OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 20, 17 May 1911, Page 4

OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

May IX Oun Coronation Gift. THERE were many noses pressed against Ute show window glass of a jewellers' shop in lambtonqnay yestenhty. and many pair* cl envious eyes gazing at the preekuts gold nugget which is to go to King George as New Zealand’s Coronation gift. The present is, indeed, one “fit for a king,” but there doesn’t seem to be any particular popular enthusiasm about it. I listened to a few of the remarks from the gazers at that window, and most of th< se who had anything to say about it seemed to wonder what on earth the Government wanted to give the nugget to King George for. It is valued at £42o—- — nugget alone, that is; the elaborate mounting must add a very considerable sum to that. And the man in the street, w hen he learned that fact, muttered something in his teeth about it being a something waste of money. The nugget stands on a solid rock of silver, containing somewhere about 400 nonces of silver ; beside the reek stands a solid silver figure of a miner guarding the golden treasure. The rock again stands on a beautiful base of totara-knot timber, greenstone, and gold, supported by four massive silver claws. The nugget weighs 990 z. 12dwts_. and 000 ounces of silver are used in the mounting. A plate bears the inscription:— “G.R I . From the Government and the people of New Zealand. 1911.” One hopes that ’George Rex Imperater’’ will value that nugget as it should be valued, and remember that it came from the West Coast, of New Zealand, where all the good Seddonites live, and where more rain falls and more whisky is drunk than anywhere in Australasia. And if King George coak* only be persuaded to carry it in his state Chariot at the coronation. or be photographed with it in Westminster Abbey, or do something with it test would be cabled all over the world to the exceeding great advertisement ar- l glorification of New Zealand, we should feel that we had not sent that £4l. nugget in vain. The Kayvctt Court-martial. I looked in at the Knyvrtt Conrt-mar-tia! on the opening day this week. It was a real Court-martial this time —quite an impressive, even dramatic, affair. Fulldress uniforms made the big room look like a review day. and Colonels were as plentiful there as M.P.’s usually are on Lambton Quay. One thing that struck one in that Court-martial was the great care exercised by the President (Colonel Heard in the opening formalities, and another was that every latitude was extended to Mr. Knyvett and his office rcounsei in the conduct of the defence. The Court President was evidently determined that the utmost consideration should be given the military prisoner, and that there should be no room for any complaint of informal or one-sided proceedings. The decision of the Court had not been made known at the time of writing. Kapiti Island as a Bird Sanctuary. Historic Kapiti Islam! has been a goc-d deal in the public eye this week, as the result of a visit to the i-’and made last week-end bv the Hon. D. Rudde and Mr. W. H. Field. M P. Mr Field, who is an er.thu-i.-.-t an t • subject of Kapiti. its scenic beauties, and its n t've birds, induced the nsim-tei to make the trip, roan.ng across by oil latm,'. from the m-uth ci the Waikanae River. At Kapiti the via - ■ ■ ■ band of the lab celebrated ’ilia Martin, the Maori “Grace Darling." ot Wakapu- ■ . ' with Mr I ■ - - - - ■s i ha- spent nearly twenty years as trarisrs. The Government owns fonrfiftM f Kapiti: the rest is owned by the Maoris. who run sheep at the northern •nd ~f the island. The Minister says he is itr.pr. ---d with the value of Kapi i as a native bird sanctuary, and I notice that some writers fa the press advocate that huias sn.ui-1 t- placed there—when the G< vrraruent •ucoeeds in at. bins them. From my knowledge of Kapiti, toneeer, I

don’t think it would be a suitable place for the huia, or any other of the rarer native birds. The island is overrun with w»M goats and sheep, which have destroyed most of the small undergrowth; and the forest, of which there is a good deal, has lost much of its pristine Istnriance. Wild birds love the deep ami tangled bn«h, and should the Government ever bo fortunate enough to capture a pair of huia«. the proper place for them would be the Little Barrier Island, in the Haurnki Gulf. There is the fore«t primeval. Another drawback to Kapiti as a bird sanctuary is the presence of wild cats. they should be shot Ont. and thi* is by no means an easy task. But in spite of everything. Kapiti, I am glad to say. is the home of mar» interesting native birds, one or two of which are already nearly extinct on the mainland. When I was camped there some years ago I was delighted to find that the makomako. or bellbird, was very plentiful and very tame. When we. climbed through the bush to Titereinoana. the highest point, some 1.700 feet above the sea. overlooking the wild western cliffs, the bellbirds were all around »% singing merrily and ringing their tiny bed! notes and striking what sounded like tiny silver anvils in their little throats. The tui. too. is plentiful. Even If it were only because of the bellbird. Kapiti would be worth preserving as a sanctuary. I notice that there is a suggestion to turn the island into a sort of summer pleasure resort for people from the mainland. There are some reasons in favour of this, but I am afraid that once the summer pleasurer is admitted to the island in anything like numbers, the eharm and value of - Kapiti as a "tapit” spot for shy birds will quickly vanish. Fortunately. Kapiti is separated front the mainland by several miles of ofttimes stormy sea. and it has no very good landing-place. All this is in favour of the birds. The Progress of Roddy." The Hon. 'Roddy" McKenzie is basking in the full glare of the limelight these days, and enjoying it hugely. ' The big West Coat nugget named after him—why. only the Lord and “Roddy” know—is to grace the King’s Coronation, and incidentally advertise "Roddy" and his loving country. And new the masterful ex-contractor has just completed a grand tour through Taranaki in his capacity as Minister for Public Works. A report to hand goes to show that Taranaki is quiet dazed as the result of the Hon. “Roddy s visit, and is rubbing its eyes hard and holding ice to its aching head. For “Roddy" McKenzie is quite unlike any Minister of the Crown that Taranaki has ever entertained, not excepting even Mr. Seddon. He is said to out-Seddon Seddon—his blunt outspokenness, his way of calling a spade emphatically a spade, his wonderful endurance as' an after-dinner talker, and his "ferocious energy, which, according to a Taranaki paper, has clean knocked cut two of his secretaries. His exposition, of political ethics made little Opunake sit up and take notice. A deputation asked him for a railway to connect Opunake with the great rowdy-dowdy outside world. "Roddy” drew himself up to his full height just like a Onida hers. and. scowling in his fiercest contractor manner asked in hard, level tones: "How can you expect a railway when you return Opposition members, and the Opposition is always protesting against borrowing!” This way of looking at it capsized the deputation entirely. They couldn't think of anything to say in reply that would ade jUately express their feelings and at the same time placate the implacabler. r- • -. t - the hint new and return a member who will be of exactly the desired political hue. Then, but ne-t till then, they may cmne and ask, ’R-xldy again ;<-r that I Mi mV. Another incident of the Taranaki tour aas * magnificent hanq-wt to the Minister at Whangamomona-tn-tbe-Bush. It nganjornona has ever known, and Whangamotnona is nearly eighteen years old. and knows a thing or t«o. It did itself pt -nd. and the speeches of fiery friendship made -bould for ever bind together the great hearts of “Roddy” and the Wbangam- mor.a citizens. It is alleged that the beer was finally brought in to ti e banqueting hall in wask jugs and b.,..55. It was a great uigtit emstel^— —

one that must have reminded the Minister of hie beloved West Coast. And if WhanganKunona itas don’t need to humbly petithM the Hon. “Roddy*' for a railway. they know their duty, and vote loyally for the Government, and the rails from Stratford are close up to their township. Whatever Opunaka thinks of tlie Minister for Public Works, there is no doubt that his memory is enshrined deep in the big. loving heart Of Wiiangamoniona.