FIFTY YEARS AGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21966, 24 November 1934, Page 10

FIFTY YEARS AGO

SURVEY OF NORTH ISLAND OBSTRUCTION BY MAORIS The difficulties encountered in pene« trating the King Country half a century ago are shown in an article which appeared in the New Zealand Hejrald of November 25, 1884, describing the progress of the surveys in that area. " In the North Island," stated the article, " a scientific survey of the country has had more formidable opposition than cbuid have arisen from mere natural obstacles. Over a large \ district of the country the nfitives would not tolerate the presence of the white man, and were especially intolerant of " the surveyor. The Maoris were at first amused at seeing a man looking through a theodolite and others running about with chains in their hands, but very soon they came to know the significance of these things. They found that these performances Were the invariable preliminary to the land passing away from them for ever. As they said, when the chain passes (iter the land, it is S° ue - . , . " Ihe report of the survey for this year shows that for the first time we possess an accuruate knowledge of the interior by survey. The work of triangulation has been pushed on under the care of Mr. Cussen, and it is expected that it will be completed during the next season. Forty-three stations have been erected, covering an area of 2,500,000 acres. " On native obstruction Mr. Cusson states: 'The' obstructionists might lie divided into three cjasses: Those who obstructed to show'their claim to the land and to protest against anyone else authorising the survey over it: the remnants of Tawhiao's followers, who opposed us to show their loyalty to the cause ot * ■ the King; and those who from various causes are distrustful of the objects of. the survey. Two trig stations wer*/ pulled down, but on our replacing them they have not again been distrubec.