A PARLIAMENTARY JAUNT

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 68

A PARLIAMENTARY JAUNT

ROUND ABOUT PAHAUTANUI. MR FIELD ENTERTAINED. . A Parliamentary party, consisting of the Bon T. Y. Duncan, Messrs D. Buddo, A. W. Rutherford, Heke, and F. Liawry, was piloted on the 28th ult. by Mr W. B. Field in a jaunt through part of his electorate in the neighbourhood of Pahautanui. ArriVing- at Paremata by the morning train, the party was met there by Messrs E. Boulton, W. Galloway, A. Iggulden, and Charles Gray, members of the committee, and driven to Pahautanui.. After lunch a start was made for the Eorokiwi Valley, where the visitors were much interested in the various spots -made memorable in the operations of 1846. The pa at Pahautanui, which was occupied by the Butt Volunteers after a two-days’ march through the hills, has entirely disappeared. The old Pahautanui church And the newer Church of England now Occupy the hill which was formerly the stronghold of Rangihaeata, and all that remains to tell of the former existence of the pa is a heap of pipi shells. About a couple of hundred yards to the south, in the low-lying land skirting the harbour, a clump of pines and macrocarpas marks the spot reached by Lieutenant Hobart (afterwards Eobart Pasha) with the gunboats of the Calliope, when they came up Porirua harbour, and threaded their way along the Pahautanui stream to shell the pa. But the defenders had been out pig-hunting when the colonials arrived in the morning, and it was a colonial cheer that greeted the bluejackets when they called upon the Maoris to surrender. Proceeding up the Eorokiwi Valley, the party had pointed out to them Rations Point, where the belated provisions from Wellington were landed for the half-starved volunteers. Just opposite Messrs Abbott Bros.’ comfortable house is a slight rise, marked no w by a spreading hr, on which the guns of the pursuing force were planted to shell the natives as they retreated up the valley. Rangihaeata had taken up his position on Battle Ball, on. the opposite side of the road, about two hunted yards off. Th'is spot is on the property of Messrs Abbott Biros. Mr N. Abbott showed the party three six-pound shells picked up by lumself on the hill-top. At. the foot Of Battle Bill, separated from the road by a purling stream, i 3 a small clump of trees, gums, and macrocarpas, under which can be seen the gravestones of the men who fell in the engagement, Lieutenant Blackburne and others. Returning from Eorokiwi, another excursion was made in the direction of Jvdgeford and Whakataki. The party Was much impressed with the nature of the country and the thriving appearance of both stock and people, and some of the visitors were able to compare present appearances with what they had seen a few years ago, when practically nothing had been done. Now there is a creamery at Judgeford that has been working continuously all the year ronnd. The flocks are looking remarkably well for this time of the year, lambs are thriving, and there is abundance of grass coming on. Beyond Judgeford traces could b© seen of the burn that swept across last year from Idle Eorokiwi Valley, imprisoning and killing two hundred sheep belonging to one owner, Mr E. Boulton. Close to Judgeford, the party stopped for a few minutes to chat with a very bid figure in the politics of Wellington province. Mr David Galloway, now over eighty years of age, was a keen politician in the days when Dr Featherston was Superintendent of the province. In fact, he was himself a member of the Provincial Council. On Monday he was returning from a walk “ down to the bay,” an exercise which, even at his time of life, he finds very beneficial and pleasant. Many younger men would hesitate to make the journey except by conveyance. ' w >. • « SOCIAL ”TO MR FIELD. In tbe evening there was a large gathering from all parts of the district at the Pahautanui Assembly Ball, when a “ social ” was tendered to Mr Field by his constituents. About seventy couples took part in the dancing, which was carried on until morning. During the evening Mr W. Galloway called upon Mr E. Boulton to read an address to Mr Field l . He mentioned that a few years ago Mr Field was practically a stranger to Pahautanui; now he was one of the people. _ If it had not been for his efforts, many of those present would not have been able to come in over the roads on such a dark night.

The address stated that the inhabitants had recognised during the last six years that Mr Field had caused many things to be done for the good and welfare of the district, and he had freely given his services to the community. Therefore they desired to> present -him with an appreciation of his services. The district had received many money grants for road-making, and had also profited hy the social qualities of its member, who had done a great deal in assisting to provide the fmely-equlipped hall in which the “social”

was held. The residents were unanimous in expressing their good wishes to 'Mr and Mrs Field.

Mr Field said he would be a very extraordinary individual if he were not gratified and proud to be in the position ihe was in that night. Any member of Parliament would be proud to meet such a gathering of his constituents. Be apologised for the absence of his wife and of the Premier, but believed they would be glad to see present the Minister who had been in charge of the important Department of Roads for some years past. Mr Eeke was also present—a man who had stood side by side with him (the speaker) during the past five years in bringing about a state of things that was of great importance to this portion of the district —the better administration of the native school reserves across the harbour. As a result of the Royal Oommission that had just concluded its work, they would presently have a bill brought down which would have the effect of establishing on this coast probably the finest native school in tne colony, instead of devoting thfc money to scholarships for the natives in the Wairarapa. (Loud applause.) That was a thing that was very urgently needed. As for obtaining grants for roads in his district, he did not claim any credit for that. All he had got was a fair share of the public moneys, and that he considered it was nothing more than his duty to do. The people of Pahautanui had perhaps not been as pushing in the days gone by as recently. If they had spoken out twenty years ago, possibly the Manawatu railway would have gone through Pahautanui, up the Borokiwi Valley to. behind the old hotel, and out at Wainui. This was undoubtedly the route it should have taken. Be was in hopes that the main West Coast road would some day take that route, but that was in the future. Of the immediate wants of the district, he mentioned roads first. They required access between the Butt Valley and this district by completing the roads already commenced connecting the Butt Valley with the West Coast by way of Waikanae, and later on he looked forward to a connection between Wairarapia and the West 00-ast by a road higher up, between Bketahuna and Shannon. The road from Lower Butt to Pahautanui, and from Eaywards to Pahautanui, should be completed without any delay, and it would be his endeavour to see that these two roads were completed as soon as possible. (Applause.) The Bon T. Y. Duncan said the Government was only trying to remedy the mischief that had been done 'to the district and the Coast by former Governments. When the Manawatu line was commenced they gave the company 200,000 acres of land, £40,000 worth of work at the lower end of the line, and a lot of material besides. “They sold all that land and pocketed the money, and now they run the railway in a way that is anything but satisfactory, as far as I can gather. Their object is to make money, and nob to suit the district, and I would like to see this district in the position of other districts of the colony, the Government owning the railway. (Bear, hear.) About two years ago it was all but completed that the Government should take over the line; in fact, it was completed, but one or two members of the company thought there was more money te be made out of it, and they backed down at the last moment. Since then they have helped themselves pretty well to the lands, and mgde a lot out of them, and that is the part of the company who objected to the price when it was almost ready for signature.” (Applause.) Messrs Lawry, Buddo, and Beke also spoke. v Mr Rutherford, in the course of a few remarks, mentioned that at the caucus of the Government a few days ago when the land question was discussed, Mr Field was the first man who Stood up and declared for the freehold. (Applause.) Cheers were given for Mr Field, the visitors, and the Government. The Parliamentary party left by coach at midnight, arriving in Wellington at 3 a.m.