MY REMINISCENCES OF THE WEST COAST

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 12, 20 July 1894, Page 4

MY REMINISCENCES OF THE WEST COAST

(By an Old Missionary.) ( Concluded )

HERE lam again, on the West Coast soil, after an absence of 5 years It was November, 1879. My first month I had to spend it in Greymouth 10 replacing Father Kcuyer, who wanted a change for the good of hii health. Father Kcoyer was formerly in Chriatchurch, whilst Father Beliard was in Greymouth. But for some reason or other they had to exchange places, and I belive this exchange proved fatal to both Father Beiiard, with his liver complaint found himself much worsa id Chnstchurch, and ao he had to b. shifted back to the West Ooas^ But his place being filled up in G.-eymouth he got charge of Waimaa and Stafford to wo. However his complaint got to bid that he died in Hocmka and was buried in bis beautiful cburch of Waimea Now as to Father Ejuyer, when he cama to Greymouth, he was very strong and healthy, but I believe the » gorge barbar " was the cause of his losing bis health, This « gorg* barber »is the cold wmd that comes down the river through the Greymouth gorge; it is so sharp and tnm that it would shave any one without a rator in the winter Having obtained leave to take a month's holiday the good ifa'her left Greymouth, and I was left to look after his parish Ihe

gatioo was not so large as in 1871, but still attended the church almost id numbers enough to fill it. We had a school about a mile from the church, and it was attended by about 100 children, but I had a great difficulty in keeping it up for want of funds. We would have required at least two teacher, for that number of children and we could not get even a sufficient salary for a first-class one ' Besides my congregation of Boss, I had three little ones, far down the South, one at Waitangi, a small farming settlement between the big Wanganui and the Forks ; Okorito, a kind of sea port for .mal/ veeseli, and Gdlespie's beach, just in front of Mount Cook, the mountain gl ant of New Zealand. GUlespie sis about 85 miles from Ross and 15 miles further on is Brace's Bay. But is this the boundary of Koss Parish? Not at all. Take ano.her 100 mile* further sith and you will reach Jackson's Bay, and that also belongs to Boss la my time, the track along the coast was made only as far >■ Jackson* Bay, and so I could go no further, but my successor, F.ther Aherne, had the pleasure of 200 miles' ride through a bush track As no priest had been that far, for 10 or 12 year«, he found about 20 children to be bap.iced, and some of them, he said, were able to fight him. Father Brown, well known in Timarn and Rangiora, being now in charge of Boss, has that long trip to perform at least one. a year. In about 1889 a new diggings broke out at Bimu on the South B.de of the Hokitika river, just opposite the Kanieri and 15 miles from Boss, and that was an addit.on to my pariah, and to my purse too. which yet was tar from overflowing. Ah Dori !f 9 time ° f F * ther McMan ™.«*° succeeded Father Aherne, Mrs Frank Moran's bouse was bought and fitted up for th« Sister, of Mercy of Hokitika, who kindly offered to take charge of the Boss school, wh.ch had always been a great trouble to the priest and things have been going on s.nce in a more satisfactory manner' These good Blßters.8 lß ters. God ble« B them for their zeal and devotion^ th. education of children, have already a good school at the KuXrl wbtch they attend from Hokitika. Brides, in 1881 or 1882 they had taken charge of the girls' .chool in Greymouth and af terwardsr wards at BrunnertowD, and later on they took charge also of the Kumart, schools for boys and girls. They are truly like bee* iirarming froS

the mother-house, and setting down wherever they can do any good. I thick it was in about 1873 that they came first ti Hokitika, brought there by the Very P.ev Father Martin, the patriarch of the West Coast, who, notwithstanding his bad health, has never ceased improving the church and schools, and has brought them to their present flourishing state. In his oil age and infirmities he must now find a great help in Father Lepetit, who was Bent to him some time last year. Hokitika, however, has been for sime time very dull and quiat »nd quite diff -rent from what it was in 1871, owing to the falling off of the gold diggings in tbe neighbourhood, and although the train rnns |now between this town and Reefton, I doubt very much whether that will improve tbe btate of affiirs. It may be hoped, however, that some new and ricb goldfiald any yet bj found which will restore it to its lost splendour.