OPOTIKI PIONEERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21160, 18 April 1932, Page 12

OPOTIKI PIONEERS.

OLD FRIENDSHIPS RENEWED, MEMORIES OF EARLY DAYS. INCIDENTS IN MAORI WAR. [FROM OUtt OWN CORRESPONDENT.] OPOTIKI. Saturday. The pioneers of Opotiki met in the Farmers' Social Rooms this week by invitation of the members of the Women s Institute. The hall had been beautifully decorated by members of the committee, and an object of great interest was a lag rug in the form of a I nion Jack, which had been made by Air. J. X l . Tabb s mother. Mrs. Wagner, tlio president of the institute, in welcoming the visitors, said she thought it was an excellent thing that the people who had made Opotiki what it '..-as should have the opportunity at least once a year of renewing old friendships.

The pioneers present included Mrs. Connelly, Miss Abbot, Mrs. O. Abbot, Mrs. A. Parkinson, Mrs. Feme, Mr. and Mrs. Barbour, Mrs. Jeffrey, Mr. J. Armstrong, Mrs. Graham, Mrs. Downey, Mrs. Buckiand, Mr. McCarthy, Mr. V. Savage, Mr. J. Carroll, Mrs. Greaves, Miss Pili', Mrs. J. Reid, Mr. F. Armstrong, Mr. and Mrs. Mulhern, Air. and Mrs. W. Young, Air. and Airs. Lowe, Air. and Airs. J. Parkinson, Airs. Wells, Air. and Airs. 11. Appleton, Air. and All's. W. Butler, Airs. J. Parkinson, Airs. C». Kelly, Mrs. H. Webb, Air. R. Irwin, Airs. Bridge, Mrs. Burnett, Mrs. Al. Kelly, Mrs. Vickers, Air. and Airs. E. Parkinson, Air. and Airs. T. Abbot, Airs. E. 11. Kelly, A.'lrs. Gaskill, Airs. A. B. Black, Mrs. James Butler, Air. and Airs. J. 'l. Thompson, Airs. T. Clark, Airs. J. Elliot,. Airs. Walker, Airs. Ncilson, Air. W. J. Connor, Mr. W. Butler, Airs. l*ox, Airs. Rawson. Friend Killed by Maoris. Air. V, Savage, in an account of his experiences in Opotiki, said that during tho Maori War lie had threo times narrowly escaped with his life. On 0110 occasion Air. Savage and Air. Bennett Whito were 011 tho Whakatano side of tho Ohiv.-a Harbour and Air. White decided th;it he wanted to go into Opotiki. Knowing that the Hauhaus were in the district Mr. Savage took Air. White's clothes away and hid them, but he managed to procure others and set out for Opotiki. That was the last Air. Savage saw of him, as the Hauhaus captured and killed him.

Mr." J. Armstrong gave some of his earliest recollections, one of them being of sleeping in the Anglican Church. Ho came to Opotiki 60 years ago with his father and mother and at first they lived near where the bowling green is now. In those days the people grew their own wheat, cut it with a sickle, threshed it with a flail and took it out to Boekett s flour mill to be made into flour. Then they made their bread, baked in a camp oven. Races for Settlers. The Opotiki races were held at the back of where Mr. Ted Webb's residence now stands, and no charge was made for admittarce as there was no fence round the courso. Settlers from far and near came in with their families in drays. The only other conveyance in Opotiki was a spring cart, which was the envy of the district, and was owned by Mr. T. Clark. The horses which had drawn the settlers in the :norning were used in the afternoon to contest the various events. Mr. J', McCarthy delighted his many friends bv singing an old cricketing song. Alter afternoon tea Mr. Irwin related some of the events of tho Maori War. He had with him a letter written by his grandfather, Sergeant Tinling, on November 20, 1863, most of which concerned his experiences on arrival in New Zealand. One sentence referred to tho daily ration of the troops, which consisted of lib. of pork or salt beef, mouldy bread and bad potatoes. As Mr. Irwin and his father were riding to Tauranga 50 years ago the latter pointed out the spot where Awanui, tho great chief, had died fighting some years before. On b;half of the pioneers Mrs. ,T. T. Thompsou thanked the members of the Women's Institute for the delightful manner in which they had been enter tajned.