THE WANGANUI RIVER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7331, 18 February 1902, Page 2

THE WANGANUI RIVER.

TRIP TO PIPIRIKI AND UPPER REACHES. (Specially written for th/"Star.") (8yM.8.) Having heard much of the beauty of the Wanganui River, and its many interesting settlements, we decided to spend our summer holidays in visiting it. This happy object has now been successfully achieved, and perhaps a short account of what to- see and do when on this tour, and how to go about it, may prove both interesting and useful to others. From Christchurch to the up^er reaches above Pipiriki is ,a far cry, and there is a great deal to see on the way. We gave ourselves a fortnight, which proved ample time to rest at various towns, see something of friends in Wellington, go about Wanganui botli going and coming, and have three days on the river, spending one clear d'ay quietly at Pipiriki. We reached Wellington on Dec. 24, and on Dec. 27 left in the Manawatu mail train, which, goes right through to New Plymouth daily. This is a picturesque line to travel on, the features of the country differing greatly from our Canterbury outlines. It is a stiff pull up from Wellington station, nine feet above sea-level, to Crofton, 370 ft, and between that and Khandsllah only two miles further, we rise ' to 492 ft. This is the highest point on the line, though Fordell, thirteen miles from WaJnganui, runs it very close' for that height of distinction, being 485 ft, only seven feet lower. Both Croft&n and KhandallaJi are pretty spots, with cosy little homes perched here and there in all sorts of nooks in the hills. Most of the owners are Civil servants, who go by the eight o'clock train to town, returning only in time for tea. There is hardly a man to be found all day — an Adamless Eden t indeed, renewed daily. POEIRUABAY is a fine sheet of water, and formerly many Maoris lived here with strong cannibal tendehcies.The name means "the broad collops of fat," which is certainly suggestive, and is also reminiscent of a tribe near who in 1836 set off on a. cruise to the Chathams, because "they had heard that there was an unwarlike and plump race of people living there." Collops they found in plenty, for in two years the inhabitants were, eaten down • from 1500 to 200. However, Porirua has lost its sinister significance in these days, and its beach and hills are invaded now by nobody fiercer than city children, who think only of paddling and climbing, and drinking in ozone. PLIMMERTON is another watering-place on the shores of Porirua Bay. As it is five miles from station to station, this fact will give some idea of the *size. of Porirua Bay.\ Ab its mouth' lies a good-sized island', which shelters the entrance. More tunnels are passed through, six altogether, before reachiing Paikakariki. Here there are more cannibal traditions, in whicli, Europeans figured uncomfortably. The journey, sofar, has been along the coast, and some of the scenery is very pretty indeed. The hills, bits of bush, narrow valleys, beaches and rocky cliffs, with the sea rolling in, make up a good deal of variety. Otaki is a capital tplace to 'break the journey at, as there is excellent accoanmod'ation, and it ds classic ground as regards ancient war times. There is a monument to Te Rauparaha, who made the celebrated raid on the South Island in 1828. The Otaki Church itself i 3 famous for its construction 'by , Maoris in simply Native style, by the order of Te Rauparaha, after their conversion to comparative Christianity and) civilisation. PALMERSTON NORTH is reached . about 11.20 a:m. _ The train passes through the Square, which is the centre of the town, and surrounded 'by fine* buildings. :■ The Mamawatu River, which we crossed lower down, runs near the town, with a_ fine , bridge spanning it. At Palmerston t!he traveller changes trains, the Manawatu Company's line ending here, and gets into the Government's carriages. At Aramoho Junction, trains are changed again' for St Johns and Wanga-nui. Here are Government workshops, and" & large number of men employed, so that it is quite am artisan suburb. A fine bridge spans the riven here, used for 'both railway and pedestrian traffic. WANGANUI is a ctairming place, delightful for situation and surroundings. It has past too, which so few New Zealand 1 towns have, and with the help of a guide-book we soon found out the places to see aaid their history. In the Anglican Chiuroh there is a . brass talblet to the memory of soldiers who had! fallen in the Maori, war, pub up by their regiment. Outside, mi "tlhia churdhyard, are some very old graves, another memorial to fallen soldiers, and the grave of the murc^red GilflUan family, who were killed by Maoris at Matutara Valley, six miles away, in 1847. The four murderers were hung on Rutland Hill, which we went to next. On this, during the troubled times of the settlement, stood :fhe Rutland stockade, which was garrisoned 'by 200 soldiers. Opposite stands another large sand hill, where stood the York stockade, occupied by 100 men. Here the settlers used to fly for safety upoc any alarm of Natives. The last of th'epe buildings was pulled down in 1887, and the sites and slopes are laid out and planted as recrea.ti.oni grounds. In- Queen's Park, formerly Rutland Hill, stands the Lion ' Monument, bearing the following in.scripiion: — " In 'grateful memory of the gallant officers and men of 'her Majesty's Imperial Army an'l Navy, and Colonial Forces, who died in the service of their country during the long ware with the Natives of these islands, and who lie buried in and near this town, this .monument is erected 'by the inhabitants of Wanganui, 1892. Near this spot stood the Rutland blockhouse, erected 1847. removed 1883." * ij ue monument is large, with a massive lion surmounting it, and flanked by cannon. On marble tablets are inscribed the names of the 138 men. who fell as described. The Moutc-i Gardens in Market Square are very prettily laid out and well kept. Though small, they contain two fountains, luxuriant flower-beds, green grassy plots and a number of seats. A statue of Mr Ballance; a replica, of that in Wellington, is placed there, and simply inscribed, " John Ballanco, Statesman." Another interesting 'memorial is to be seen there, erected in 1865 Jby the Wellington Province as a token of gratitude to the loyal Maori party. A figure of Grief surmounts the column, which records in Maori and English this tribute : "To the memory of the brave men 1 who fell at Moutoa, May 14, 1864, in defence of law and order against fanaticism and barbarism." The names of fifteen Maoris and Lay-Brother Eujoge are engraved on the memorial. The Museum is small, but interesting. There is a portrait of Major Kemp, our noted loyal Maori chieftain, wearing the sword of honour presented by the Queen. One unique exhibit' is a small pipe .organ brought out by Archdeacon Williams to the Bay of Islands in 1823, the first in the colony. It survived all the troubled times of Hone^ Heke's wars, the hurried flights" and rough travel to find an honoured resting-place on the platform in the Museum hall, Wanganui. What a history is dimly suggested by these bare facts ! PIPIRIKI. We rose at 6 a.m. on Monday morning, d A v en t straight on board the s.s. Aotea, i-iplnneinff to the Wanganui Settlers' Asso3, formed at the end of 1900 in opposition to Hatrick's fleet, which had .* monopoly of the river traffic for many years. : The river takes great bends, sweeping round cliffs covered with lovefy bush to the water's edge, and the tree ferns are in their thousands, literally craves of them 1

everywhere. Naturally the greatest luxuriance is met with higher up, and the farthei one goes in many places the banks are bordered with willows, self-planted, descendants of those planted by the Rev Richard Taylor at his mission Btation at Ruapatiki. Some are of the weeping variety, but the majority are upright or English willows, 'ih© guide-book says that all the weeping willows on this river and about Wanganui have sprung from one growing over Napoleon's grave at St Helena, of which Mr Taylor took cuttings on his way out over sixty years ago. The weeping willows in Christchurch, as is well known, have the same common 'origin, and are a feature of the place. THE. NAVIGATION OF THE WANGANUI is very difficult, and numerous rapids constantly impede progress, the engines being powerless against them. The steamer is literally 'hauled over by a rope. One end is tied round a tree up the bank, thus fastened permanently, the other lies in the water ready to b& picked up by boat-hooks as required. There is great excitement on board as a rapid is approached, the engines puff and ,groan at. full pressure so as to keep the boat from sliding down stream, also, her 'head straight. Not an inch is gaineo. The steamer is actually" stationary while two or three men are grappling 1 , in the water with long hooks. Sometimes the rope is picked up in two or three .minutes, at others it may have slipped down' stream or got caught round a rock, and tihen it may be half an hour or even an hour before itAs found. A small oil-engine on the lower debk works a windlass, and once the rope is caught and 'hauled on board the engineer flies to this, the laose end is worked round and round, men in front pulling in frantically, and soon the rushing, foaming torrent is crossed and we 'have .negotiated our first rapid-. One over, the lit-fclfe togine is shut off, the rope thrown overboard, the steamengines resume their sway, and away we go up and on in smooth water through a passing panorama, of I loveliness. Maori Settlements are seen everywhere, though of sadly diminished importance, for in former days this was a stronghold of theirs, and Europeans were forbidden to go beyond a very few miles up the river. There is a very 'elaborately carved post called Toko-maru, over thirty feet high, erected by Major Kemp fourteen miles from Wanganui, as a sign {-hat no European might pass further. The Kaingas, as they are called, are ministered to spiritually by the Roman Catholics, who have a fine church at Jerusalem, the "most, important settlement,' and another at Ranana (London). A party, of nuns conduct a foundling home and school at Jerusalem, and are the nurses and friends of the country round. The ambitious titles of these tiny villages are very amusing, nothing less ihas satisfied the villagers than such names as Corinth, Rome, Athens, Galatia, London, Jerusalem and so on. It was very pretty to see the Maoris at every whare waving greetings, their bright skirts and 'blouses making local colour everywhere. The older, women often sat smoking and gazing at us with absolute immobility. We reached >Pipi^iki*about 5 p.m. PIPIRIKI HOUSE is a coaching terminus, with a good store and several settlers round about. Next day we spent quietly, exploring the place, visiting the Paparoa waterfall, a very pretty one, and walking on the coach road. This road proceeds to Lakes Taupo. and! Rotorua, and ( for the first few miles out of Pipiriki is. really a beautiful (highway cut through the bush. The next day we started for THE UPPER REACHES, which, are the most beautiful on the river, the cliffs being bolder and higher. 0n& reach in particular, above the junction; of the River Mangamatea 1 , was wonderfully lovely. The vegetation was most luxuriant, and there were some mikau palms to "be seen at rare intervals. . We were taken as far as the drop scene, which is enchanting. On our return we visited the loveliest possible cave. We scrambled over wet, slippery rocks and sandy 'ledges into quite a large cavern with a. high roof. At the far end a fine waterfall poured down, the sides being lined with moist greenery of ferns and moss. The rapids were shot easily enough, the drops slightly splashing us as we rushed through them. We were landed at Jerusalem for half-an-hour", and visited the Roman CatholicChurch and Foundling Home, seeing several nuns. Then away again, gliding past Moutoa Island, where a. noted! battle was fought in 1864. A monument, commemorating the faithful Maoris who fell there, is erected in the Public Gardens of Wanganui by the province. We touched at' a great many places to drop passengers or pick them up. Wanganui wharf was reached by halfpast six, our journey north was ended, and our geographical knowledge considerably enlarged. '