WELLINGTON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 11 October 1928, Page 8

WELLINGTON

A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS MANY SIGNS OF PROGRESS (No. II.) (Contributed by "Observer") Very acceptable articles have recently appeared in the press here regarding Iho early days of the, settlement and describing niaiiv historical spots of old Wellington, 'particularly "The Terrace, "the Peach" (now Lainblon Quay). Woolcombe street, Bolton street, and other places of historical interest. Pub so far as 1 have noticed flic gem of I hem all, "Plimmor's Steps" right :n Wellington's heart and eloquent still of its very early days, has barely been mentioned, i have been renewing my acquaintanceship with "Plimmor's steps." A quaint spot indeed and one that 1 can well imagine would have simply delighted the' heart of Charles Dickens. "Plimmor's steps" is essentially Dickensonian. in every sense of the'term. Fancy tho characters we should have seen ascending and descending these stairs, and the many plots that could have, been hatched on its turnings, and in its. retiring alcoves. Upon this historic spot for many years lived John Plimmer, known as the "Father of Wellington." Ho was one of the very early settlors, and was closely identified' with Wellington's development and progress for fully 60 years. Upon this identical spot he built his home, known as "Plimmor's Ark." Above its entrance in letters of gold, surmounted by a golden dove, one read this inscription : That Noah's Ark existed There's nothing left to prove, Put mine is here attested Pv the presence of the Dove. Mr Plimmer, despite his silvery tongue and polished address was a man of considerable force of character and of determined temper, intensely loyal to the throne, and with an unbounded faith in Wellington's destiny and future. His own "ark" has long been demolished, giving place to a modern private hotel. Put near its site, on another building which ho caused to be erected in the early years of this century, one may still read in raised letters set in concrete, an inscription which emphasises his patriotic sentiments. It is this—- " June 18, 1901. A Day to.be remembered. In honour of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York." ■

In the early days at the foot of these steps, was a short narrow lane ruining down to the water's edge. Opposite to this now stands the Rank of New Zealand. Several years ago when the excavations for the'new bank were being carried out, an old hulk-, much below the level of the. street, was discovered. This had been used as a cellar, and proves that Wellington's early reclaimers were confronted with the difficulty of a very considerable depth of water, right up to the edgeway of "the beach" —a difficulty not confronting Nelson, as there the water is shallow. To-day, modern commercial Wellington, and also civic, financial, and Governmental Wellington, largely stands upon reclaimed land.

To walk from "Plimmor's steps" (with an excellent dinner on board to the Kelburn cable tram is easy. But to walk from Kelburn itself via Northland 'to the wireless station on the top of tho Tinakori hills is not quite so easy, arid in the maze of streets and houses which now densely covers the whole of Kelburn,'to strike the right track for the hill top is not easy either. I took the wrong turning twice. A very rough and boisterous night and early morning had suddenly given place to an entirely perfect afternoon, tempting one to be out of doors, a'nd I,was determined to reach.ii point where I could "look down upon." those new and arrogantly ambitious "skyscrapers," and get a bird's eye. view of the extensive reclamation work now going on at Thorndon. I achieved both purposes, and in addition was rewarded with one of the most glorious panoramic views obtainable in New Zealand. Below you is the city, spread out like a map in relief, sheltering more than 100,000 human beings. In front, the extensive wharves and shipping; the harbour to.-day intensely blue, as is also Cook Strait visible over Mount "Victoria. Tho marine suburbs around the harbour can. be well seen; so can Sname's Island, where folks unlucky enough to be suspected of leanings towards "Fritz" were interned during the war period. Petone and the Hult Valley are perfectly visible- in the clear air, and the enormous number of houses, all come along of recent years, is very striking. Petone is in a fair way of becoming a' second Wellington. The "skyscrapers" in the city, it is found, lire all far below the sky aflcr all. They look like square towers stuck in amongst their more lowly neighbours at uneven and uncertain intervals. And tho discovery is made that some of them are quite' hollow in the middle. A skilful bomb-dropper would be able to land a bomb right into these temptingly yawning cavities, with, unpleasant results. Some people think Wellington, is neither very pretty nor very picturesque; but from Ihese lofty bill tops on a daylike this, 1. think it is both, and in an eminent degree too. (This point, has an altitude of about 900 FeeU

Many improvements arc noticeable in. the city. Streets have been widened and improved and new blocks of shops have in places been built. Considerable building is still going on. over 100 shops building in. all directions. But Te Aro is making the liveliest advance. A spot known well to the writer in the olden days was ''Te Aro House,'' a pushing drapery emporium, and when built the, new To Aro bouse was then considered to mark an epoch' in Wellington's architectural enterprise. This place was recently sold and its prc/ent progressive owner has at the expense of many thousands of pounds (£40.000) converted it into an arcade, "Burlington Arcade." Already the ground floor has been fitted up and opened with a groat variety of businesses (27 in all) with fine fittings and displays. And the first floor which is now in the hands of the workmen will soon be covered with shops and offices also, reached by a sumptuous marble staircase. And the flours are filed everywhere in a most pleasing pattern, all showing what taste and money can accomplish. This new arcade, through the agency largely of telling newspaper publicity, is rapidly becoming a popular shopping rendezvous, for both rich antl poor.

There is necessarily much inequality in (lie street architecture. Little or no regard is paid for uniformity in height or design, and there are. many rotten old places that should he instantly either pulled down or burned down. On (lie Thorndon foreshore, many hundreds of aires are at present being reclaimed. S-.nie of it. indeed most of if. from a very considerable depth (Wellington has no shallow mudflats in front crying aloud to be covered up), lint with all this reclamation there will still be an abundance of room for the shipping in I'oil Nicholson, which will for all time find a place in Class I. as a safe, and commodious harbour.

A very earnest effort is at present be ug inaili! In raise funds for the nev

museum and nrt gallery to bo creeled on Mount Cook. Already -a very considerable portion of the £IOO,OOO to be raised by the people has been subscribed. A huge bazaar and fancy fair is to bo field soon with all manner oE moneyraising devices. The Government also subscribe another £IOO,OOO and give Uio silo whereon the building is to bo reared. The old wooden museum behind the Parliamentary Buildings has now been dismantled. Wellington, Bth October, 1928.