LANDMARKS OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20827, 20 March 1931, Page 12

LANDMARKS OF AUCKLAND.

HISTORICAL INTEREST.

NEGLECT OF THE PEOPLE,

The fact that the people of Auckland were either neglectful or ignorant of the historical interest of their *city was stressed by Mr. D. M. Rae, in the course of an address at a. meeting of the Alpine Sports Club last evening.

There was a remarkable amount, of material of deep interest to the wayfarer from tho historical point of view, both in (Auckland and within easy walking His-' t'ance of it, the speaker said, but. so neglectful were the"people of the records of their city that many historic landmarks were passed unnoticed. Tho mission stations, once busy centres of educative influence among the Maoris, and where much of tho formative work of New Zealand colonisation was done, should be of particular interest tt> wayfarers. It was deplorable, therefore, to find the settlements overgrown and desorted, and the missionary lying forgottep ia a grave near by. The wayfarer was poor in knowledge if he knew nothing of the Polynesians, traces of whose landing in 1550 still remained in and around Auckland, Mr. Rne said. He considered that no other town in New Zealand. was better placed than Auckland for its historical interest. ~ Continuing, Mr. Pae mentioned' many well-known landmarks in Auckland, ex* plaining their association with the early days of N ew Zealand, particularly the. old > cemeteries in which lay many famous pioneer citizens now almost forgotten. "If wo neglect the cost at which this town was built we are lacking in citizenship," the speaker concluded, "and it is a sad fact that so many of these historical institutions ape fast being lost "to a country that fails to value them."