COLONISTS’ COLLECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1926, Page 7

COLONISTS’ COLLECTION.

RE-OPENING OF THE ROOM. PORTRAIT OF MR. F. A. CAR RING TON UNVEILING BY HIS DAUGHTER. AN INTERESTING GATHERING. In the presence of pioneers and descendants of pioneers the Old Colonists’ room at the Carnegie Institute was reopened by the Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr. F. E. Wilson) yesterday afternoon. A portrait of the late F. A. Carrington, founder of the town, was unveiled by his daughter, Mrs. Jessie Deacon, and presented to the Mayor and burgesses. The oak-framed show-cases, the gift of Mrs. Alice Honeyfield, of Sydney, were also formally given to the borough. Now that the early settlers’ collection has found a new home in the old library at the head of the stairway, it is possible to show the exhibits to much better effect than was the case when space was limited. It was said yesterday that the arrangement of the papers might yet be altered, but it must be admitted, nevertheless, that the numerous pictures, relics and documents are shown to very good advantage and many, appreejativo remarks wer§ made by those who knew the town of old and could recognise the scenes and people of other days. The curator (Mr. E. B. Ellerm) has devoted much time to setting up the room, and his work has been eminently successful, but* he would not have had it to do—indeed, there would have been no collection at all—had it not been for the enthusiasm and generosity of Mr. W. H. Skinner. To him once belonged all the records dealing with early colonisation and all the military records. Half the .sketches, paintings and photographs on the walls were his and through him a great many of the other donations have been made. On one occasion he rescued numerous papers that would otherwise have been consigned to the fire by a Government

official who did not know their value, and he expressed keen regret yesterday that he had not been in a position to save others that were destroyed. To Mr. Skinner the town and district owe the fact that there is a place where their early history may be studied in a much better way than through the reading of text books. PIONEERS AND DESCENDANTS. Before speaking of other matters yesterday, Mr. Skinner extended the sympathy of the gathering to Mrs. Deacon in the loss of her sister, Mrs. von Rotter, of Auckland, a fortnight ago. Mrs. von Rotter, he said, had been the last survivor of that little band of pioneers who lauded on Ngamotu Beach when the barque Brougham arrived from Wellington with the survey party on February 12, 1841. In the Brougham came Richard Barrett, on his return to New Plymouth, said Mr. Skinner. He was of very great assistance in those early days anil acted as interpreter, guide and advisor to the New Zealand and New Plymouth companies. His name was a household word throughout the Cook Strait settlements in the early forties. When the invitations were issued there were living three survivors of those who had made the passage out' in the William Bryan, but since then one of them, Mr. Janies Revell, . of Wanganui, had died and there now remained only Mrs. Woods, of Waitara, and Mr. Harrison, of Auckland, both of whom had sent apologies. Miss Shaw was the only person present that day who had made the passage from England on one of the first six ships and Mr. Skinner said he was delighted to see her. She came out on the Amelia Thompson and surviving fellow voyagers who had notified their inability to attend were Mrs. Telfar, of Urenui (nee Miss Johnstone), Mrs. S. Wright and Mrs. W. R. Greenwood, of Wanganui (nee the Misses Oxenliam), and Mr. Thomas Allen and Mrs. F. L. Webster, of New Plymouth. Mr. R. Cock was a descendant of a passenger on the Regina. The oldest living pioneer was Mrs. James Sole, of Westown, formerly Miss S. Hellier, who journeyed from the Old Country in the Oriental. She was the only one of that band left and was represented at the gathering by her daughter. The next ship to arrive was the Timandra, and apologies for non-attendance had been received from the following surviving passengers: Mr. Esau Marsh, of Waihi, East Waitara, and Mr. Sam Loveridge, of New Plymouth. Mrs. R. Langiiiaii, who was Miss Elizabeth Rus-

den, could not be present to represent the Blenheim voyagers, and of those who came in the Essex Mr. Skinner said that, as far as he knew, there was none left. Among the apologies Sent by other pioneers was one from Mrs. A. Standish. CHILDREN OF BROUGHAM PARTY. Descendants of missionaries and early clergy who were present were Miss K. ■Rawson, grand-daughter of the Rev. John Whiteley, Miss M. Turton and Mrs. Ilalcombe, grand-daughters of the Rev. 11. H. Turton, and Mrs. F. G. Evans, daughter of Archdeacon H. Govett. With them that day were the following descendants of the Brougham party: Mrs. Jessie Deacon (daughter of Mr. F. A. Carrington), Mrs. Brewster, Mr. F. Carrington and Dr. Brewster (respectively daughter, son and grandson of Mr. O. Carrington). Mr. R. Dingle and Mrs. Nelson Okey (son and daughter of Mr. James Dingle, of the survey staff), Mr. Harry Poto (son of Mr. W. Pote, of the survey staff), and Messrs William Honeyfield -and W. J. Honeyfield and Mis. McLean and Miss Iloiieyfleld (all grand-children of Richard Barrett). Mrs. R. Bayley, of Wellington, and Mrs. O. Samuel (daughters of Mr. 0. Carrington) and Miss A. Brewster had been unable to attend. Mrs. Deacon then unveiled her father’s portrait and Mr. Skinner, on behalf of the committee, presented it to the Mayor for the residents of the town. It had been of late years only, said Mr. Skinner, that they had come to realise the wisdom of Mr. Carrington’s choice of site for the settlement. Mr. E. P. Webster formally gave to the town the oak show-cases given by Miss Alice Honeyfield, of Sydney. Although she did mot live here, she had the welfare of the town at heart and had assisted it in many ways by her gifts. The cases now held a most valuable collection of historical records. In returning thanks for the presentations, Mr. Wilson said the portrait was a most appropriate addition to the collection. Indeed, it would be incomplete without a likeness of the man who had chosen the site of New Plymouth. Year by year they were recognising more and more the wisdom of his choice. It was particularly pleasing to see his relatives there. He deeply appreciated, and so did the whole town, what Mrs. Alice Honeyfield had done for the borough through Mr. Webster. We were on the threshhold of big things. Even he could remember

when Auckland city received its first benefaction and he hoped the example of Miss Honeyfield and other early settlers would be followed extensively. He mentioned the Kempton family, who had given the room for the Polynesian Society, which was now occupied by the museum, and he appealed to residents to give donations to the collection for the benefit of their children. Mr. Wilson then formally declared the room open, after which those present spent some time in inspecting the exhibits. THE CARRINGTON BROTHERS. VALUE OF THEIR WORK. THEIR SURVEY SYSTEM PRAISED. Frederic Alonzo Carrington was born at Chelmsford, Essex, in 1807, and was the son of Captain William Carrington. iur. Carrington was specially instructed by the distinguished military engineer, surveyor aim draughtsman, Robert Dawson. Of the value of Mr. Carrington’s work, and that of his brother, Mr. Skinner spoke most appreciatively to a Daily News reporter yesterday. He could say from his experience that no system of surveying in connection with the colonisation of New Zealand was better conceived than that of the Carrington brothera. Its value and the value of the training they imparted had been demonstrated by the high positions reached by the cadets who had been in their charge. Amongst them had been Surveyors-General of New Zealand, Mr. S. Percy Smith and Mr. Thomas Humphries, a surveyor general of Natal, Mr. George Northcroft, a chief road engineer of New Zealand, Mr. C. Wilson Hursthouse and the late Mr. T. K, Skinner, the well-known local surveyor and engineer. Of a later generation was Mr. W. H. Skinner. He had been trained by men who had come under the influence of the Carringtons and he rose to be chief surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands in Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury, etc. Mr. ’ Octavius Carrington trained all these men, with the exception of Mr. W. H. Skinner. He was chief surveyor for Taranaki under the New Zealand Company, and General Government, and was engineer in charge of public works along the West Coast. Mr. F. A. Carrington was appointed it! 1839 chief surveyor to the Plymouth

Company, and arrived in Wellington in the ship London in December, 1849. Colonel Wakefield placed at his disposal the barque Brougham and in tljis he explored the coast. Finally he decided on. the site for New Plymouth and surveyed the settlement under difficulties. Mr. Carrington returned to England in I'Bs-5 with a view to erecting iron works in Taranaki and making a harbour. He came south again and was elected Superintendent of the Province In 1869. He continued to hold this appointment until the abolition of provincial institutions. in 1876. For many years he represented the Grey and Beil district in the House of Representatives and he was a member of the Harbour Board.