, and grapes abound, but there is an entire absence of fruit, for it has been for years a common run and a largo portion of the trees are destroyed w besides which, an extensive area of theorchard is removed to make room for a native potato cultivation. The ruins of what was once a well-built weatherboard house still remain. It would probably have been burnt for firewood long ago, but that it is tapu, from the fact that a daughter of the King died in it, and the natives would neither bum nor remove a shingle belonging - to it. So fruitful was this orchard, that Mr Charlton had a regular revenue of £100 a year from the fruit grown on it, besides having an otherwise thriving homestead. The war, however, broke out, and 20 years ago, Mr Charlton had to leave, when Kawhia became the hotbed of the Paimarire infatuation, and the stronghold of Kingism. He Avas subsequently drowned by the upsetting of a cutter on the bar of the Kawhia harbour, and the property fell to his son, Mr John Charlton, who was the recent owner. Of course he could not utilise it, but it was always looked upon as a very valuable heritage. The manner in which it became the property of the Government is this. Mr Charlton mortgaged itto Captain Fairchild, and failing to receive either principal or interest, the latter instructed his lawyer to offer the property for sale. This was done, although it would not appear that the mortgagee had any intention of proceeding to sale. However, the lawyer took action for him, the property was put up to auction during Captain Fairchild's absence, and purchased by the Government for £HSO. This gave them a foothold in Kawhia, and the result is the prompt and decisive action taken by Mr Bryce."