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THE GROWTH OF NEW ZEALAND.

AN OLD COLONIST'S EXPERIENCES.

Following arc extracts from a letter received by a Masterton resident from Mr Thomas W. McKenzie, of Wellington (to the sixty-eighth anniversary of whoso landing in New Zealand a brief reference was recently made by the press): — . I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th inst., congratulating me upon the completion of my 68th year of residence in Wellington, and thank you very much for all your kind wishes. The wonderful changes that have taken place in New Zealand sinco my arrival in the Adelaide on the 7th March, 1840, are truly marvellous, and more liko transformation scenes than anything else I can compare them to. On our arrival, the hills surrounding the harbour had a most uninviting appearance. and many on board the ship thought it would be impossible to carry on agricultural operations in this trJThe evening was drawing on as wo entered the Heads, having had to beat through the Strait with a light southeast- breeze, and it became as dark as Erebus, the i ain pouring down in a deluge, as if the windows of heaven wore opened, and the ship was brought up in the fairway, as there was no chart of the harbour to go by. Next morning ilie Adelaide was taken round to the lee of .Somes' Island, and anchored there. The heavy rain of the previous night had caused a flood in the Lower Hutt vallej', where the town of C'ook was being surveyed, there being three and four feet of water in many places. Of course, it could never do to have a town which would be subject to such sovere floods; so, at ( a meeting of landowners, it was agreed to stop the survey at the Hutt, and t:> send the surveyors to the south side of the harbour, exchanging the name of Cook for that of Britannia. (This is tho place now called Petone—oorrectly Pito-onc, Tho End of the Beach.) The earthquakes of 1840, 1848, and 1855 have since raised the land considerably; and the valley, with the other mains that have been adoptod, is not nearly so subject to floods as it used to be. When tho surveys were completed at Wellington there was a perfect exodus of tho people from the Hutt to the new town. I had the honour, together with former respected Grcytown settler, the late Mr E. Ticehurst, of being one of tho first two Europeans to sleep ashore on the land upon which th-i city of Wellington is new built —a city now containing between sitty and seventy thousand inhabitants, with ail the accessories for a large and important centre It has been very interesting to mo to watch the wonderful growth of the colony in general, and Wellington in particular. In tho matter of roads, of course, there were none at all when wo came here; but now (with tho exception of the back-blocks) they are upblocks, concrete and asphalt paths, etc. With regard to modes of conveyance, the bullock dray was the only wheeled vehicle for a time; but now we have arterial railways, connecting the several provinces, electric trams, motor cars, cabs, etc., and wo soon may have some flying machines, and, on the water, from canoes and dug-outs to the finest steamers afloat —turbine, twin-screw, eac.

Tho Dominion possesses one of the finest climates in the world; and its thermal springs and Alpine scenery are unequalled anywhere. The country is inhabited by a fine, robust, active, and enterprising population, who are turning out champions in nearly every phase of sport, assisted, no doubt, by its healthy and invigorating climate.

In the early days, when I was proprietor of tho Wellington Independent, I used to take a deep interest in the establishment of the soveral townships in tho Wairarapa. Tho late Mr Joseph Masters was an enthusiast in the matter. I used to publish his letters and support the several schemes proposed in the columns of tho Independent. Sir George Grey's attention was drawn to the subject ; a deputation waited upon him, and submitted their views of the pro ject, which he warmly supported, and promised to assist them all in his power. A meeting of settlers favourable to the project was convened, and they met at Bannister's Crown and Anchor Hotel, Lambton Quay, when it was resolved that a suburban town should bo established in Wairarapa. A committee was appointed to make the preliminary arrangements, select a site for the township, and report their proceedings to a subsequent meeting of shareholders for approval and adoption. Mr W. Allen acted as secretary, and Mr Charles ■Rooking Carter, Alfred Renall, Hart Udy, Jackson, Dixon, T. Kempton, Henry Bannister and many others took an active part in tho proceedings. The report was received at a subsequent meeting and agreed to.

The first township was named Greytown, in honour of Sir George Grey, the Governor of tho colony at the time, who had given the promoters every assistance in his power. Another good site for a township having been discovered in Waiiarapa, and Greytown having been a complete success, Mr Joseph Masters (with others) took an active part in establishing a now township, in his honour. Carterton was the third township established i,n Wairarapa, and was so named in honour of Mr Charles Rooking Carter, who had been very active in promoting its establishment. Featherston was the last of the four - townships established in Wairarapa, and was named after Dr. Featherston, the Superintendent of the Province of Wellington, who ever took a deep interest in the welfare and prosperity of the settlers.

When wo consider the condition of tho land before tho foundation of the townships—patches of bush and high fern over-run with wild pigs—and the four beautiful townships that now exist, possessing all tho essentials and comforts necessary for an enterprising and selfreliant people, there is reason for much satisfaction. There are also all tho amenities of civilised life. Our pioneers have heroically won .their homesteads from " wilds unchoered by human words," tho country now giving profitable employment to thousands of our fellow-settlers, and providing comfortable homes for a rapidly-increasing population, with religious and educational institutions at their very doors. Tho change is truly marvellous; but. if such a change has taken plaei- in little more than half a century, what will it. be when tho century is completed, and the Dominion inhabited by thousands of people yet unborn ? I could cite many other instances of progress and advancement, as well as the great hardships the settlers had to ercounter, and the heroic endeavours they made in founding this colony, and tho vicissitudes incidental to a colonial life; but I am afraid that I have already over-stepped tho limits of your patience, and therefore must call a halt. Tho text for tho present letter was suggested by yourself, which was: " What wonderful transformations you have witnessed ! "

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19080325.2.3

Bibliographic details

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8543, 25 March 1908, Page 2

Word Count
1,157

THE GROWTH OF NEW ZEALAND. Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8543, 25 March 1908, Page 2

THE GROWTH OF NEW ZEALAND. Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8543, 25 March 1908, Page 2