ROUND ABOUT NEW PLYMOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12663, 17 September 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

ROUND ABOUT NEW PLYMOUTH.

No. 11. [Bl E. .61. BUNLOP.} A MAKVELnous transformation has been wrought in the whole oi the Taranaki district since the year 1874, when the first blocks of lands were acquired from the aboriginal inhabitants by legal purchase. Too much gratitude can never be manifested towards the memory of those pioneers who we-ie the instruments of securing the basis of a firm and peaceful settlement, The name of Garringtom stands in the foremost rank of those early settlers who laboured to this desired end, and whose descendants, no doubt, are still known in the land. Mr. F. A. Cairington was appointed by,the Plymouth Company at its. initiation to go out to New Zealand and choose a situation where Devonshire settlers could make a home. His brother, Octavius, cast in his lot with him, and although they cams in different ships they arrived in safety at about the same time; and after exploring the district selected the sit© for the town, which they surveyed, and cut up into suitable sections. Mr. Carrington gives very interesting do' scriptions of the way in which he proceeded; and his methods of conciliating the natives;. He speaks of his selection as "the garden ot the country, only requiring labour to bring it to perfection." Mr. Caningtbn's* work in. the district never abated throughout tne whole period of surveying and settling the country, and we find him in 1875 concerned in the important purchase of the Moa Block of land. In the same year his daughter, Miss Carrington, christened the first engine to run on the line, when the railway was declared open for traffic. .We meet Mr. F. A. Carrington again in February, 1881, when he laid the first stone of the Plymouth Breakwater amid great ceremonies and rejoicing. INGLEWOQD. On the acquisition of the Moa Block the town of Inglewood was laid out, and sold in sections, and soon became a thriving township. Th© extension of th© railway and further purchases ot land were th© occasion of the development ot-new towns along the line, of which Stratford has become the most important, owing to being the centre of the dairy industry and the junction of roads and railways. This town has sprung up front a bush settlement to an important centre in the course of the last few years. Land has immensely increased in value, and buildings and population multiplied- The town has now electric light and an up-to-date water supply, butter factories and timber mills are at work, and the train rushing through bears an ever increasing traffic ; while fishing attracts, tourists, trout abounding in the fresh stream, finding a junction here. ■.■■■:

ASCENT OF MOUNT EGMONT. The town of Stratford is -the post row. which the ascent of Mount Egmont can most easily be made, and many tourists are attracted thither with this object in- view. An account of an excursion in which we successfully, scaled the summit of this magnificent, landmark "may be read with interest, and perhaps be a guide to others wishing to perform the same feat. Reaching Stratford by rail a day wae spent in reconnoitring the surrounding district and taking our'bearings. We found it necessary to engage horses and guides and to lay in a stock of provisions for the trip. We were warned on no account to attempt the excursion without proper guidance, as although there were no insurmountable obstacles, even to ladies and children accompanying the party,;mists aid fogs obscuring the tracks often rendered the descent a matter requiring knowledge, sis well as endurance. ' We left Stratford on horseback early, in the mcniiug, taking the Pembroke Road!, which soon- brought us into thick forest country.' A ride' through the NeW Zealand' bush has a peculiar charm, th& varied" greenery, rich ferns, overhanging pines; ."dense undergrowth on either side of the track contribating to produce a powerful impression upon the sense's.;;' The weird loneliness of the forest through which winds the romantic track has received the name of the Goblin Bush, and the suggestion fits' in with the sensations of awe caused by the rattling of supplejacks against the tall, ghostly pines, and the weird appearance of the long, bare white arms of many of the monarchs .'id., the forest, which have probably seen several centuries since they sprang as tiny seedlings ia the rich, nourishing soil, formed by the droppingt of many thousand years. Emerging from the bush into a gradually ascending land of scrub we came to a halting place, where, at accommodation rooms, cooking utensils are kept in readiness for the convenience of tourists, and where water is procurable. We here enjoyed our first picnic repast, and after that proceeded; on our way., the track ever rising, and the view widening out before our delighted eyes. We were at last compelled' to dismount, and tether our horses, which found their dinner by nibbling at the thick tussock grass growing over a considerable extent of the country hereabouts. We climbed along the top of a mountain ridge, below which a river flows through a, rocky gorge, its- waters sparkling through banks heavily laden with ferns and forest greenery. Where one climbs i over scoria the way becomes very exhausting and toilsome., but the fresh pure mounj tain, air 1 inspires us, and we struggle on, " upwards, ever upwards, to the sn&w." It was reached it last, and we stood on the edge I of the ice-filled, snow-covered crater, gather- \ ing strength'for. the final effort which should ! bring us to the rocky summit of the mountain. Even from this elevation the view of ; the surrounding country was a full reward 1 for our exertions, but the summit must be I attained, so planting our alpenstocks 'at [ every step in our upward way we slowly as- [ cended across, the snowy crater, until at last I one after another raised a triumphant shout ! as we stood upon the topmost height of j Mount Egmcnt, with the vast panorama of ! land and sea lying, below our feet. ; All the | Taranaki district was spread like a map below us, and we could trace the features of I the coast, and even make out the various j towns and hamlets with the aid of our glasses. The day was bright and cloudless, and the sun warm, even on our mountain top. We should have lingered long but for the warning voices of our guides. We partook of our simple lunch, inscribed our names in the visitors' book, and after e long, lingering look around began the descent, which had to be made with caution over the slippery surface. We were back at the bush as the evening shades were closing in, and reached Stratford again by nightfall, highly delighted with our success in making a never-to-be-forgotten expedition.

THE TARANAKI PLAIN. The whole of the Taranaki Plain is exquisitely watered. Pure, crystal streams, I find their source in Mount Egmont, and flow from thence throughout the district. Many such streams flow westward,- falling rapidly from the- high ground, travelling more slowly through the level country, to mingle their cool, sweet waters with the wash of the great Pacific. The Waitara River, by its breadth and depth, and the wealth of the country through which it flows, sorely tempted the early settlers to choose its outlet as the site for the capital ;ifcy of the district, from which course they were, however, di verted by the inaccessibility of the rver, on account of the bar which blocks its entrance. It waterr the rich countryside north of New Plymouth, and has now a township whence wool, meat, and buttei are exported. Important freezing works are here in evidence. THE ROMANTIC WEST. The countrj westward of Mount Egmont, forming a. huge promontory, extending to the cape of the sam? name, abounds in features of romantic and historic interest, and is becoming rapidly developed into a rich and fertile district. On this wild and rocky coast occurred the early wreck of the Harriett, the cause of so much trouble with the Maoris, and here her wreckage lay foi many years, regarded by them with awe as tapu. Here is the Maori settlement of Parihaka, where To Whiti collected his malcontents, and endeavoured to keep up the expiring feud with the white man. Matters have changed now, and European visitors are welcomed by th- 3 Maoris, and shown round their settlement. Here also is the rising district or Opunake, broken into settlement in recent years,, and once the centre of a

thriving trade between the whalers and the | natives. As there is a good roadstead com- I munkation was easy, and large quantities J of dressed flax were shipped from ; the port, ! Continuing this journey round the bend of ? the coast, the traveller comes to Manai ii, a thriving. little town, whose pr>>.ument: fea- ; ture is a handsome monument of granite I erected in th© town square to the memory of Major Von Tempsky and others who fell in the district during the native war. [ Manaia's th© chief town of the rich Wai- [ mate Plains, and tourists can take a route I here which, leads them to some of the finest » scenery in Taranaki. The Dawson Falls j can be visited by an easy road, running alongside the beautiful Kapune River. The scenery about the falls is magnificent. There j are several interesting traditions in connec- ] tion with Dawson's Falls, so named-after j the gentleman who discovered them to Euro- j peans, although the Maoris use a different j name, derived from a story of a young native j who leaped over the falls to escape from his ! enemies, preferring death to capture. The whole history of the Taranaki district abounds in weird tales of horror, torture, j cannibalism, and self-destruction, which j the advent of Europeans, has fortunately i brought to an end. Haw era is a centre of historic interest, as well as a thriving town, to which butter, wool, and meat bring prosperity. It was in this neighbourhood that i Von "Tempsky was killed at Te Ngutu o te I Mann, in company with a large number of oui brave and gallant defenders. : Fighting round about here was very active, and many important engagements took : place,'. sons© ' with disastrous results and many casualties, both in killed and wounded. THE MOKAU. The country north of New Plymouth has many interesting features, of which the Mokau River is one of the most important, forming the boundary between Taranaki and Auckland. The river is a very fine one, navigable for many mules, and winding through exquisite scenery. Tradition tells us of the arrival here ol the Tainni canoe from Hawaiki, and the Maoris show . a stone at the mouth of the river which they venerate extremely, believing it to have been used as an, anchor for the first canoe, and considering that all their luck would depart should the stone be : removed. Between the Mokau and New Plymouth lies the district of the White Cliffs, the scene of the massacre of the Rev. Mr. Whitely, and the Gascoigne family, who lost + heir lives at the hands of the natives in ■ troubled times. The whole of Taranaki is now intersected with railway routes, coach roads, and bridle tracks, while the forest has been for the most part cleared away, patches of light bush alone remaining to mark areas where our troops found a difficulty in forcing their way. AH this is owing to-the enterprise, energy, and industry of ', those members of our race who, forsaking the comforts of the Old World, had the courage to fee dangers by sea and land, privations and hardships I of every description to beat out- from the j wilderness a garden for themselves and for i their children, where men might dwell in I peace, plenty, and security. * j