WAIKATO’S CENTENARY.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18167, 4 November 1930, Page 6

WAIKATO’S CENTENARY.

On Monday there falls a centenary of outstanding importance in the history of New Zealand—that of the Waikato. On November 10, 1830 Captain Charles Marshall landed in the vicinity of the Waikato Heads and taking up an area of land became the first white settler in the Waikato. From that day onwards there has taken place a record of advance with scarcely a counterpart in the world. When Marshall arrived the Waikato wa§ an unknown quantity, a terra incognita of wild stretches of bush and fern, peopled by a race of mighty warriors. At first the land gave no indication of its potential worth, a few indigenous crops such as flax were garnered for transport to Sydney, but it was too far away from the larger trading ports or centres of population to be regarded as worth exploiting. The coming of cattle and then the arrival of distanceshortening steamboats completely changed the prospect. More and more pakeha settlers arrived to take their part in turning virgin bush and scrub into arable land. Gradually, but not\ without serious opposition, the face of the land altered and in the wilderness were formed not only small communities of pastoral settlers, but isolated individual farms. Combating dangers and hardships in many phases with unflinching spirit and dogged grit these pioneers laid the foundations of the smiling Waikato we see to-day. Gone are the days of the farmer standing armed guard in defence of his family, homestead and land; gone the days of almost superhuman toil. In their place we have peace and comparative prosperity, and humble should we be in the thought of those pioneers who fought against such odds to make possible this garden of ours. The opportunity to return thanks to them and make some acknowledgement for what they did for us occurs on Monday, but so far with the exception of the Waikato Children’s Camp executive, we have, in the modern spirit of disregard for older things .arid, the memories of Lhose who have gone before, ignored the appropriateness of the occasion, and not thought ill to honour it. There can be little excuse for ignorance of the subject as frequent reference has been made to it in the press recently and in- these columns has been published a' series of articles on the history of tne Waikato,. Although only five days remain to us it is not too late, Fitting observance can, and should, be made if not throughout the Waikato, at any rate in Hamilton, its capital.