A TRIP TO WELLINGTON.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 15, Issue 2017, 27 December 1870, Page 3

A TRIP TO WELLINGTON.

- It was thirteen years since I had last visited the Empire City. It had not come into possession of its title at that time, but the Wellingtoniana always regarded the seat of Government as their rightful heritage, and Auckland was even then looked upon as a spoiler, who had defrauded its Southern rival of its metropolitan dignities. A trip in the Luna gave me an opportunity of inflating my lungs with the fresh breezes for which old Port Nick has always been celebrated ; and also combining as much of business and. recreation, as could be conveniently stowed into the uncertain interval betwixt the arrival and departure of the Luna. I have often had a. fancy to see how Napier looked from the sea, but until the occasion of which! am writing I had never crossed the. bay to the southward, all former journeys having been by land. The Luna left in the evening about sunset ; and the strong glare ' in our eyes as we rounded the Bluff, did not permit us to enjoy the prospect under very advantageous circumstances. Nevertheless, I may say, that the little town is very picturesque as viewed from the eastward ; ■ and to those who see it thus for the first time in , fine weather, it must, I thitik", cause a fa^or.able impression. Not. so, however, when first seen by v traveller coming from the north. The town itself is then imperfectly seen from.a disadvantageous position. ; and as for the Port, that .certainly is not a prepossessing object under the most favorable circumstances. It is very useful, but decidedly not ornamental. Having left at sundown, it is superfluous: to say that it was dark before we reached the Kidnappers, so that! had no opportunity, of renewing my acquaintance with the various points of the coast, most of which were tolerably familiar to me before Hawke's Bay attained to the position of a province, and was more generally known as Ahuriri, or, as I should have spelt it, Ou-re-dt. I never shone as a linguist ; indeed, I fancy that if I had submitted my cranium to Dr. Carr he would have found a diminutive crater in the spot where the bump of language ought to have been located ; and I suppose this must | be the reason why I have never been able to reconcile Maori pronunciation with the orthodox orthography. Why, for instance, an r becomes d in the above quoted word Ahuriri, has always been to me an unfathomable mystery. I told you what I thought of the Luna and her commander when I visited Poverty Bay some months ago; and I will therefore only say here, that on further acquaintance, the favorable impression then formed certainly suffered no diminution. Tbe Luna goes along so mootbly that I really felt quite ashamed to be t>ea sick ; but the fact is, I acquired the habit as a youngster, and never could break myself of it, so I put up with it philosophically ; and, whenever my medical adviser prescribes an antibilious course of salt water treatment, I won't ask for a better boat than the Luna, or better company than her present captain. I was up betimes on Sunday morning, and found we were abreast of Castle Point. There was no mistaking the old Castle, though I had never seen it from the water, and when seen from the position we then occupied it bears no resemblance to a caatle. We had passed the entrance to the cove, and the rgr©Mp--*»£--btjildingS"TTrbiok— oa«iy.r olmoat be designated a village was shut out from view by the reef, but there were too many familiar land marks to admit of mistake. There on tbe right, some six miles distant, is a high scrubby peak overlooking the Mataikuna river. I forget the name of it, but thirteen years ago I planted a little flag on the highest point. Here again, on the left, that bold hill standing well out from the range, that is Trooper's Hill, named after a respectable bullock of that name, who long since subsided into beef. At the foot of that hill, some eighteen years ago, I lost my travelling companion, Black Bess, who unkindly and unceremoniously left me to continue my journey in solitude, whilst she retraced her steps in pursuit of corn. Now we see weli inland, behind tbe coast range, but towering over it, the rugged tops of one of the Taipos, two dreary hills well named. When I first saw them, after a long journey through what was then uninhabited country from the head of the Wairarapa valley, I could fully sympathise with the idea which gave the name of Taipos to the roughest peaks in the most desolate piece of this earth I bad ever set my eyes upon. Tbe romance of the spot was modified, when, a few years later, I found sheep quietly grazing over one of these mountains, then known as ' Bux tons Taipo.' What a dreadfully utilitarian age is this same nineteenth century! I could narrate many anecdotes connected with this coast, but if I go on at this rate we shall never get to Wellington. I cannot pass thus near the Castle however without one word of greeting to my old friend Guthrie. When I first knew Guthrie he was lord of I forget how many square miles of territory, which'-' is now divided into some half'-ddzen good- sized runs. Guthrie dispensed the hospitalities of bia little kingdom, at his seat of government, situate almost within the shadow of the Castle Hill. It was' a profitable finvestment then to buy sheep, and run them 'on thirds ' with a run-holder ; and he was a fortunate investor who placed his stock in charge of Thomas Guthrie. I hear Guthrie is still at Caatle Point, though I have not seen him for some years ;' I hope it may yet fall to my lot to shake bis capacious fist again. The Luna steams rapidly along, and unfolds a panorama familiar, yet long forgotten, and now brought back to memory. Where waa the Luna when last I plodded tediously along that shore ? We did not live by steam and feed on telegrams in those days. We j jogged leisurely along on some old rosi- j nante, and trusted for a welcome to the fact that we brought the latest news from Wellington, — a week perhaps of age. News, or no news, a welcome to the traveller was seldom or never denied, in that age of primitive hospitality! I remember it was long before I could reconcile myself to tbe practice of billeting on strangers for the night. Travellers were not then numerous enough to be a burden, and I never met with a rebuff but once, and then it was my own fault I bud to stop for the night at a station (I mark the spot as the Luna steams along) and a friend said to me —in jest or earnest I know not — you will find — — a jolly'fellbw, make yourself quite at home, no ceremony, &c. Now, this, is what I never could do; but this time I was infatuated - enough to try.- I had never beeo,.a. ineinher of a Garrick Club in ,my ilife,>y.et,:isu'waß} persuaded to become an actor. So, instead of introducing myself with a mild apology for intru-

sion, &c. (which had, I confess, been usually out short bjha hospitable welcome and enquiry for ffaws); I rode up jyith the utmost aWomit'of.sKllf-assurancel could assume, jumped off- my horse, and proceeded to make -myself ' quite at home.' However, I found mine host (having perhaps no taste for amateur theatriculs) did not recognise budding genius, and actually consigned me to,.fhe hospitalities of his shepherd. However, 1 had often been wor e lodged, and did not distress myself -very much at being rejected from tjie aristocratic table of mine host ; but I was in the saddle an hour or two earlier than usual in the morning,, and acquired an appetite for breakfast by 1 a ride of a dbzen miles or so. I anr afraid I neglected to call for the letters? wlen I passed that station on my return, some weeks/afterwards, for in those dfiys all travellers were honorary officers o£ the Postmaster-Ge-neral. As" we now. steam along the coast I note that the pasturage has much improved on most of the hills since I last saw them ; this of course is a result to be anticipated from the combined influence of fire, the, grazing of several generations of sheeprSnd cattle, and probably .the free use !of grass seed ; but I was hardly prepared .- to see so much change Jtfr the better, as I. did in jsome , places $y, especially .'(onj my return) about Qahon^a and Aki||o.j It' happened, fortunately? that . , the,, . parts qf „tbe. coast winch, we passed : "fif. the night ,on the way down,'; 'arfd which therefore I missed, seeing, jwere passed in the day time when we returned. We .had delightful weather all the ? way down, .until we began to draw -neat the. stormy regions of Paljiser Bay*- . Wellington has beea-w«H described as the ba'ttFe- . field of the Nor- westers and South^easters; but in Pailiser Bay all the winds of tjeaven contend for, precedence. ' On this occasion, however, we were let off with a stiff breeze,'* which delayed our progress somewhat, and caused a seat or two at the dinner table to be unoccupied, mine for one ; but I must admit that I prefer even .« rough passage of some two hours across the bay, to the long, rough, tedious journey roun(| it, with tbe chance of being stuck up by tbe tide under the cliffs of Te Kopi ; of having to swim my horse at' the lake ; or of getting jammed at the Mukamuka rocks. But what am I talking about, these rock%# once so formidable to travellers, who might be detained two or three days whilst the surf of a southerly gale was breaking over them, rendering it an impossibility to pass round, — these rocks were raised by the earthquake :of 1855 some eight feet, and when I passed round a few weeks' afterwards, the, sea was nearly a quarter of a mile distant, and numerous shell-fish and marine plants, thus deprived of their natural element, had suffered the consequences. It is no great distance from Pailiser Bay to Wellington Heads. Twioe before I have entered Wellington Heads. The first time, in 1848, after a five months' voyage, we sailed in one fine Sunday morning; one little schooner we met bound outwards ; it Was the Governor Grey, belonging to Wanganui. In those primitive days, when an arrival from " home" occurred but once in six or eight weeks, the five months old budget of news was not to b.aflnaeßed~a$ r .«md_we were~the lions of the hour. I had beard a "great deal of the changes which had taken place in Weliinjjjton since my last visit in '57, and Itfas anxious to see what had been done. Saving a lighthouse erected on Somes' Island, very little change is observable about the eastern coast of Port Nicholson, but as soon as the town itself— -ten thousand pardons, I mean the city — comes into view, there is abundant evidence that the folks there have not been idle during the last dozen of years or no. Wellington" is favourably situated for making the most of itself in the eyes of strangers arriving by sea. Ranged in the arc of a circle around the bay, and terraced from the water's edge up the steep sides of the surrounding hills, nearly the whole town is brought into view at once, and all its best buildings thus stand out prominently and create a favourable impression, the more so, as at this distance the fact that all, or nearly all, of these buildings are constructed of wood, is not observable. The churches, most of which have been erected since my last visit, the Government house, public offices, and some very handsome private resir dences, together with the new wharf, and a great display of shipping, produce the impression that Wellington is not altogether unworthy of its metropolitan distinction. Indeed, so far as geographical position is concerned, it must be admitted that Wellington is admirably situated, and this central location is combined with the advantage of one of the best harbours' in New Zealand. The climate also is healthy, although very boisterous, and therefore, even without the seat of Government, Wellington ought to be able to hold up its head in the colony. I had heard so much of the reclaimed land that perhaps I expected too much, but I confess to some feeling of disappointment. There has been a good large slice reclaimed from the harbour no doubt, . and the cost niuat' have been heavy ; but there is an odour of borrowed money about it, and tbe'lajrge.. amount of bare" space seems to pomt 1 td' the inference that so large 1 a reclaniatiori was not required. I observed tliivt the part reclaimed is but a portion of a larger plan, and I think there may bare • been sound reasons why the reclamation -Could not be restricted to the actual demand for the land at the time. But lam talking of first impressions rather than of deliberate convictions. One thing seems clear enoiighj which is that the accumulating interest will add day by day to the cost of the land, and it will probably be sold in Jthe ' end at an alarming sacrifice, as the drapers suy. At one end — that first reclaimed — the buildings have sprung up thickly. Lambton quay ! of old, is now found to be a back street, but from the cutting away of the hill behind it seems to have been brought forward. So changed, indeed, is the appearance from Clay point, (which I failed to discover,) to Willisstreet, tbut it was only by carefully taking bearings from some of the old land marks, that I could ascertain where I was. There I found Noah's Ark shut in by buildings ; here I drop upon the Independent office; then upon the Athenaeum, and so on. As a rule the new comers, and the new buildings, seem to have put the old identities into the shade. Wherever I found a remarkably seedy building, I generally recognised a familiar name. This rule was, however, by no means' without exception. A very large building on the reclaimed land I found to be^the. foundry of E. W. Mills. 1 The name of Barraud appeared on a handsome drug etore ; and Thomas M'Kenzie's

steam printing machine was printing off Independent extras in very modern style,' in a building of very ancient aspect. I was glad to recognise several, other old settlers apparently keeping puce' " with the times ; whilst as evidently they ure keenly elbowed by the multitude of new comers, ' Landing on a Sunday afternoon, I took up my quarters at the Empire Hotel, a capacious building on the reclaimed land. Thence I proceeded to a new church on Thorndon, dignified with tbe name of tbe Cathedral. The service was far advanced when I got there. The building is spacious, arid tastefully designed, and I was told it rejoices in some handsome stained glass windows, which at night, of course, I could not see. I did not, however, admire the service ; I would rather have been in our quiet little church in Napier. The music was good, Without pretending to be a critic I may say very good, and it was made tbe most of ; the service was in fact chiefly a musical performance. Even tbe sermon was delivered in a sort of chaunt ; from force of habit I suppose. The clergyman has hardly voice enough for so large a building, so that he had to make the most of it, by jerking out a series of little jets of eloquence, only the spray of which reached the far corner in which I was seated, and thus I could only get . a general idea of the discourse. Returning to the hotel I had leisure to observe how one section of the Wellingtonians employ themselves on a Sunday evening. I have, forgotten to state that .the English mail via San Francisco had been telegraphed just prior , to the arrival of . the- Luna, and was, the first bit of news communicated to us by the crowd who had gathered on the wharf. In this time of war, news from Europe is eagerly looked for, and offers some excuse for the state of excitement in whichi the . metropolis was plunged that evening. For my parfc, coming from quiet Napier, I could have waited patiently for news until the morning. I could haye wished the telegraph, closed. I look upon the Sabbath day, not only as a Divine institution which we are commanded „tb respect, but also as a wise and beneficent provision for resting our physical apparatus, and taking tbe tension out of our nerves. Putting aside for the moment the religious aspect of the question, I believe that if the Sabbath were uniformly and strictly observed, so tar as it is possible to observe it, people would be more fit for their six days of work, and would lose nothing in reality ; and I suspect also that insanity would be less prevalent. We are told that the Sabbath was made for man, but now-a-days it would be difficult to say what section of tbe genus homo could have been intended —not, apparently, those connected with steamers,' telegraphs, or newspapers. lam digressing, however. The public sitting-room at the Empire has a bur at one end, at which a showily dressed damsel serves out drink and chuff, t > all customers. There was, on this purticular evening, a constant influx of candidates for news and liquor. The news was published in driblets as it was telegraphed, and extras arrived from time to time, as fresh editions were issued. Boys were shouting the extras about the streets until eleven o'clock at night. A great deal of smoking and drinking went on at tbe same time. I don't like this plan of having a drinking bar iiOhepublic ro*Otad." "Even $hose traveller who enjoy the playful sallies and refined jokes, which constitute the StapleConveraation at these establishments, will not probably consider that an atmosphere compounded or stale tobacco, beer, brandy, &c, is not exactly calculated to give relish to one's breakfast. When I entered the room in the morning my nose was assailed by the above offensive combination, and I proceeded to open the windows, and was enjoying a refreshing breeze, when tbe proprietor came to cut off the supply of such a contraband luxury. I suggested that a little oxygen was good for tbe lungs ; but he could nob see it. He considered that Port Nicholson oxygen is mixed with dust, and that duat has a pernicious effect upon his furniture, and he evidently regards human lungs as an invention inferior to horsehair sofas, but at the same time having some value, in relation to the consumption of tobacco and cigars. I had plenty to do during the short time I remained in Wellington, so I am afraid my observations were rather hasty and superficial. I was very near coming away with a very false impression concerning the public vehicles which ply about Wellington. I did not see anything equal to the pair-horse traps which run from Napier to the Port. In Wellington there are smaller vehicles, drawn by one horse, but while it costs a shilling to be drawn by two horses here, you find that sixpence is a recognized coin there. I askud the driver of one of them to wait for me ten minutes, then take me from Willis-street to Thorndon, and back to the Empire; which, to my surprise, be undertook to perform for one shilling. Who would walk in Wellington ? I was struck with the amount of steam traffic going on in Wellington. I was there but two days, yet there were two large steamers in from the North, and one from the South, and the same number left, without counting the Luna, and the Rangatira, which followed next morning. The Wellington Company's fleet, now reduced to the Wellington and the Ahuriri, were laid up. I was sorry to see this, and do not quite understand it. The Ahuriri, formerly belonging to Hawke's Bay, was sold to the Wellington Company for £12,000. I was told she could now be bought for a third of the money. Would it not be a good plan to buy her back, and run her in . the cattle and coasting trade, if not fully occupied by the Keera, the Star, and the Napior? Unfortunately, it happens that so many have suffered by the rascalities at the Thumea, that joint stock companies ure in very bad odour in the colony. I saw a little paddle bout on the beach at Te Aro, which struck me as the sort of thing we want here for lightering cargo, carrying i pic-nic parties, and making itself generally useful. I am almost forgetting all mention of that imposing edifice, the new Government House — palace, perhaps, I should call it. I did not see the inside. With the exterior I have no fault to find, except that the building is too large fi»r the place. It is a Gulliver at Lilliput. The new building is not yet finished, and the old Government House— built, I think, in the time of Lieu-tenant-Governor Eyre— is now in progress of removal. As the colony has gone to a heavy cost to erect the new residence, I think it a pity to shut it out from view by a high and unsightly fence of corrugated iron. I should Jike to have seen a bundsome iron, railing: on a stone base, and I thiuk the needful privacy might be secured by planting inside this railing a thick belt

of evergreens. The Govoniuxtil Offices stand immediately behind the G-.rJrnment House, on higher ground. .'Hit-y are spacious, airy buildings, pleasantly situated within an enclosure laid out as a shrubbery. This building accommodates, however, only a limited portion of th«. General Government establishments. The Custom House, Post, and Telegraph Offices are more centrally situated, in the neighbourhood of the wharf, and several. departments find a refuge in some dilapidated buildings on the beach, one of which I identified as the original Barrett's Hotel, which, at a less remote period, became the fountain of justice, to vrit, the Supreme Court. These establishments, representing the bnne of colonial society and the legal antidote, have long since moved on, leaving the old building, venerable in the two "branches of the public service, to be occupied as a Registry J of Deeds. One improvement is brought conspicuously into; notice in Wellington by the gas pipes, recently arrived from England, which are laid continuously along the streets. It occurred to me that these long ranges of cast iron pipes, when laid, will be subject to a- severe test, if Wellington should be again visited by earthquakes, like those of 1848, and 1855. On one of these occasions I saw Thorndon Flat in a state of undulation, that reminded me of the swell on the ocean when a storm is followed by a calnti. It strikes, me they will have to introduce gutta percha joints in their gas pipes, or make them of more flexible materials than cast iron. I was under the impression that in Flawke's Bay we had arrived very near to perfection in the growth of thistles, but I ..saw, ,on the road to Kaiwarra, some magnificent specimens, with broad, variegated leaves, which, I was informed, are the real Scotch thistle. I hope those fat fellows wont find their way up here, for, however useful thistles may be as pioneers on some of our barren hills, I could dispense .with my share in garden and pastures. I had been led. to suppose that the Luna ' would remain nearly a week in Wellington, in which ,case my observations wight have been taken in a more leisurely manner, instead of the few disconnected fragments I have hastily jotted down ; I found, however, on Tuesday, that she was to leave that evening, and so, as I had no pressing business to detain me, I decided, to cut short my visit. Perhaps your readers will think it is well for their patience I did so. .