THE FIRST

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 14, 16 July 1921, Page 9

THE FIRST

WELLINGTON'S PIONEERS

SETTLEMENT AND GOVERNMENT

WORK FOR A CONSTITUTION

"What the Pioneer Settlers of Port Nicholson have done for New Zealand," was the subject of an address delivered at the Early Settlers' and Historical Association this week by Mr. W. A. Edwards.

"That outr pioneer settler* have a wonderful record for the work they did in colonising New Zealand and laying the foundation of our Dominion of today, is admitted by all," said Mr. Edwards. "Seldom, however, does one hear of the part they played in the settlement of other parts of the Dominion beyond Port Nicholson. It was the pioneers of Port Nicholson (or, as' some would say, the New Zealand Company—but in this ease the terms are synonymous, one being dependent on the other) who practically forced the British Government to proclaim her sovereignty over New Zealand, and thus provented it becoming a French penal settlement. Thus we claim onr pioneer settlers are responsible for New Zealand being a portion of the British Empirs to-day. ■PREPARING OTHER FIELDS. ' "The first settlement being established and developing in the right direction, we find our early adventurers looking further afield for the establishment of other settlements, a most necessary thing in a new country. We find them moving on to Wanganui and paving the way for settlement there. We see them travelling through, to Taranaki and preparing the way for the settlement at NewPlymouth. $ext wo hear of the Nelson settlement. Here again we find the pioneers of Port Nicholson assisting and finding a suitable place to establish this settlement. Again we find them far afield in Canterbury, assisting to make ready for the church settlement . at Cliristohurch. "In between times there was much talk of the Scotch settlement; in fact it was considered for some time this would be established in the Wairarapa. Again our pioneers are journeying afar, assisting in making ready for the establishment oi the settlement in far-away Ota-kau. "During this time we know the settlement of Auckland 'iad come about, and the official town was laid out. There, also, we find our early settlers travelling, for the Government party in Auckland had to send to Port Nicholson for the labour wherewith to . commence -the building of the- town and make ready for those who came latex. The action of the Government at this time was severely criticised by many of our early settlers, and was often referred to with, great bitterness, especially when, later on,, about 75 per cent, of the revenue collected in Wellington was spent in the upkeep of the official party in Auckland, and the needs of Wellington were neglected. We need refer very briefly to the settlement closei to Wellington—the Manawatu and Wairarapa naturally had to be and were settled from Wellington. "TJhis brief reference leads up to one thing only, viz., that the ptonSei's of Port Nicholson were the pioneer settlers oi New Zealand. No later first settlers in any part of New Zealand ted the same difficulties to contend with as our pioneer settlers. The way was prepared for. those who came later, and, look where you will, you will always find that some of our own pioneers did their share in the preparation. GOVERNMENT FOUNDATIONS. "We will now turn to another matter in which our pioneor settlers took a most prominent part, and that was in, the actual government of this country. We do this without entering into anything like a political controversy or. making many condemnatory remarks. Right from the beginning the early settlers wanted representative government. They wanted, and quite justly, a voice in the management of their own affairs. The original Provisional Constitution, under which they lived for the first six months, provided for elective representation. The matter was referred to by a deputation interviewing Sir George Gipps, Governor of New South. Wales, prior to New Zealand being a separate colony, and favourable consideration was promised. The first municipal corporation ordinance of New Zealand gave to the corporation . very wide powers in the matter of local government, and, being elective on a broad franchise, was fully representative, and this was framed by the pioneer settlers of Port Nicholson. "Passing over the period of Captain Hobson's and Captain Fitzroy's Governorship, during which our settlers had an unhappy time, as far as the Government was concerned, we come to the period of Governor Grey's administration. Our settlers had every hope of a constitution conferring in some way the powers of self-goyernment; but no, the representative principle was put on one side for the much-condemned nominee principle (18i8). A NEW CONSTITUTION. "In. the meantime the colonists of Wellington had not been idle. A Sottiers' Constitution Association was formed. _ Petitions to Parliament protesting against the nominee. councils were sent Home. This example was followed in the other large settlements. Finally we know that as the outcome of the largest public meeting held in the Wellington settlement suggestions were made to the Home Government in a series of resolutions embodying the principles on which the colonists desired their constitution to be based. The result was the introduction into the Home Parliament in 1852 of the constitutional measure which became law the same year. This was the Provincial Council's Bill, which was proclaimed law in New Zealand on 18th January, 1853. Under this measure New Zealand made its first substantial movement in the progress which has bTought us to the enviable position we hold to-day. "It will be plainly seen from these few remarks to what extent New Zealand, as a Dominion, is indebted to the pioneer settlers of Port Nicholson; first, as to the actual settlement of the country; and, secondly, as to the government and management of that country by the part they played in forcing lh% introduction of progressive representative government at an early date in its existence,. and a local government which was essential, if for no other reason than the isolation of the different settlements and means of communication. Those who brought about this progress are the men we seek to honour—these are they whose memory we wish to keep ever fresh in our minds, and these are they whose deeds we wish to commemorate and record."