A PALMERSTONIAN ABROAD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9540, 17 June 1911, Page 6

A PALMERSTONIAN ABROAD.

INTERVIEWED AT DUBBO. Tho Dubbo (N.S.W.) paper of June 7 publishes an interview with Mr T. W. Sfcaoo, a former resident of Palmerston North, who has boon in Sydney for a ooupla of years pasfc,_ Mr Staoo went to Dubbo in company with Mr McCallum, a visitor from Auckland. The following is an extract from the publishod interview: "Mr Staee has been _ a practical dairy farmer and agriculturalist in the Land of tho Moa sinco ho was in his early teens. Ho is a pioneer of tho Palmorston tNorth district. Ho went to reside there in tho year 1869. At that time the Maoris wero very troublesome. They looked upon whit* settlers as their invading enemies, and harassed and murdered them whenever the opportunity offered. Mr Stace tells how ho and his littlo party of employees slept with loaded rifles and revolvers by their sides. Fortunately, by tho exercise of tact, and the display of kindness to the brown warriors, ho at Jasfc convinced them that the white men wished to be their friends, and thus ho is able to congratulate himself that ho nover camo into actual conflict with the natives, and never was responsible for tho death of ono of them. Mr Staco tells a modest tale, but ono could easily learn from his story that as a pioneer he was, a- man of indomitable pluck, perseverance, will power, and a determination to succeed where nature was so bountiful. Stores had to be carried forty or fifty miles, and only onoe a year did they arrive. _ They were practically cut oil from civilisation and homo comforts. It was work, work, work, from dawn till dewy eve, and a rigid practice of economy was necessary. Self-cfcnials and bravery against oddt which would havo cowed many a less opti'mlstio and courageous man, at last brought their reward. A faithful soil returned rich harvests to industry. The resources of tho district soon becamo known .throughout New Zealand, and population . steadily poured into this veritab o Garden of Eden. Tho nucleus of a vilage was laid, and on this foundation has been built up 'the prosperous town of Palmerston North, now holding a population of over 10,000 souls. Dairying displaced agriculture in tho rural districts, and the large estates wero cut up into small holdings, each for somo years worked ,by thriving dairy farmers. Palmerston North and district is now one of tho richest paits cit New Zoaland, and tho intrepid and industrioue youth, who was ono of the first to blaze the track, now in the autumn »i life, can look back with complacency on his early struggles and victories, and retire comfortably from the fighting line. Mr Stace says that hundreds of New Zcalanders aro anxious, to secure land in New South Wales, or other States, and wo did not fail to tell him all we knew.