EARLY WAIRARAPA HISTORY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 3 July 1925, Page 4

EARLY WAIRARAPA HISTORY.

(To The Editor.) Sir, —It was'witli great intere_st hncl commendation that I ' read tlie letter from Mr. A. Clemas with regard to preserving the early, history of the Wairarapa, and I can only deplore that with; the passing of tlie pioneers, our chance* of securing a correct perspective of th© earliest events, in their relation t® later development, are almost vanishing. Your readers are apt to infer from the letter, and that inference will bgfc, in accordance with current opinldajjf that the ear'ly settlers purchased their 'iana from the natives. Such is incorrect. Many settlers were seriouslyaffected by the fact that the Crown refused to assent to their purchase* from the New Zealand Land Company' —the company having purchased from the natives —and in several cases in the* Hutt Valley the original purchaser* found that their areas had been purchased from the Crown by someone else. I have a copy of the original “deed” of purchase from the natives: by Mr. McLean, on behalf of the Crown, «with all the Native signatures*, attached; the area comprising most of the south-east part of the Wairarapa. The earliest procedure appears to have been that each settler took up his block, under verbal arrangement with, his neighbours as to what the confines were to be, and tlis he held, until he was able to complete the purchase from at the upset price. The method was known as “gridiron” from the fact that her bought small areas here and there within his holding. Two amusing cases of interlopers buying areas, within another occupant’s lai/dsY ■are known to this day as A. and ‘33’s' folly. The occupant gave the interloper “notice to'fence!” : I would respectfully suggest that, eld residents be asked to /forward their recollections to a given centre, there to* be collected and collated for use at £fc future date. • - There is-also no history of the Wairarapa Maoris. Numerous local /legends exist, especially along the East . Coast. Surely it .is yet possible to obtaini. some record for future generations t® revere.—l am, etc., R, J. BARTON.