IIST THE FAR NORTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 15

IIS T THE FAR N ORTH.

RAMBLE IN SEARCH OF HISTORY.

INTERVIEW "WITH DR HOCKEN.

Dr Hoeken, whose keen interest in anything relating* to the historical associations of the colony of New Zealand is well known, and who has ever been ready to put himself to any personal discomfort or inconvenience in order to visit any place where he might secure reminiscences of the early days, has just returned to Dunedin after a visit to the Bay of Islands district, a place memorable in history, and he was waited upon by a representative of this journal with a view to some interesting impressions. Dr Hocken said he had visited the far north, going very nearly a» far as, the North Cape, on what might be called a historical ramble, his principal object being to follow the footsteps of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, the first New Zealand missionary, whose letters and joiirnals the doctor is editing. After arriving in the Bay of Islands district Dr Hoeken visited all the old missionary stations and the scenes of Hone Heke's war in 1845, and he met some of the last of the old pioneers, of whom some were but little under 90 years of age. In the Bay of Islands district and north of it, at Kaitaia, he secured a great deal of information from these old people, and he visited the spot where the Rev. Samuel Marsden first introduced the Gospel, and the scene of the Boyd massacre at Whangaroa in 1809. Many of the hills in this far northern district afforded ample evidence of having once been strongly fortified, Maori pahs showing not only what a warlike race the ancient Maoris were, but also how very nume rclis the native population must then have bean. But now it was sad to see how very few natives there were in these districts, and those who were left had adopted many of the pakeha's customs, and also his vices. He could not p all them semioivilised, for they were quite an inferior race of people as compared with their brave and warlike forefathers. He felt quite sorry to see so many of them living in a state of absolute idleness and indifference ; they seemed to have lost all the great qualities which once made their race the foremost of savage peoples. Dr Hocken also remarked that he secured one or two extremely rare Maori implements used by the ancient people in cultivation of the kurnara and taro, and particularly he mentioned two specimens of a koro, a wooden paddle-shaped implement, beautifully fashioned, and now a very rare curio indeed. At Rangihona, in the Bay of Islands, was where the Rev. Samuel Marsden first preached the Gospel on Christmas Day, 1814, and between then and his death (in 1838) Mr Marsdexi visited the colony seven times, the last time in 1837, coming over from his residence at Botany Bay settlement in New South Wales, where he was chaplain. The history that would' be disclosed in these jounals, said Dr Hocken, was of quite unknown scones and incidents, unknown to the great majority of New Zealand people, and would undoubtedly be of very great interest in this colony and beyond. Dr Eoeken also had a long conversation with Mrs Lethbridge, the first born white person in New Zealand now living Mrs Lethbridge is now, of course, very okl ; she was the daughter of the captain of the vessel which first brought tho Rev. Mr Marsden to the colony, and though sho was only a little girl at the timo of Mr Marsden's visit, .she remembered him very well, and was able to give the doctor some interesting leminis-

cenees. Dr Hocken also visited Whangaroa Harbour, Kaco, Mongonui, ICaiti, Awanui, and Ahipara, and went through the kauri gumfields. He found large portions of the country very desolate for want of inhabitants ; it was very sparsely populated, and he was greatly impressed with the richnefe-s an-i fertility of the soil in these far northern districts. Ho had no doubt the country would, m time, become a very great agricultural and pastoral district, and there were also great possibilities for the fmit-giovving industry theTe, but, in common with several other districts in New Zealand and in Otago, it was handicapped and lying dormant for want of means of communication. It struck him that the Government of New Zealand in the past had been neglectful of the resources of the rich country north of Auckland. At Waitangi the doctor also visited Fhe spot where the famous treaty between Maori and pakeha was signed, and he saw all the old mission stations in that district, but they now had' gone to decay and were neglected ruins ; indeed, the halo of the past, the ancient associations, the old landmarks of history had almost vanished. On his return journey the doctor spent sornp days with the venerable Archdeacon Williams at Te Aute, to whose generosity and liberality the Te Aute College for Maori youths is so largely due. Dr Hoek-Gii was also much impressed by the splendid work carried on at the college, where there were now about 85 young Maoris receiving good education under the most competent headmaster. Mr Thornton, and a very efficient staff of teachers ; and a particularly pleasing expeiienee was the church service, where he noted the rich, sonorous singing of the hymns and chanting of the responses. Altogether* the doctor was very well satisfied with his ramble, and he not only found many interesting and historical facts, but also much pleasure and education in the far north.