THE EARLY DAYS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 50, 28 February 1923, Page 6

THE EARLY DAYS

IN AND AROUND WEL-

LINGTON

FAMILIAR NAMES EXPLAINED

'ADDRESS BY MR. ELSDON BEST.

The speaker at the Wellington Rotary Club's luncheon yesterday was Mr. Elsdon Best, the well-known authority on Maori life and history and early NewZealand settlement. The topic chosen Tor his remarks was "The Discovery and '-Settlement of Port Nicholson." Tho president of tho club (Mr. Alex F. Roberts) occupied the chair. Mr. Elsdon Best said that the discovery and settlement of Wellington bo.'O a dual aspect, inasmuch as it had baen twice discovered and settled—first by the Polynesian race long centuries ago. .When Captain Cook arrived in Waii'.i.g"ton Harbour 150 years ago he found the -land in the occupation of the Maoris, who had been dwelling here for about 700 years. Tho speaker then deait at some length with the discovery of the harbour and settlement of the adjoining land by the Polynesians. Coming to more modern times, Mr. Elsdon Best remarked that of Wellington Harbour we know nought from European sources until the time of Captain James Cook. During his first voyage he apparently did not note the existence* of Wellington Harbour, though he alluded to tho inward trend of the coastline between Sinclair Head and Cape Turakirae. On his second Voyage, however, he certainly saw the harbour, and anchored for about two .hours in the entrance channel one mile from the reef of rocks called Barrett's Reef. He did not enter the harbour, but, on the south wind springing up, he ..raised anchor and drew off the land. He ■ did not enter the inlet, as he termed ■the harbour at first, because both wind and tide were against him. This faci was much to be regretted. Had he 'entered the harbour, with what interest would we have perused his description of it. From the position -in which he .anchored he could see. the eastern "shore of the harbour. This was on 2nd •November. 1773. On the 25th of the "same month he sailed past the entrance, Jwheu he would "be enabled to see about .-half;.tho harbour. " Forster, who Was with Cook on their "second voyage, remarks that the harbour .seemed to extend a considerable way up ■between -the mountains, and it was 'thought that these waters might communicate with Cook Strait, so that Cape Terawhiti would thus be an island. The 'writer described Wellington as a miserable country. Three canoes visited the •vessel while she was at anchor, and traded fish and fish-hooks for nails. " We now see that Cook did not enter Wellington Harbour," said Mr. Elsdon 33est. "In tljn days of my youth we iield the firm belief that Cook sailed into "Wellington Harbour, over what is now -the isthmus of Kilbirnie, and, indeed, a statement to that effect appears in Sir J. Alexander's ' Incidents of the War in New Zealand.' Thus are old beliefs dissipated. Miramar was an island when the Maori folk first settled here, but had become part of the mainland centuries before Europeans arrived in thess parts. FIRST EUROPEAN VESSEL. " So far as we know, the first European vessel to enter Wellington Harbour was the Rosanna, under Captairt Herd, in 1826. D'Urville, the French voyager, passed the harbour in January, 1827. but "was unable to enter it owing to tho wind, so that wind kept two famous navigators out of our harbour. "In the year 1825 a company was formed in England, with a view to the settlement of New Zealand. The names of some of its members are preserved in some of our street and place names, viY.., Lyalt Bay, Marjoribanks street, ■Talmer" Head, Ellico street, Buckle street, Dixon street, and Point Gordon. CAPTAIN HERD'S CHART. "A vessel named the Rosanna, in charge of Captain Herd, was despatched to New Zealand with a number of immigrants. She seems to have been accompanied by a cutter named the Lambton, under T. Barnett. While the Rosanna lay in Wellington Harbour, Captain Herd made an excellent chart of the harbour. This w-as in 1826. The original of that chart is now in tho Turn•liull Library in this city. It was Captain Herd who named the harbour Port Nicholson, after a sea captain of that name who held the position of harbour muster at Sydney. The Rosanna proceeded to the north, but the immigrants ■were so alarmed 1 by the demeanour of the Natives that they declined to settlu in New Zealand and so sailed for Australia. "From the time of Herd's sojourn in the port until the arrival of the pioneer vessel of the New Zealand-Company in 1839 a number of vessels entered Port Nicholson, but we have few reliable records of such happenings, merely a few scant notices. Whalers and traders vifiied the port, and Geordie Thorns, of Porirua, shore whaler, claimed to have been the first European to enter the harbour. Captain Kent, an early navigator in these seas, evidently visited the port, according to native evidence, and a place at Seatoun was named after him—Te Pou a Amuketi. In November, 1335, the Lord Rodney was lying off Somes Island when ;she was seized by the local Natives, who compelled her captain to take them to the Chatham Isl.-iiids. On landing there, these bloodthirsty savages at once commenced slaughtering- the aborigines, an unwarlike and inoffensive people. Most of tliem were killed and eaten and the rest enslaved. ■ SOME FAMILIAR NAMES. "Mr. Best then referred to the formation of the New Zealand Association and the New Zealand Company. It was the latter company that formed the first settlements at Wellington, Wanganui, New Plymouth, and Nelson. "Before the Tory (a vessel of that company) reached Port Nicholson, the place had been visited by two Wesleyan missionaries, Messrs. Hobbs and Bumby. In the accounts: of their sojourn there is a brief but interesting description of the place. In a Native village situated at the mouth of the Hult River they found a white man named Robinson living, the only European of the district. The writer remarks : "He was building a boat, but having to manufacture nails from an iron hoop with a wood fire, proceeded but slowly with his work." After a. week's stay here, the missionaries departed for the north. The Tory entered the harbour on 20th September, 1859. Mr. Best quoted from Wakefield's description of the landing at Pito-one (Petone), and the purchase of a large area of land with muskets, blankets, etc. The list of such goods included sealing wax, Jew's harps, anil red nightcaps. Colonel Wakefiold selected Tliorndon Flat aB the site of the town. The arrival of the/other vessels of the J Mew Zealand Company was described, and much' interesting information given as to tho conditions of life here in those early days. The original name of Johnsbnville was Johnson's Clearing, because a man of that namo who owned a section there, made a olearing in tho bush;.

"Settlement began at the Hutfc, in the lower part of the valley, and seaward lands, and on the shores of Lambton Harbour. The curved beach line extending from the Hotel Cecil site to Te Aro was the first area occupied on this side of the harbour, hence the curved line of Lambton quay at the present time, conforming to the trend of the oldtime beach. There was just room at the base of the bluff for a row of houses and a narrow road in front of those houses and stores. At Clay Point (Stewart Davvson's Corner), the pedestrian was liable to get wet-footed at high tide. I myself, who am one of the second generation, can remember the sea washing up against the narrow road from Bowen street to Woodward street, and onward to Grey street." The speaker concluded with a glowing tribute to the work of the pioneers, and an appreciation of life in the old days.

The address was listened to with keen interest by those present, and at its conclusion a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Elsdon Best.