Unveiling Memorial at New Plymouth.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143550, 15 July 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

Unveiling Memorial at New Plymouth.

UNVEILING A MEMORIAE AT XEW PEVAIOUTH. On Mill'd! 30, mil, tin'iv "'as unveiled a memorial obelisk erected on the foreshore at Motnron, about two miles from the edit re of Xew Plymouth, almost on the spot where the actual landing took place, in memory of the pioneer settlers of Taranaki who arrived in the first. six ships. Shortly after noon, members of H.M. Veterans’ Association, to the number of about fifty, mustered in front of the Town Hall, and man-bed to the railway station, the colours bein'; carried by two of the old warriors. At the railway station they were joined by a large number of the remaining pioneer settlers and their descendants, and left by special train for the Motnroa Freezing Works, where a complimentary Inndieoll was tendered lo both pioneers and veterans. • The attendance at the luncheon was much larger than had been anticipated, and although the hull was a commodious one. two sittings were necessary before Hie whole of the old people and other invited guests had been served. This function was one of the largest and most interesting held in Xew Plymouth for many years, ’fables were set out so that the settlers who came by the various pilgrim vessels were grouped together. These pilgrim vessels were the survev lianpie Brougham (which arrived on February 12, 1841); William Bryan (March 31, 1841); Amelia Thompson (September 3rd, 1841); Regina (October 3. 1S4I) ; Oriental (November 7. 1841): Timandra (February 24, 1842); Blenheim (November 7, 1842); Essex (January 23, 1543). The pioneers who arrived in these vessels, or other representatives attending the luncheon, were as follows: Survey Ship Brougham. —Richard Dingle {representative). William Bryan.—Passengers: Airs 11. If. Wood, Airs John Smith. Messrs T. Inch, Edward Eye, Win. Pearn, V. Revcll, S. Marshall. Amelia Thompson. —Passengers: Mrs Skinner (eldest surviving passenger), Airs I!. Jury. Airs Ford. Airs Golding, Airs AlTlahey: Alessrs W. D. Webster, A. J. Hoskin. C. Ilamblyn, John Grylls, Frank Oliver, Win. Randle, Edward Bidlot. Win. Newland. Thomas Alien, Wm. Pnynter; Dr H. B. Leatham represented ills mother. Airs Leatliaiii, who was unable to attend. Regina. Representatives, Alessrs RCock and G. Cock.

Oriental.—Passengers: Mr and Mrs ! dames Sole. Mrs Richard Street, Mr j David Sole. Mr John Lander. \ Timandra.— Passengers: .Mrs TaulL | Mrs John Watson, Messrs Oliver Spur- ; die. Win. Loveridge. Alfred Marsh, John ; Xorthcote. I Blenheim. —Passengers: Air and j Airs XL Langinan, .Mrs E. Ballot. Airs [ Hnrlstone. Airs John Jury: Alessrs Robert Baker. Robert Hart, and John Rieh- : aids. | Essex.—Passengers; Alessrs Oliver ; Knuckey and Xioholus Kmickoy. I The Alayor presided at the lunch, with ;

the lion. T. Alackenz.ie (Minister for xtgrienltnre) on his right. There were also , present: Ali.ss .Mackenzie, the lion. T. Kelly, M.L.C.; Hon. W. C. F. Carneross, | Ai.E.C,.; Hon. O. Samuel, AI.E.C.: Alessrs j H. Okey. B. Dive, and W. T, Jennings. [ M.P.’s., and many prominent citizens. ■ After an excellent lunch, ids Worship proposed the toast of the King and expressed the hope that he would live long to reign over a united and loyal , people. Apologies were received from Airs Leafliain, Mrs Aloore. Alessrs J. B. I line, AI.P., R. Ellis, and W. G. Bassett.

On MARCH 30th, 1911

The chairman then extended a most hearty and cordial welcome ‘lo all. and said they were especially delighted to have the Hon. AD Maekenzie with them. (Applause.) He explained that about three years ago, when he became Alayor of the town, he inaugurated celebrations lo commemorate ’the anniversary of the province, and subsequently he suggested that a memorial should be erected to mark thelanding place of the first ship arriving hero. This suggestion was given ell’oct 10. and the unveiling ceremony would shortly take place. He also suggested that an association he formed of early

colonists. He did so for this reason. Although they had a Alayor who took a groat interest in these tilings lie would not always he with them, and further, under the present condition, it threw so much work on the shoulders of one person. The association would not necessarily consist of pioneer settlers, for to-day they were, celebrating the Tilth anniversary of the province, and they could not expect to always have these dear old men and women, who had done so much, with them. Mr Webster proposed during the day to lake the names of all who will be willing to join the association which would under-

take the management of these annual gatherings, which at the present time had to be carried out by the Alayor. The functions would, he considered, be much more successful if the arrangement of the various details was distributed over a larger area than one person having to attend to almost everything. (Applause.) Jlo then proposed the toast of “The fiovernment of New Zealand,” coupling with it the name of the Hon. Air Alackeitzio. He had, he said, always considered in the past that the Government of Xew Zealand was the best in the world, and he had no occasion to alter that opinion. (Applause.) In conclusion. lie expressed the hope that they would have the Hon. Air Mackenzie with them on many future occasions. The Hon. Air Mackenzie, who was enthusiastically received on rising to respond to the toast of ’-The Government of Xew Zealand,” said that he did not expect to he honoured by the toast which had just been so ably proposed by the Alayor. He assured all that it gave him deep gratification to think that the work which was being performed by the Parliament of this Dominion had met with the approval of the people. They were deeply interested, of course, in the prosperity of this important part of the Dominion, and watched with keen interest the enterprise of the settlers. They realised that this was the heart of the dairying industry, and the success which had attended the efforts put forth by the settlers was worthy of the highest commendation. As Alinisler of this department it had been his endeavour, with the eo-operation of the various associations and dairy managers, to evolve such methods as would place the output on the highest pinnacle in the markets of the world. The Hon. |Alr Afackenzac then proposed ‘The Pioneer Settlers.” He did so, he said, in the deepest sincerity and gratitude. The pioneers of this part of His Alajesty’s dominions were men and women that our Empire might well be proud of, and to-day it was a great pleasure to meet those few remaining who were associated with the arrival of the first -ship. It had been his privilege to come into personal communication with Mrs Wood and Mrs J, Smith. They were indeed mothers of Israel, Airs Wood had ten children; she could not tell how many grandchildren there were, and the great-grandchildren were as numerous as the sands of the sea.— ( Laughter.) He wished her and her colleague long life and happiness in this favoured part of the Dominion.—(Applause.) He had also met other worthy settlers. He had been talking to Airs Sole, and she had pointed out Air Sole, who. she said, was 08 years of age, and.

as far as he could judge, Air Sole was i not going to give Mrs Sole a chance of a second husband. — (Laughter.) Then i they had Mr Holding and many others. He* extended to all his most cordial | greetings, and desired to say that he voiild feel no greater honour Uum being j entrusted with the proposal of this toast. He was the son of an early Otago I settler He was imported when about I four years of age. He was a Highlander , and not an Irishman, or he would have ■ j had a grievance because he was not consuited ' about it.—(Laughter.) He had | •rreat pleasure in piopo.-ing tiie health | I of the pioneers, i 1 Mr W. D. Webster replied. He said: , i -On behalf of Hie pioneers. 1 thank you j very hem tilv for Hu- toast by , (he Him. Mr -Mnekeii/.ie. 1 mu honoured j at belli l ’ associated with this memorable I dav. the M'venlieth anniversary of the landing at Moturon of the lirst pioneers ; |,v the William Hryaii from old Hy ; i mouth. Kiiglniid- 1 fv‘-l assured I an, i I voicing the feelings of those pioneers | : will, landed from the first six vessels , when 1 express n feeling ot deep thunk- j fulness in having been spared to lie pre- - sent to-day at the unveiling ot the ohe- , lisle to commemorate this historical . event. The landing of the passengers ; hy the William Hryan and W illnmi ; Thompson, the two lirst vessels, was just j below where we are now ass,•milled, those hv the other lour vessels being landed opposite the town of Xew Plymouth My parents eame by the Amelia Thompson. T being four months old on binding. My father hold for some years the position of postmaster. The tirs't posto/liee was opened in a very small building upon the silo whore Webster Bros.’ auction mart now stands. Vnder the same roof was the Resident Magistrate's Court, presided over by the late Captain Henry King. 8.N.. who arrived here by ; the Amelia Tliompson. Thi* lock-up was in the same building: some queer tales could be told of it. 'These early settlers, as may be imagined, bad 'to contend : with many ditliculties and hardships in ; the early settlement of this district, which is quite impossible for the present generations 'to realise, the making of new homes in a new land, thickly populated hy the Maori, who. let it he j remembered, had but a very few years i emerged from tribal wars and cannibal- , ism. this part of the coast having been ; the scene of much bloodshed. A large ; pah stood adjacent to the site of this j building. Vobarama. Tt needed stout hearts with determination to face the , early colonisation of this coast. Ilao- I ing seen much of the Maori and his ens- i toms. T have learned to admire them. They in the early days nf this settle- i iiii-nt showed many acts of kindness to the settlers, particularly honest, always ready to appreciate fair and straight i dealing. These pioneers for '"tin* years | had hard graft, wages being hut 2s fid I to l!s per day and little cash about at i that. The chief currency wa- paper money in the form of Is debentures. ■ issued from Medical Hall, Wellington. I My late unde. Mr Dorset, and the late Mr T. King', who carried on business here ■ j in the 'forties, used to cash these de* ! ben't ures. charging Id on each debenture. close on to lo per cent. (Twenty • per cent to 2.1 per cent was charged; | I do not say by those persons.) All provisions were very dear, Frequently 'flour was sold at from 40/ to .40' | per lOOlh. ami at times iml to lie obtained; and mbor food necessaries in Tike proportion. For a Considerable period pork was the only meat lo be obtained from the Maoris, and it had much of the t'aptam Cook breed about it. Kor some year-, onr mercantile marine consisted of \ery smalt cutters and i schooners visiting ihL port from Wellington. not any o\cr twenty tons, notably tin' Catherine Johnson, spoken of as (lie Kitty Johnson. Hie Carbon. Fisherman. Fly. .iml Sarah Berry. It was narrated that upon one of Mr King** trips to Wellington hy tin* Carbon, her cabin being very small, with no hulk bead between it and tin* bold, to give Mr King sleeping 'pace some hags of , Hour forming (In* bulkhead bad to be pulled down. Cargo landed on onr beach in tin* very early days was carted away bv mean- of goals harnessed to a >h*igh. the enterprising settler owning the turnout being Mr S. doll. H may be in Hie memory of 'Mine (fiat in the early forties, a small naft named the Blienelia. Captain Sam Teague, from Wellington, entered the Muatoki. and discharged 12 or 1-4 ton- ol Hour where Mr Newton ! King’- others now -land, (hat site then having a baker's -hop upon it. In tin* war 15.41 or 15.4.4 a -almoner wts built within a few feel ~f where the obelisk is erected. Sin* \\a- about t(Hi ions, and named Hie Taranaki. Captain limin' Clonst on, nf Nel-on. had eonmiand. Her builders were Me-r- It. Bundle ami Charles (’la re. and the over-eer wa- Mr

i J. T. .“'haw. She was owned by Messrs \ Bundle. Clare, ami S. Oliver. Her maiden ! trip was to Nelson to be litled out. her lirsl appearance at Customs. Tin* limber used in her const ruction was sawn out of our bush, chieliy rata and miro; her deck. I believe, was of while pine. She did not remain long on this coast. Alter a voyage <>r so to Sydney she was , sold there, and after a year or so she i was lost at the South Sea islands. She ; proved a dry. Weatherly schooner. Sydney shipwrights voted her well and I faithfully built. For many years tin* i landing and shipping of cargo was earj ried on by a well-equipped surf boat { service, am] it was seldom any damage i occurred to cargo. As years rolled on. 1 our trade, outgrowing the ability of a i boat service in an open roadstead, atj tenlion was turned to providing a har- ! bonr for our largely increasing trade. : Tin* benelit s of i’t are now being fully I realised, after seventy years' waiting. ; Having taxed your patience sulllcienlly | Ion?, as time is short. I again thank you : for drinking’ the toast of "The Pioneer I Settlers." It would he ilillicult to pro- ■ diet what the next seventy years will | bring forth. Certain it is that the de ' scendants of the early settlers have a I inneli easier road 'to travel than fell (<i 1 j the lot of their ancestors, with the rapid opening up of a rich hack country, pros j I*™** of an oil field, harbour aecommoi dation now a Hording facilities for direct ; trade with England. and the early prosof berthing largo liners to remove | onr increasing products. All point to , an ora of greater prosperity for the future of this part of the Dominion. The toast of “The Visitors” was pro- , posed hv the chairman, who coupled it with the name of Mr A. D. Bayfield, of ’ Christchurch, a member of the Canterbury Pioneers’ Association. Mr Pay* r field suitably replied. ; The toasts were all received with nuts' ; cal honours, Mr Golding presiding at the piano, which was lent hy Mr Hot}’- ; : maim. The ladies’ committee in charge | <»f the luncheon consisted of the follow- ; i ing:—Mesdames Tiseh. Jurv. Baeb. : White. Richards. and O’Drisenll. UNVEILING THE OBELISK. SOM 1C INTERESTING SPEECHES. After the luneheon the obelisk, which j I had been erected as near as possible to j i the actual landing-place of Taranaki's : first settlers, was unveiled. The obelisk | i is built of stone from the Harbour Hoard I quarries, and is 20ft high. It has i . what is 'technically known as a rustic finish, with margin draft. The pedestal ! consists ot two (lights of concrete step-, [ cadi side of lower one being 10ft long. 'Die base of (In* needle is -Iff high, each ; face being oft in length. On (he seaward side an Aberdeen granite slab, inscribed, j is to be let in. but this slab lias not yet arrived. In (lie meantime, its plan* j : is taken by a marble slab on which (lie I following inscription is painted:--- ! “Erected Ma rch .'ll, 1011, to mark j ; lll, ‘ loealily where tin* pioneer settlers ■ landed from the following ve*«iT:— ; Brougham. February 14. IS4I. William Bryan, March HI, ISIL Amelia Thompson. September ;{, is 11. Begina. October d. ISI I. Oriental, November 7. IS4I. Timandra. February 24, 1542. Blenheim, November 7. IS-12. Kssex. January 2d. IS-FL Tiie contract for the erection of the obelisk w.e carried out hv Mr F. W. Short. A large > rowj gathered nuim! the memorial to witne-- the cmemony. ; Sever,il of the lir-t settler*. wen- then-, ami about Bin vet.-ran- w.-re pre-mil. An interesting adjunct to the eeremoiiy w;u formed bv the Taranaki Bille-’ colours. earned by I.ieuleiiam Well-, and the militia colours, carried by Lieutenant Kyngdon. TilK LANDING OK TilK PInNEERS. In opening thi- [tortioii of ihe proceeding- the May.ir, a- eliairman of the Anniversary Da \ I'ommit I ee, e\ lcm led a hearty welcome to tie- pioneer -ciih*r-. the veteran-, and other- who a.-re pn>--ent. and e\|*re--ed hi- delight that the (on eminent ua- ivpi c-mil ,-d mi ihi- oc-<-a-ion In the Hon. T, Mackmi/m. Thi-. the M-veii i ii-; h .. mi i v ,-i-,i rv ■■!' the landin- of Taranaki'- fi,-t -eOh-i-. aa - of gi’e.i: ini port a tire to fn: nt .■ general ion-.

i, On the spul on which ibis gathering ; i was now assembled the lirst settlors of ! the province landed and became uc- j quainied with their new home. Here it : was that they began building their huts i and wharves. At the last Anniversary Day gathering the speaker had suggest- | ed the building of a monument to mark i the spot where the pioneers landed, be- • cause the people who knew the early t history of Taranaki were passing away, j !It was very tilting that they should ; : have something to commemorate the pio- . neer settlers who laid done so much for ; Taranaki and had worked so hard to 1 establish the industries of the province and bring about the present happy conditions. The band of brave pioneers had left their native home to make a long sea voyage in small ships. Ihe tonnage ; of the William Bryan, the first vessel ; to bring out settlers, was. he thought. , : only about MOO tons. They had _ few 1 luxuries —no fresh vegetables, no fresh water except what they could catch in the sails. They met with no greeting except the erv of some Maori wahines, "Kapai te pakeha,” for the Maoris then living at Molucca looked to the newcomers to protect them from the ■ Waikatos. The Waikatos possessed Hint ; guns, but the Moturoa Maoris had but ; 1 their meremeres and tomahawks as : weapons of defence. With their strong arms and stout hearts the pioneers soon began to clear the hush and plant corn ; ami ‘•kumikumi." But then the Native ; ; troubles broke out. and the settlers I were driven from their homes to take : shelter on Marslaml Hill. They had ■ to guard the town and to barricade the roads with ladders and beer barrels. : “History does not sav that they were ■ prohibitionists in those days,” slyly ; added Mr Tiseh. By night the settlers saw the glare of their burning farms. . i The women had to he sent to Nelson for ' safety. When they returned from Nel- | son, and the settlers went to their clearings they found a seem* of devastation. ! Crops and buildings had been destroyed. ; and their slock had gone. Tf that were ; to happen at the present time, the men : of to-day might go away with their ; tails down, for they had not the -land- j na of their forefathers. But what did , those brave men and women do? They : went to their farms with renewed energy and determination, and under their , rare the land blossomed, until to-day | it was one of the finest provinces in ■ New Zealand. Mr Tiseh appealed to j ; tiie hoys and young men of to-day to j ! follow the example of the pioneers, and j help in making Taranaki known for the respectability ami goodness of its settlers as well ns for its fertile soil and j its prosperity. Pointing to tin* colours 1 carried hv Lieutenant Wells and Lieuj tenant Kvngdon. Mr Tiseh referred to j the fact that in Taranaki was raised the . ; first volunteer company in New Zealand. the first volunteer force to conic under i fire. It had fought shoulder to shoulder j with the Imperial troops, ami the eol- ■ ours had been presented to it, after the ; memorable battle of Waireka, bv the : ladie- of Taranaki, in recognition of its brave deeds. Those colours were a heriI tage which, he Imped, would spur on 1 the young men of to-ilav in the elVort to j have as good a record as the brave I pioneers they were honouring by thi- : ceremony. Tt was usual for the Hover- ) mu- or for a Minister of the Crown or ! a member of Parliament to be asked to ; carry oiß such a ceremony as they were participating in. But on this occasion it had been decided that the act of unveiling the monument should be performed by tiie two eldest surviving ladies who had come out in the* first immigrant ship, the William Bryan, Mr Tiseh then thanked the New Plymouth Harbour Board for the «ih* and the stone for the monument, and the contractor. Mr F. W. Short, and Mr F. Messenger, architect, who had supervised the erection of the obelisk free of , charge. After asking his hearers to ! keep up Anniversary Day always, the Mavor concluded hv pointing out that ; mm-h more could still he done jo commemorate tin* pioneers. We had a beautiful sea front, hut it had manv waste places whieh could well he planted with plantation- of trees. The*,, plant:!limts could he named after the first -bins and trees .-mild he named after indivi «lnal pioneer-. The gathering then sang tin* hymn, "I > * bid. onr help in ages past.” Mi: 11. OKKVS SPKKriL 1 "ii being invited b\ Hie Mayor to ad- i dn*>- the gathering. Mr 11. Okey. M.l’.. , lefenvd to the importance of the occa- i -imi. 'dnee the days of their landing the 1 [ipmeer- had had many up- and down-. ! hut In- ti.qH-I that they had ta-tej the good tilings of lid- life. The wulerof Taranaki had not the natural facilities that mlu-r eontre- po--e--ed. They had iin natural harbour, Kverv advanl age had t<> be gained with (In* -weat of the brow. In the south the settlers hid

only to put fire to the tussocks to have in a few months growing corn. Here the hush had to he felled and in many instances the settlers had to wait for twenty years for any return. Hreat credit'was due to tiie early settlers' for the work they had done. Some people r-aid that the old settlors had splendid chances, But lie held that the outlook now was brighter than it had ever been. We were about to reap the harvest of the expenditure of the past. There was the breakwater, for instance. Then with the opening up of the country, better farming facilities, and the prospects of the oil industry, he felt sure that tin* outlook had never been brighter than it was now. Mr Okev also expressed his pleasure at the fact that Mr Maeken/.ie was present, and referred to the assistance which Mr Mackenzie, as Minister of Customs, had given to the oil industry hy sending twenty barrels nf oil to Hie Admiralty. HON. X. MACKENZIE’S ADDRESS. Hearty applause greeted the Hull. T. Mackenzie when he was asked to address the gathering. Mr. Mackenzie said he .was very pleased to see present so many young people, who, when they reached patriarchal age, would doubtless remember this unveiling eeremonv in the same way as the pioneers remembered their lirst landbig. Xfie ceremony, in his opinion, was a beautiful one, and all went to make up a picture of happiness. The Mayor had given an inspiring address, and Mr. Okey had spoken to the point. The hymn they had sung was a, beautiful hymn, one' frequently sung by those who were going to a new land. Referring t'o Mr. Okey’s remarks about the ditVerence between Otago and this district, the Minister said that it was not an unmixed hle-sing t’o have tussock land that would burn oIV so easily. Here in Taranaki we hail a delightful climate, but the South was quite frozen over at times. .Mr. .Miu-kunxiu smilingly reimirkcil lliat thi' lirst ship to lami immigrants at Momma was not unmmamleil l>y a Devonshire man. lull by a Uifililaiider, a Maclean. -Mr. TisvlVs siurgestion that a I’ioneer Settlers' Association should lie formed was an excellent one. In Otaao I hoy had an Old Identities’ Association for many years, to perpetuate the memory of tiie first settlers. In Dune din the assoeiation had built a nmynitivent hall in which they held monthly nalherinas. and in which there was a fine collection of mementoes of the province’s early days. We did want to perpetuate tin* courage of those who bad subdued the wilderness. 1 ft* l hou-rht. too. that .Mr. Tisch’s suggestion that trees should be planted and named after the first ships and the pioneers was a ven good one. He was also pleased with the reference to the colours •carried by Lieutenant Wells, the colours of the first volunteer corps. Ho was sure that Taranaki would always come to the front when anything was required for Hie defence nf the Dominion and (lie Umpire, as it had done in the past, flood judgment had been ,-diown in the deeision that Hie two old ladies who had been passengers by the lirsl ship should perform the unveiling. Nowadays there was too iimeh of a tendency to ask public men to do this sort nf thing, and too lit tli- attention was paid to those who had actually taken part in the things i iinimemiirateil. To him it was an especial pleasure In he present at this most important assemblage—a gathering promoted for the purpose of unveiling Hie obelisk to the memory of the brave men and women who eame to tills country and hy their courage, ability and selfdenial, laid the foundations nf this important and prosperous province of Taranaki and who laid these foundations on the basis of truth, industry and right We were honouring them and we were honouring ourselves in whit u.■ were doing to-day. The men and women who eame to New Zealand in these early days represented the very best of the (lid Land —best in (his sense, that they belonged to that class who were the glory and strength of a nation. As a poe; put il "Their Insist is n..t thill they dill ih'illlee t ln*ir ltlr(h. I'Ti'in (hr inins >*f thmnrs *»i* rulers nf the i* in li; Mm (iiglu'i- f:tr (In- |irnud aiuMlinn iif<. Tllf sons nf p.livilK p:l<Sfi| int.i llif Wc could imagine with what mix'd rVobm:- they mu.-r have decided to leave llic (fid fount ry ---the land of their forefather- and all that was near and dear to {hem. and the courage that was required to face, especially on the part of Mi<* woman, a Jong and arduous s,. ; i vovaje. in poorly-equipped vessels, to far di-laut lands, pooplod with brave and powerful rate- whom they might require io eneonnter. But they possessed the minis to conceive and the ability ami strength and resourcefulness to carry

out the great undertaking tiiat was before them. They had realised that in the Old Lund under the then existing conditions there was not that Held of opportunity which their eommeiidably wider ambition desired for themselves and for their families, and they there? fore took the important step of seeking a new home beyond the seas. It was well for tiie Motherland that she had such colonies as New Zealand to send her sons and daughters to, and what an inestimable binding u> Great Britain that 'ln* had such inestimable sons and daughters to go forth to people the waste places in her huge Empire. They had sown the seeds of younger nations in every part of the globe. They went on hui'ldine here as oiliers had built in other lands, young nations that in the course of time would grow up. and. should ever the dark hour arise in the history of the Old Country, thev would stand shoulder to shoulder with her in the defence of the King and the country. Kipling had expressed the sentiment of the Motherland towards her dependencies in the lines: ■•\\V will make ihi.> promise as lung as tilnoil endures, i shall know this good is mini*. I shall feel lhai my strength is yours. On the dav of Armageddon, the last great light n’f all. The house shall stand together and the pillars shall not fall.” Tii esc sentiments were reciprocal el fourfold by the young nations that had gathered round her. It was more than fulfilled when our aid was required in South Africa and when, to the enduring honour of this country and to Sir Joseph Ward, we tendered to the Mother Country .a Dreadnought when her enemies were apparently endeavouring to encompass her. The pioneer settlers knew what it was to undergo hardships, 'there were no “Amalgamated Sons of Rest” in those days. “An amalgamated son of rest," explained Mr. Mackenzie, “is an individual who conscientiously objects to working between meals.” Mr. Mackenzie then dwelt upon the excellent “tone” of the first settlors of New Zealand. In every case the early settlers had been carefully selected. They were some of the sturdiest Britons who had ever left the Motherland. These settlers felt a great responsibility. In their hands rested to a large extent the destiny of this country. By their lives and living they would set an example for good or otherwise of succeeding generations. They set a high standard, and we saw the results in our community to-day. Contrast this with the lawlessness and

debauchery which unfortunately prevailed in many parts of New Zealand before the arrival of the properly recognised family life. Tito conditions that then existed among some of the whites —runaway sailors and so forth—despite the noble cllorts of our earlier missionaries, were almost too shocking to even allude to. In the “Australian” for .September, 18:19, he had read some details which made painful reading. The inlluencc of our early settlers was strong enough to sweep away these conditions, and now sneh a state of tilings was unknown in our fair land. It was but little known that New Zealand once had a narrow escape from having convict settlors. Jn one of the Otago Sounds there were die remains of a ship. That ship carried 120 convicts who hoped to get into the interior of the island. Hut I he impenetrable forests, the snow-ehul mountains,

and the rocky precipices, barred them, and they were glad to til up craft and leave New Zealand. From tlie spot whereon this gathering stood we viewed the results of the labours of the past. Uur ’country, despite all that might be said to tiie contrary, and in the face of all our real and imaginary grievances, was never more full of promise that it was at the present’ day. In no portion of New Zealand was that prosperity which had marked its progress of late years greater than in the district of Taranaki. And the chief reason of this prosperity was undoubtedly that combination of the industry on the part of the people here and the closer settlement of the land. In die early days, as no doubt they were aware, more dun the total area of land in New Zealand was claimed by seven individuals. We nowadays refer to holdings of from 5000 to

7000 acres as large estates; but what did wo think of the claims for laud advanced by Weller, of Sydney, three ana a-hulf million acres; Cat!ins and Co., Svdney, 7,000,000 acres; Went worm, N.S.W., 20,000,000 acres? For this land they gave the proverbial bag of sugar, blankets, tobacco and muskets. After a reference to what the Government had done to help the settlers of New Zealand, Mr. Mackenzie concluded by saying that all honour was due to those who so nobly did their duty in the past. “We are gratified to have with us fo-day living representatives of those early settlers, and we are proud of the sons and daughters they have left behind them to carry on their good work. To those who have gone we can fittingly sav that their works do follow them. “We whole-heartedly wish [lea-oe to their ashes and honour to their memory. This spot will be regarded in future years as holy ground, and the lines in Mrs. Henians’ beautiful poem on the arrival in America of the pilgrim fathers are specially applicable: “Ay, call if holy ground, The ground where first they trod. They have left unstained what there they Freedom to worship God.“ Mr. Mackenzie's concluding remarks were punctuated with hearty applause. Tiie Hon. W. C. F. Caruvross, M.L.C., was also called upon by the Mayor to say a few words. Mr. Carncross expressed his heartfelt synqnifhy with the function. it was fine to know that those who had preceded us were not forgotten. He thought that the vigour, power and vim of the earlv settlers were qualities which still remained. With the occasion came the man, and ho was sure that the young men of t’o-day would do as well as their forefathers if the occasion arose. It was well to know that those who were passing away would not be- forgotten entirely. Mr. Crancross praised the Mayor’s suggestion that a Pioneer Settlers’ Association should be formed, but thought that such an association should include anyone who could show fifty years’ residence in Taranaki, whether they came with the first ships or not. The days were not far distant when many of us* would ourselves be old settlors. Mrs. H. H. Wood and Mrs. J. Smith then performed the ceremony of unveiling the obelisk, after which the large gathering slowly separated.