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Greymouth Evening Star, 25 February 1928, Page 13 (Supplement)

N the comparatively brief history of Neu Zealand, no district has played a more romantic part than the West Coast, and tha\ portion of the Coast known as the Grey Disirici has contributed its full share. In ihe case o] Homeland municipalities, with centuries behind them sixty years are but a short space of time; but, wher the sixty years represent the period between the

foundation of a municipality and the present day, the completion of that perio possesses special significance. Sixty years ago, Greymouth and the Grey district Were practically unknown, and most of the land upon which the towns now stand was covered with primeval bush. Except for bands of Maoris, who crossed the Ranges in search of greenstone, the West Coast, so far as human habitation Was concerned, remained “as it Was in the beginning. Then the first white adventurers conquered the barriers of Nature mountain, river, and bush—and explored the new land. Gold was discovered, and the never'■failing magnet proved irresistible. Prospectors in thousands rushed to the district, and the West Coast was definitely “on the map. A vitalising spirit of enterprise, an indomitable courage, an unconquerable determination, an inspiring ambition to build up a new nation, and an unfailing confidence as to the future, Were ine dominating characteristics of the sturdy pioneer settlers of NeW Zealand. The early West Coasters Were not lacking in those qualities, and the celebration of the Grey district's Diamond Jubilee, which commenced to-day, gives an opportunity for the giving of credit where credit is certainly due to the pioneers. . The task of fully reproducing the history of the district during the past sixty years is too big to be encompassed by a limited number of pages in one issue of a newspaper. The accompanying pages do not profess to contain a complete record of the accomplishments of the past six decades. It has been possible to deal with only the more outstanding points, but the reader will have no difficulty in realising the. greqT^rQgr,e^,that There- is-no reason to doubt that the advances during the next sixty years will be equally great.