Abstract:
The following pages are what I have termed "An Account" for the simple reason that I do not feel they warrant the title of "A History".
In the account I have not attempted to describe all the events which took place in, or concerned Masterton, or as the Maori called it, Mahitaone, again for a very simple reason, that of space. On the other hand, I have attempted to depict only the broad outlines of the story of this township, placing emphasis on trends in thought which affected the Wairarapa in general and the township in particular. It is impossible to separate any Wairarapa township from its fellows for all are built around the main feature of the valley and coast, their dependence on agriculture and pastoral farming. But Greytown and Masterton are even more closely bound by virtue of the fact that they were settled at almost the same time, by people holding similar ideas and under the auspices of one body.
