EARLY SETTLERS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 75, 26 September 1933, Page 9

EARLY SETTLERS

FAITH IN COUNTRY

LORD BLEDISLOE'S ADDRESS

HIGHEST AEISTOCEACY

Members of. the Wellington Early Settlers 1 and Historical Association celebrated Dominion Day by a social meeting heldrin the Oddfellows' Hall, Clyde Quay, yesterday afternoon. Their Excellencies the Governor-General (Lord Bledisloe) and Lady Bledisloe attended tho gathering. Amongst tho early settlers present were Mr. George Judd,; who is in his ,99th year; Messrs. H. J. Claridge, 8.. Humber, and B. Bobinson, shipmates who arrived on the ship Oliver Laing in 1856; Mrs. D. Taylor (daughter of Mr. G. C. Palmer, who arrived by the Creswell in 1856); Mrs. E. M. Evatt, also a passenger by the Creswell; Mr. John Bice, who came by the Minerva in 1854; Mr. Joel Eoley, Mr. G. Talbot, Mrs. Eliza Talbot, Mr. Mark Maxton, Mesdames A. Prendeivillo, Lloyd, Eagle, H. A. Norris, C. Allen,'A. N. Overend, E. Davidson. A. Cousens, E. Mayo, W. H. Smith, C. E. Blackley. ... , Professor I*. P. Wilson' (president) occupied the chair.

Miss Gooding contributed two songs, •And Miss Martin a recitation; and those who assisted in making the meeting a success were Mr. W. Toomath (secretary), Mrs. W.H. Elliott, Mrs. Brown, Miss Elliott, Mrs. Cole, and Mrs. Carter. Miss M. Turner acted as accompanist.' ' ■ Professor Wilson said it gave Mm much pleasure to welcome their Excellencies, and to see so many old friends around him, ikmong them Mr. George Judd, probably the oldest resident in New Zealand, who was born in 1835, ■ and who 'jumped off the' boat and waded 'ashore with the early settlers at Petone. He -thought there were present the cream of New Zealand, or, rather, the aristocracy of New Zealand, because they were those to whom New Zealand owed so.much. On the last occasion on which the speaker was present, he made an acknowledgment to their Excellencies for making the splendid gift to tho Dominion of the property at Waitangi. Since then they had done more —they had endowed that noble foundation—in fact,' their Excellencies had proved themselves more New Zealanders than many later arrivals than the 'first settlers.. During; their stay in New Zealand, their Excellencies had endeared . themselves to the people in every walk of life. In everything that concerned the welfare of the peoplo :'their Excellencies took the greatest interest; ' ■ ,: ■ ■ • HIS EXCELLENCY'S CONGRATULA- ■\ :•■.:■■ ■ . TIONS. .:::.. Lord Bledisloe thanked those present very sincerely for the loyal and extremely friendly welcpme which they had been good enough to accord to her Excellency and himself. '«It is a real delight to be amongst you again," said his Excellency. "I cannot imagine any more suitable manner in which to celebate,Dominion Day. I asked Professor Wilson just now as to whether the members of the association are being itiaintaine'd. I hope, they are. After all,rthis is not only ah Early Settlers' ' Association; it is an Early Settlers' and Historical Association. I venture to hope that all those who are proud of the history and the traditions of their country, and those; who desire to emulate the character and the outlook of the old pioneers _will see their way to join this association, and perpetuate it 1 and its worthy objects. "ARISTOCRACY OF NEW • ZEALAND." • "I-noticed just bow that Professor "Wilson described the members; of this association as the aristocracy of the 'country;':l entirely associate myself ivith that description. The word aristo- • cracy is very often quite erroneous- ■■■ -ly interpreted. When one comes to consider the true meaning of the word, one sees that it is a Greek word which means the domination or the controlling influence of the best human beings in a country. We hear ■of the aristo--cracy of class —somewhat unconvincing perhaps in a highly democratic progressive age. We hear sometimes—and I used to be ■at one time rather sympa- ; thetic with, the idea—of an aristocracy :: of education. But there is another kind of~aristocraey to which I think the pioneer settlers may make a claim; and it is because I have a most profound respect fo'rwhat I believe to-be the distinguishing characteristics of heart and head which characterised, the old pioneers of 1840' arid1 thereabouts' that I think you are entitled to regard yourselves as the nucleus of the highest type ,of aristocracy that :can be found in any country. I congratulate Mr. George Judd and some of the early settlers- who are here today' on maintaining, -with their good health, hope and,1 faith in their country and their hope for ; its future.. '■;,/ PRIDE IN THE PAST. "Oii Dominion Day, surely more than on other days in the year, we look back and we look forward. , There are many countries in. the world —I "will not attempt to mention them—that cannot conscientiously and confidently look back' with entire self-satisfaction to ?their past history/ In. looking back upon the comparatively short history of this country, there should be no qualms, but a feeling not only of pride in the 'past, but, founded upon that pride, there should be a buoyant confidence in 'the future.. years ago •the then so-called colony of New Zealand became a Dominion —entered "into the status of. a groat selfgoverning community of tho -great- • cst Empire in the world. That was a distinction conferred on but few other countries—a distinction, in spite of its size and its relatively small population, of which New Zealand has shown herself to be abundantly worthy. Within seven yeans after New Zealand became a Dominion, she was put to the severe test of the Great War. She gallantly stepped to tho front, and, for her population and her size, contributed a larger and finer quota to the army of the 'British Empire than any other part of it. We can well be proud of the part that Now Zealand played in that great test of international strength which threatened to overwhelm the civilisation'and the progress of the world. THE ECONOMIC CRISIS. "During tho last two years she has found herself in the midst of the greatest economic crisis with which the world has ever been afflicted—an economic crisis from which the world has not yet completely emerged, and which the great Economic Conference has failed to solve. "But I want" to take this opportunity of saying—because Mow we see the 'light on the horizon; arid we believe 'that brighter times in a worldly and an industrial sense, are coming—l want to say that I for my part feel proud, as representing here his Majesty the King, of tho courage and determination,' the self-reliance, resourcefulness, and patience, that this , country, and every class of the community in this country has shown during the difficult years through which we have lately passed. I know full well, and her Excellency knows, too, that there have been a large number of people, particularly in - the two largest cities, who have been faced with extreme want during the last few months; and they include unfortunately a great many-

old people, a large number of returned soldiers, and a large number who belong to the old pioneer families. Our sympathy with them all has been heartfelt, and profound; but our pride in them, and in the they faced misfortune ha,s been even greater, be- ; cause it has made us feel that those who possess such stability of character and determination as havo characterised many of these poor people in time of trouble, is the strongest evidence of the deep-rooted stability of this country that is going to carry it to a higher and greater position than it has ever achieved in the past. "We may say that we stand at the parting of the ways. Whether socalled democracy as we have understood it during the last 30 or 40 years, is going to justify itself under modern conditions, I will not venture to express an opinion, but the longer I live the more certain I am that it is not mere physical strength; it certainly is not mere wealth that is going to make one nation pre-eminent above others in tho world. We see, for instance, today, one'at least —I won't say where — undoubtedly, the wealthiest and, on paper perhaps, the most powerful nation of the world, suffering from the most acute economic depression. I am confident that if we go back , to those qualities which inspired the old pioneers of this country, we in the long run, with faith in God and faith in one's self, faith in one's' country, and with determination that whatever Governments may do, that each person will contribute his own part in building up the welfare _of the nation—that is going to tell its tale in bringing about stability among the nations. "THE REAL THING OP VALUE." "The chairman has been good enough to refer to our really modest gift of Waitangi to the nation. You have been good enough to approve the gift; and really after all said and done, the only real thing of value in the gift was perhaps the idea that prompted it. The idea that prompted it was that the nationalisation of that historic spot might tend to develop to a greater extent a sense, of true nationhood in New Zealand, a, sense of solidarity amongst all those f aetOTs, including the old Gibbon Wakefield Settlements, the missionary influence in the north, and various other separate but distinctive influences that have made for good in this country; the achievement of greater solidarity between all those civilising forces; and, above all, a greater sense of solidarity between the two nations that co-exist here on an equal footing in the eye of the law as subjects of tho British Monarchy. And at any rate so far as the Maori race and the British section of the population are concerned, if Waitangi does nothing else, it is going to bring the Maori race and their several tribes together to a greater extent than everbefore. . Those who have studied the history of the Maori race in the past know that tribes of that race showed more hostility to some; other tribes than they showed to the pakeha population. It is a great weakness of the Maori race, with all their advantages, that they :• should not stand together even at this late period of their'development. vlt would be a great .thing for them to show a burning pride in the Tace, a determination to hold together, and to maintain the purity of the race, with all its fine'qualities of natural refinement, beauty of voice, and wonderful chivalry as regards womenfolk, and a great urge for spirituality—it would be. a great thing if only the Maori race as a whole could come together, with pride in its j racial characteristics, and developing its own peculiar handicrafts. The Maoris might then in the future stand out as the .dominant coloured race an the, r world in the. matter of, those particular characteristics 'that have gone to make the greatness and character^ istics of our own ancient British race. WELDING MAORI TRIBES. "That is one reason why I rejoice in the fact that if' our .little gift of Waitangi has done'" nothing else, we have already' had strong indications that it is going to weld together the various conflicting tribes of the Maori people. Only about four months ago when we returned from a very interesting cruise amongst other' sections of the Polynesian race in the Pacific, a gathering took place at Ohinemutu, near Botorua, in connection with a competition in farming among young farmers of the tribes' and sub-tribes in that area. On. that occasion there met at least three tribes in friendly intercourse and mutual gratification who had not met on a friendly footing ever, since the Maori war. I,mention'that as indication of some .benefit accruing from that gift. In conclusion, I want to say this: that the old Treaty house of Waitangi. has been; under" restoration during the last severi "or eight "months. It has been re-roofed with a beautiful roof of kauri, shingles, as houses used to be in the old days.' The old wing has been replaced. Accommodation has been provided for the caretaker; and a portion of the old building is to be- set apart for a museum in connection with the; historic event. The whole place is being developed; roads are being made; and a bridge is to be constructed between * Paihia and the Waitangi promontory, which will enable people to go by motor-car from any part of the Northlsland to'the- historic spot where- the Treaty was signed which brought New Zealand into the British Empire. ....'.' "GARDEN OP ENGLAND AND NEW ZEALAND." "I hear that Mr. Judd came from the 'Garden of England' to the 'Garden of New Zealand.' He cam© from Maidstone, a place I know, very well in the sounty which has been described as the. 'Garden of England,' in Kent, to what I notice is now called the 'Garden of New Zealand,' namely, to Petone and the Hutt Valley. He is himself blossoming out into a typical pioneer of the finest type to be found in this country. I hope that blossom and many other blossoms will continue to flourish in the salutary atmosphere of this sunny land, and that we shall meet on similar occasions on Dominion Day."

In conclusion, his Excellency wished everyone present good luck in the days to come. ......