The “Queen City” – Back in the 'Forties

Evening Star, Issue 23503, 17 February 1940, Page 8 (Supplement)

The “Queen City” - Back in the ' Forties

It was a fine, bright morning as we rode our horses on to the muddy highway and turned our faces towards the shining, island-studded waters of the capital of the Colony. I had supposed the residence of the Bromparts to be, at the nearest, on the outskirts of tin; inhabited district, but, as I looked around, I could see in every direction the homes of the settlors dotting the grass lands, not merely in the direction of’ the water but along the ridge id

A Boy Brought Up Among the Maoris Records His Impressions

Remncra and towards the beautiful ancient pa, which the white men had rechristcned Mount Eden. In front of us, standing out against the sky, were several largo buildings, and thence westward I could see them clustering ever more thickly together as the land fell away to the harbour.

“ Inside the double rail here, to your right,” said my guide, “ are the Government House grounds. House itself was burnt, down four or live years ago. Koval Hold to lelt. the old I’iiot

Office and Customs House, Master Tregarthen.” A bugle call rang out sweetly on the morning air, sending a thrill of pleasure through my body. ‘‘The barracks,” explained Mr Brompart. “ You’ll be interested in the rod coats. All boys are—and women. The 58th Regiment: Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard in command.” The City of Auckland at that time had its centre in Point Britomart. To the left was Commercial Bay; to the right Official Bay. The early settlors, in establishing themselves, fixed on the sunny slopes to the eastward in preference to those which were subjected to the force of the prevailing winds on the west; and thus the first intention of the town was towards what is now known as Parnell. Already, however, the great physical advantages of the western side were making themselves felt, and into the muddy channel of Queen street was rapidly (lowing all the enterprise of the budding city. From tin; chock of this western expansion the cast never recovered. To this day there is about Parnell an air -let me not

write of stagnation—but of village quietude; nor will it awake to activity till a viaduct spans the intervening valley that proved its undoing. Giving a name to every object which he saw attracted my attention, and hastening along meanwhile, Mr 13romparb turned into Shortland Crescent and pushed on down the hill. Even at that date I think there must have been well nigh a dozen vessels lying out in Commercial Bay, while, standing across from the round green hill called North Head, on the opposite shore, came an object of such majesty and beauty that I drew, rein, and, lost to everything else of the wonders around mo, had eyes only for this. It was a full-rigged ship, one of those emigrant vessels of which I had so often heard in my native home, one of those wondrous Jloating palaces which wore bringing the people of my race in hundreds and thousands to the; land of the Maori. Mow groat and glorious wore the people who could fashion and control an object so transeendanl!

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