WELLINGTON CITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10540, 17 March 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON CITY

SELECTION OF THE SITE. INTERESTING' REMINISCENCES. Councillor S. W. Luxford, of Devonport, Auckland, whose father and grandfather, came out to New Zealand in one of the very first ships that arrived at Wellington in 1840, is full of stories connected with the early days. Recently, being in reminiscent mood, he told now the site at Petone, where the first' settlers landed, was abandoned in favour of the site whero Wellington now is. His father, being of an dbsorvant turn of mind, aaw on the shrubs and trees marks which indicated that the country was subject to floods, and this was confirmed by tho Maoris whom he questioned on the subject, and was subsequently confinned at a Juter date as the season advanced. After a few weeks he persuaded nine or ten of his fellow-pas-sengers, including the late Mr J. W. Mackenzie, one of Wellington's earliest pressmen, to take boat and row further along to see if higher ground suitable for tho now settlement could be got. They pulled along the beach of tho hai'bour till they got to where the Manawatu station now is, and here they ldft their boat while they spent '• the whole day exploring the rather rough hilly country round about. At 6unset thev pulled hack to Petone, and oxplained to tho others tho re'si. of their search for a place for a new settlement. The outcome was that it was decided to shift to whero the capital citv is now 'situated. In later years Mr- Luxford says his father was very fond of pointing out the place where they anchored the boat. Mr Luxford, senr., and Mr J. W. Mackenzie were firm friends all through their colonial career, and died within a few days of one another.