DISCOVERY OF THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8312, 15 December 1906, Page 5

DISCOVERY OF THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

115 TH ANNIVERSARY. (Prom Cur Own Correspondent.) Till ONE, November 30. November 29tb was the anniversary of the discovery of the Chatham Islands. A snail gathering of settlers and soh-jol children took place at Te One, on the ground where the newly-established school cadets have made u rifla range. It beiug a school holiday advantage was taken of the opportunity for rifle ' praotioe, and prizes were distributed amongst the best shots. There were ten prizes in all, and the first was won by Sergeant'H. Lananze, who eoored 40 ?out of a possible 56. Other cadets ran him ve r y close for first place. The email boys and all the girls indulged in racing for prizes. . Refreshments were supplied by the ladies. Tne weather was very fine, though a cool breeze blew whoh was pleasant for the onlookers, but bad for ac curate shooting. The cadets went through their drill for the edification of their parents, and others, acd showed that they ate making good progress. They only commenced drill in , the beginning of Ootober. Everybody, youug and old alike, takes the greatest interest in the CBdet Corps, and willing help, monetary and otherwise, is always at hand to push.things along.

The Chatham Islands were discovered in 1791 by Lieutenant BrougLtoo, of H.M.S. Chatham, who was not thinking uf makng discoveries of fresh territory at the time. Continued storms drove him off the ooast of New Zealand, and on the above date be sighted the islands. A sailrfr named Alison was tho first to see the land, and Point Alison, on ibe north west corner marks the particular soot he caught sight of. The ship did not stay long, though they saw some of the Morioris, who then inhabited the country. These 'were so full of curiosity and ho anxious to bare one of the Chatham's boats that they endeavoured to run off with it. The sailors, after trying gentler means of inducing them to let the boat alone, bad to use firearms, and one of the natives was killed on the spot. The rest vanished into the bush, and left the sailors in peaoe to launch their boat and return, and did not attempt to fight or revenge their comrade's death. This, 1 believe, was because their customs or their religion absolutely forbade tho taking of life. In olden days, when a Morion offended against the tribe or community to such an extent that he would deserve and most probably surfer death in most other parta of the world, he would be taken to one of the many rocky inlets round about and left -'here to die. The plaoe generally ohoaen was a bleak, inhospitable plaoe called "The Sisters," lying off the north ooast. Its tenants are albatrosses and such birds, but for a human being ther« is little or no food, no shelter, and no water. JPhe latter oirouimstance would soon terminate the existence of the unfortunate arim innl. There are to this day, several skeletons of human beings lying bleached on the dreary ''"Sisters," Up till recently the Maories used to go across in a whaleboat to get a albatrosses from there, but a boat oapsized and nine Maories were drowned a few years ago. No one has been over since, though there is some talk of once more attempting the capture of a few of the huge birds.