"MAORILAND"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 22, 27 January 1931, Page 7

"MAORILAND"

FIFTY YEARS AGO

GLANCE BACK IN HISTORY

There was recently presented to .the "Wellington Chamber of Commerce an illustrated 'handbook .of New: Zealand,, entitled "Maoriland," issued .by: the Union Steam Ship Company some fifty years ago. , The work contains many passage of interest to readers of the present day. The object of the publication was stated to /be "to enable the visitor to New Zealand to understand what places and things are most worth seeing, and how" best' to • see them;" :■.-", , ; . , The introductory: chapter briefly describes the initiation and early history of the Union Company. The company, it says,-was grafted on the older Harbour. Steam Company which was started i by Mr. John Jones, ip. Dunedin, some twenty-three years ago (1861). _ The Harbour Steam Company began its existence, with the small paddle steamer Gblden Age. On Mr. Jones's death in. .1869, Mr. James Mills, (now Sir Jajnes Mills,.! at, present visiting Wellington) became a. large proprietor, aid undertook^ th'e'aetive management of the company. ; 'This,marked^an epoch in its history.' 'In 1875 it developed into what is now the Union' Steam Ship Company. ' ;The. necessity; for providing increased freight and passenger accommodation • induced Mr. Mills .to -visit Great Britain; in 1874, and'while there lie arranged for. the building of ,the steamers Hawera and Taupo. In 1875 the Harbour Steam Ship Company was merged into the Union Steam Ship Company, .with a,powerful proprietary- and influential. directory.: • ■ . < SOUTH ISLAND TRUNK LINE. The following comment is made (fifty years ago) in regard to Pieton and the South Island main trunk railway (the completion of which is at present an important.-political: question)i-e-w-- :| :T~X£ '.i As yet Pieton is a very smali place.^ It will be an important place by-and-' by,. as it is contemplated to connect Marlborough with. Canterbury by rail, and it will thus form the terminus of the Main Trunk Railway line of the ' Middle Island." Beferenee is made in the book to the use of the kauri pine for cabinetmaking. "For this purpose, it is; said, a peculiar mottled variety capable of takingon a high polish, ism particular request, a single tree :of this , variety having been known to. realise as much as £500 for the 22,000 feet of timber it-contained. Indeed, there is a colossal tree, pfobably the largest in New Zealand, standing at-the head of the , Tarara oreek at the Thames, the timber of: which is estimated \ at £1000. Unfortunately the extravagant rate ; at which. the kauri forests are T>eihg despoiled points to-the probability of this noble -. tree becoming as extinct as this moa at;no distant -date!" . SOME JTOTBS ON WELLINGTON. In'the chapter devoted to ■fellington, -j it: 'is noted that the population then, was ■ 20,563; the principal 'hotels ■Wfixe the Occidental, Empire, and. Albert, and the only place of amusement was the Theatre Eoyal. Under the heading "Places of Interest," the remark is made that "Visitors should not fail to take a; run on the .Wellington- , Wairarapa railway line- as far' as Cross Creek—fares, first class, single, 8s Id; second class, 5s sd; return, Saturday and'Suriday, 10s 9d and 7s 2d. In/those days there was not a railway line between Wellington and Foxton^ All the . traffic was by coach along the beach. from'Paekakariki. "No one > thinks of leaving: Wellington without seeing the Hu'tt,'" 'remarks the writer. ■ "riere Lis v Wellington 5s racecourse, and ■ here, • too, are M'Nab's gardens, one of the lions of' Wellington." At that: time, the terminus 'of■. ■ the Wellington-Wairarapa railway line was Masterton—fnonee'the journey was by coach to Woodville. The old guide-book - makes interesting; .leading.-, -. .:;-,' -~' , -,;,1 ,\ ■