Early Days

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 216, 12 October 1929, Page 6

Early Days

NAPIER IN THE FIFTIES A Scottish Visitor's Impressions INTERESTING PEN PICTURE . This series of articles is compiled from the impressions of a visitor from Scotland to Hawke's Bay in the late 'fifties, subsequently publisked in Chambers' Edinburgli Journal.

ARTICLE 8. The "area now oeeupied by Pori Ahuriri was, in the time of which the writer speaks,- the rentre of commercial activity in the district and it is of i interest to note that in those days three : 'public Iiousps were required to minister to the alcoholic needs of th6 inhabitants. Even in' these days, with Pori Ahuriri a busy liive of sea board activyitv, no mere tban three botels exist in tliis quarter and tliese prove quite capable of liandling tlio licensing trade of _a very mucli augmentecl population, pointing to the fact tbat more liquer was consumed in tlie early days tinui is the caso to-day. 3n 'the cour.se of a descriplion of a walk along tlie beach from the Pori towards Capo ICidnappers, tbe writer refers to tbe foreshore as sandv, sh owing that a considerable cbange has taken place over this portion of Ihe sea front during the past 70 years. AYitli its rougblv huilt wooden houses, ihe chimneys constructed of pumice cemented with lime, the Port of those days must have presented a" very different appearance to tbat of to-day and tlie writer would doubtless get a distinct sbock were he to visit X'apiers waterfront during a busy day in the wool season under modern conditions. He continues : —

THREE PUBLIC HOUSES. "The influx of settlers into this favoured district has already raised up at the entrance of the lagoon tliree pubL'c houses, where London porter may be had for balf-a-crown a bottle, and brand.y so plentifully mixed with fiery arrack, as fnlly to confirm the CMaori's salutary idea of the noxious qualities of wai piro. My path lay, for several iniles beyond tliese liouses, along the beach towarrls Cape Kidnapper. Just where the fierce surf rushes up, bissing and* boiling, tbe ground is sandy and compact, and easy walking is practicable, by bayrirding a wet foofc now and then. Higher up the beach, the labouring pedestrian sinks to the ankie at every step among the loose shingle, and walking is exces&iyely fatiguing. However, I preferred walking, in order to look for sliells and sponges on my way, and had sent back the Lorse wbich had been put at my disposal. Large masases of red and white pumice lay scattered around, brought down hy floods from the volcanoes inland. Of this liglit material the settlers here build ihe chimneys of their weather boarded houses, cementing the jnunice witli lime oMiurnt „shel].s ; for building stone and limestone are not within a convenient distance of Ahuriri. I found a few sliells of common types, but' not 6. single specimen of tlie beautiful_ Spirula Australis, which I had previously gathered in abundance bt Poverty Bay and in the Bay of Plenty. The river-channel hehind the heach and 'the nciglihouring swamps were covered with flocks of wild dncks (parera). Now and then. a shy little glebo would dive out of siglit, or scutlle awav into a raupo hush: or a pair of the large paradise ducks would rise 'and fiy off overhead. the sombre male Uttering his wmal deep guttural £ gluck. gluck," and the gaudilv coloured female her shrill, prolonged cry, frony which their name (putangitangi^ is,. derived. These fine birds are said to freqnent this district in increased mmibers everv season, as tho extent of_ culiivatod land increase. They feed in flocks on gvass, corn. and maize, and partake more of tbe nature of the goose than of the duck." " A NATIVE PA. Tlie_ writer goes on to describe his visit in the interests of sanitation, to the home of tlie patriarch Noa, on the banks of the Ngaruroro "river, dealing with the manner in wliich the early natives worked the land. He writes : — "Karaitiana was to meet me at Pukenau, the kainga of Noa; I tkerelore passed Awa-puni, tbe kainga of Karaitiana, and crossed tlie channel in a canoe to Pukenau, on tbe grassy banks of tbe Ngaruroro river- The village contains abont twenty Houses, enugly hid amid groups of noble w-il-low ;trees, just then opening their fresh green leaves, in pleasing contrast to numbers of peach trees, blushing all over with the pink blossoms of early Spring. All the village were at work, some plougliing with horses. others digging with spades, to which tliev seldoni need to apply the heel, so light is ihis sandy river-soil. Tbe women ancl children were putting in uncut seedpotatoes, while the patriarch Noah followed, witli a hoop of supplejack on a long handle, with which he filled up and smoothed over the furrows. Potatoes, wheat, and Indian corn are the staple of the Maori fanner. Pabehas — o-ften old wlialers or refugees from Tasmania — are settled along the coast to buy produce from the natives, wlio bring it down the rivers in canoes to the stofe on the coast. and return witli supplies of slop-clothing. farm-ing-instruments. etc. The raerchants in Auckland send schooners and small biigs to "drogue" for wheat along the coast; and tlius the harvest finds its way to luarket. In manv eases, however, the natives themselves possess small sea-going craft, which they navigate with surprising skill and success. Tlie natives of the Bay of Plenty alone possess eigbiv-threc such vessels. The proceeds of the crops go to luiy horses, saddles, clothes, ploughs, etc., for the Maoris pav no rent, and are not tronhled with hutcliers' or bakers' hills, since they grow their own food on" their own land : moreover, they are free from all ratc.s and taxes." (To he Continued.)