INFORMATION, &c.
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INFORMATION, &c.
The Settlement of New Plymouth, in New Zealand, was originally projected by the noblemen and gentlemen now acting as the "West of England Board of the New Zealand Company," 1 who, in January, 1840, associated themselves with others under the name of the "Plymouth Company of New Zealand." A preliminary purchase of land, to the extent of 11,000 acres, was made of the New Zealand Company, and this was afterwards increased by 50,000 acres, the whole of which was alloted for the Settlement in the following manner:--
The town of New Plymouth consists of five hundred and fifty acres, subdivided into two thousand two hundred quarter-acre sections, exclusive of which ample provision is made for streets, squares, public buildings, parks, and places for public recreation. The suburban lands comprise a belt of ten thousand four hundred and fifty acres, subdivided into two hundred and nine allotments, of fifty acres each, and on the exterior of the suburban belt lie the rural sections, each containing fifty acres.
The town and suburban lands were originally offered for sale separately, the order of choice for each section to be determined by a ballot, in which the Company were to draw, on equal terms with the purchasers, for choice of all the lands which might remain unsold, and for the reserves set apart for the natives, to the extent of one-tenth of each class of land.
The object of the above arrangements with respect to the natives, has been well expressed in the following extract from the instructions given by the Company, to their principal agent at Wellington, respecting the preliminary sales in that Settlement:--
"One-tenth of the land-orders will be reserved by the Company for the chief families of the tribe by whom the land was originally sold, in the same way precisely as if the lots had been purchased on behalf of the natives. The priority of choice for the native allotments will be determined by lot, as in the case of actual purchasers, the selection being made by an officer of the Company, expressly charged with that duty, and made publicly responsible for its performance: wherever a settlement is formed, therefore, the chief native families of the tribe will have every motive for embracing a civilized mode of life. Instead of a barren possession, with which they have parted, they will have property in land, intermixed with the property of civilized and industrious settlers, and made really valuable by that circumstance; and they will thus possess the means, and an essential means, of preserving, in the midst of a civilized community, the same degree of relative consideration and superiority which they now enjoy in their own tribe."
In August, 1840, eight hundred and fifty town sections, and a limited number of suburban allotments having been sold, the general ballot took place, after which it was determined to reserve the whole of the suburban land remaining unsold, to be disposed of in the Colony by auction, and the town and rural lands were offered for further sales, in allotments, each comprising one town section and one rural section, at the price of seventy-five pounds. One hundred and forty-nine of these double allotments were subsequently
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sold, principally to actual Colonists, and at the present time all sales, in England, 2 are restricted to parties who intend to proceed to the Settlement.
In the early part of August, 1840, the principal surveyor, (Mr. Carrington) was despatched to select the site of the future Settlement. The following is an extract from his instructions:-- "When you have determined the site of the first town and settlement, you will proceed, with the least possible delay, to survey and lay out the first in sections, each containing a quarter of an acre; taking care that the streets are of ample width, and that there are the necessary reserves for all public purposes. The Directors refer you to the following extracts from a Contract with the New Zealand Company:--
"'The Directors of the New Zealand Company hereby engage to add, gratuitously, to the lands hereinbefore mentioned to be purchased, a sufficient quantity for all public purposes of utility and recreation, including, within the intended town, streets, squares, wharfage, churches, schools, hospitals, a market-place, cemetries, botanical-garden, public-buildings, for courts of law, government and other offices, a park and boulevards, (the latter extending round the entire circuit of the town, and separating it from the suburban districts); and without the town a sufficient quantity of land for all necessary roads of communication through the entire Settlement.'
"The form and disposition of the town must be left to your own taste and judgment, which, from the liberal grant of the New Zealand Company, you may exercise in the most unfettered manner, so as to combine utility with general elegance. The Directors desire to impress on you their wish that the most ample arrangements may be made for securing places for the public recreation. Many of the vices and diseases of old countries may be traced to the absence of provisions for this purpose, and there can be no excuse for the founders of new colonies who neglect to profit by the sad experience which history affords them.
"You will use every exertion that the whole of the town may be mapped out, and the sections properly arranged and numbered, by the arrival of the first expedition of settlers, which, it is expected will sail from England, no later than the end of October, or beginning of November. The extreme importance of executing this part of your duties in time cannot be too strongly urged upon you, as the greatest loss and inconvenience must otherwise be sustained by the settlers. The Directors suggest that you may perhaps be able, without inconvenience, to supply purchasers and their agents with copies of the maps made by you. At all events, you will take especial care that the most ample information shall be accessible at all times, so that every party may have the full benefit of an unrestricted choice, in the full spirit of the terms of his purchase.
"When you have completed the town allotments, you will then lay out the suburban and rural lands, in parallelograms or squares of fifty acres each, taking care that every section shall abut on a general road of communication.
"The regulations for the choice of sections, when the survey is complete, will be sent to you, with the order of priority in which the choices are to be made, according to the lottery in this country. It will be your especial duty to choose the very best sections open for any holder of land who may not be present at the day appointed; and the Directors most strictly charge you to observe the utmost impartiality. add to give to every absentee the full benefit of the knowledge you may have acquired in your survey, as to the different localities. The importance of impartiality and fairness in discharge of this duty, cannot be too strongly impressed upon you, whether in reference to the general character of the Company, or to your utility and influence as one of its principal officers. * * *
"The Directors earnestly impress on you the necessity of observing
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great caution in all your communications with the natives. All accounts go to prove that, if kindly treated, they are faithful and well-disposed, and you will be expected so to regulate your conduct towards them, giving them employment, at full wages, in every practicable way, for the advancement of the duties entrusted to you."
In November, 1840, a pioneer expedition, consisting of one hundred and fifty persons, sailed from the Port of Plymouth, to lay the foundations of the future town. The departure of this expedition was celebrated by an entertainment, at which the Earl of Devon presided over a party of near four hundred, composed of the nobility and principal families resident in, and connected with, the West of England. At this Meeting, which forms a memorable era in the history of New Zealand, the gratifying intelligence was first communicated by Mr Edward Gibbon Wakefield, that the various objections which had been hitherto raised by the Government to the proceedings of the Company, in respect of the Colonization of New Zealand, were at length terminated. Mr. Wakefield, having read a communication from the Colonial Office to this effect, stated "That the step Lord John Russell had taken had not been the consequence of any importunity on the part of the Company, but was a voluntary act on the part of the Secretary of State--that the Government had not given way, it had come forward. The proposals of the Government were not made in the spirit of unwilling concession, but in that of a free-will offering, suggested by the adoption of the principle that it is the part of duty and wisdom in the Government to foster such enterprises as these, and to make use of Colonizing Companies as instruments of the State for accomplishing great public objects."
Amongst other speeches made on this interesting occasion, we must not omit to notice that of Lord Courtenay, who, in returning thanks on the part of the Church Society of New Zealand, dwelt on the importance of providing means for the religious instruction of the large body of emigrants proceeding to the colony. His Lordship also adverted to the liberal conduct of the Company towards the Society, 3 and was sure that the meeting "would feel with
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him that by taking the course the Company had done they had adopted the best means to attain their objects, and to fulfil the most important functions in the great work of New Zealand Civilization. Large masses of individuals had been going out to the colony within the last eighteen months without any definite provision for their religious and moral improvement. It did not fall within the legitimate province of the Company to supply the deficiency, but what they did was better--they sent a Sister Society liberal support, and in the name of that Society he had to tender his cordial thanks in return.
The colonists who were about to depart for New Zealand had also followed out the views expressed by Lord Courtenay, forming themselves into a Committee which passed the following resolutions:--
"That the first object of the Committee shall be, to secure for the Colony the benefit of a Clergyman of the Church of England.
"That the Committee will also direct its immediate attention to the establishment of a Public School, at which the Children of Settlers and of the Natives shall be instructed on equal terms, it being, in the opinion of this meeting, of paramount importance to the future interests and welfare of the Settement, that the most perfect amalgamation of interests which may be practicable, shall take place between the Settlers and Native Inhabitants.
"That the Committee will also use every endeavour to establish the nucleus of a Literary Institution and Public Library, and to this end, that the nobility and gentry of the two counties be respectfully invited to contribute donations of duplicate works, maps, or other interesting matters.
"That the Committee will also use its best endeavours to establish a Dispensary for the Sick, and a Savings' Bank.
"That Mr. Cutfield and the Members of the Committee who are about to sail in the Company's ship William Bryan, for the Colony, be requested to take with them copies of these Resolutions, inviting the Officers of the Company and Settlers who are already there, to co-operate with the Committee in England, for the furtherance of the objects declared by these Resolutions.
"That the Secretary to the Company, to whom all communications for the Committee should be addressed, be requested to forward Copies of these Resolutions to the several Purchasers of Land, whose co-operation with the Committee is respectfully invited."
The objects of the Church Society and those expressed in the preceding resolutions, have now been materially forwarded by the appointment of a Bishop, who has just published an invitation to those of the Clergy who may be disposed to accompany him to the seat of his future labours, to which he is on the eve of departure.
From the period at which the above announcement was made by Mr. Wakefield a series of communications
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took place between the Government and the Company, marked by the most enlightened and liberal views on the part of the Colonial Minister, and resulting in the grant of a Royal Charter, under which the Plymouth Company became united to, and merged in, the New Zealand Company. By these arrangements, the Company have the great advantage of obtaining a title direct from the Crown to those lands which they have already disposed of, and still offer to the public; and they are enabled to apply their capital, in the most direct and effectual manner, towards the Colonization of the Islands of New Zealand. The interests of the several Settlements are identified under one management, and whilst all evils which might arise from the rivalry of separate Companies at home are avoided, the Colonists will see that they have one common interest, and, in the case of Wellington and New Plymouth, how much the commercial views of the one, and the agricultural objects of the other, may be mutually promoted, to the lasting benefit of each, and the welfare of the Colony in general.
The following Table, compiled from authentic documents, will shew the progress of Emigration to the Settlement of New Plymouth, up to the present time.
Another expedition is on the eve of departure, and when it has reached its destination, the population, counting on accessions by births, and from other Colonies, will, in all probability, be above seven hundred.
Mr. Carrington, the Chief Surveyor, arrived at Port Nicholson in January, 1841, and immediately embarked in the Company's ship Brougham, on a voyage of inspection, accompanied by Mr. Barrett, (whose long residence and acquaintance with the country had before rendered his services so valuable to Col. Wakefield) as a general guide and interpreter. After carefully examining the Taranaki district, Blind Bay, and Queen Charlotte's Sound, Mr. Carrington determined on selecting the first-named locality for the intended Settlement of New Plymouth, as appears by the following despatch.
Taranaki, 8th March, 1841.
My dear Sir,--I feel the greatest pleasure in informing you that we have selected for the Plymouth Settlement, decidedly the most fertile district in New Zealand, and although I have not got the harbour I could wish, I may say that, had I the whole of the country put at my disposal for selection, I should take the
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
place we have settled upon. Mr. Aubrey has been kind enough to write and give you, I believe, a minute description of all I have done; and as I have now only a few minutes to write this before the captain of the ship who takes it leaves the coast, I must defer, for a few days, sending you my journal of proceedings, and also the detailed account, and my opinion of what is desirable. Suffice it to say, all is truly well. I will send my plan of the town, latitude, longitude, &c. with my despatch.
Yours, most truly,
FRED. A. CARRINGTON.
Thos. Woollcombe, Esq.
&c. &c.
The general character of the district chosen for the Settlement of New Plymouth, will be most satisfactorily learnt from the following information, collected from private letters received from the colony, and newspapers published there.
General Description.
The earliest notice which we find of the Taranaki district, is in the report of Mr. Stokes, to Captain Smith, the Surveyor General of the New Zealand Company, in which the former gentleman, speaking of the lands which it may be most advisable to lay open for the choice of the preliminary country lands, sold by the New Zealand Company, says--
"Some detailed comparison between the two districts of Wanganui and Taranaki may be expected, but, as great care has been taken fully to describe the nature of the soil, the appearance of the face of the country, and all the different circumstances and advantages peculiar to each district, enough has been said to enable any person to form a correct opinion; and, without again entering into the subject at great length, it may be sufficient in this place to state that, after a careful consideration of all the facts, we are both of opinion that the district of Taranaki offers the greatest inducements to the colonists, and is best adapted, from the great extent of level and open country, for the country sections of the company's first and principal settlement. We have arrived at this conclusion after mature deliberation, and the best attention we were able to give to the subject, fully aware of the expectations formed of the expedition, and impressed with a due sense of the responsibility attached to the expression of our opinion."-Report of Mr. R. Stokes, New Zealand Gazette, No. 33.
Mr. E. J. Wakefield states, in his Journal of an expedition overland from Port Nicholson, up the Western Coast of the North Island:--
February 2nd, 1840.
"Dr. Dieffenbach and I ascended Baratutu, or the Sugar-loaf Point. This is a steep conical peak on the sea-shore, rising abruptly from level land to the height of 500 feet. From the summit there is a fine view of the neighbouring country. With the exception of a few high hills between Mount Egmont and the sea to the westward, the whole district, up to Mokao on the north, and Tonga-dido, a large volcano in the centre of the island on the east, displays a succession of gently undulating land, partly covered with wood, and partly with a jungle of flax, fern, and the native ti-tree, a sort of cabbage tree. It is watered by numerous rivers, there being no less than nine between the Sugar-loaf Island and Mokau, besides numberless smaller water-runs. Two of these may be entered at high water by vessels of small draught, having plenty of water inside a shallow bar. The Doctor has ascended Mount Egmont, accompanied by an Englishman of Mr. Barrett's train. He made one futile attempt on account of a continuance of rainy weather, and returned after three weeks' laborious travelling, having only reached the foot of the mountain, wet, in rags, and half-starved, having lived for the last three or four days on one potatoe each and some boiled fern-leaves a-day. The second time he was better provided, and succeeded in getting to the top and back within a less period. He has not yet determined the height,
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GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
having left some of his tables in the Tory; nor could I determine the height by a trigonometrical observation, having no log on board to run a base. I believe, however, it is not more than 10,000 feet, if so much. The Doctor's geological report will afford you a better account than I can glean from him of its composition. On the banks of the Waiwakaio, a river taking its rise on the side of the mountain, he found an extensive layer of the yellow ochre, which, when baked, forms the Kokowai or red paint of the natives. He also walked to Mokau along the sea-beach, a journey of two and a half days, and on his way fell in with a stratum of very pure cobalt, of which he has some beautiful specimens.
An Emigrant who went to Port Nicholson by the Adelaide with the first settlers, writes to his friends thus in August, 1840:-- "It is now the general opinion that the Valley of the Hutt, as it is called, is not large enough to furnish flat land for the first Colony; but there is no doubt that the Taranaki district is extensive, level, and extremely rich, and, therefore, calculated for agricultural pursuits. It follows that the agriculturists must go there; but Port Nicholson must be the commercial station, for which no other part of the country is equally adapted; and I do not entertain a doubt that both will rapidly rise to a high state of prosperity, in spite of the grumblers. For our satisfaction this fact is reported by all who visit any part of the island."
Mr. Harcourt Aubrey, a gentleman attached to the Surveying Staff of the Plymouth Settlement, says-- "The country about Taranaki is unquestionably far better adapted for agricultural purposes than that in the environs of Port Nicholson. For twenty or thirty miles along the coast, before we reached the Sugar Loaves, it presents a continuation of flat land. Mount Egmont rises in the back ground, towering far above the surrounding hills, and, when the clouds are for a moment withdrawn from the snowcapped summit, the sight is the most beautiful that it is possible to behold."
Mr. George Duppa states-- "Some few weeks back I accompanied the Plymouth Company's Surveyors and others to Taranaki, the site fixed upon for their township. The country in that district is almost beyond description; for miles and miles square it is perfectly level; in fact from Wanganui, in the Straits, to Cape Egmont, and from thence to Mokau, on the west coast, are two sides of a triangle, the base of which is a line drawn between Wanganui and Mokau, which triangle would cover a space of country, several thousand miles square, of slightly (very slightly) undulating land, in the centre of which rises up Mount Egmont, capped with snow, and generally hiding his hoary head with a mass of clouds. The effect produced by this is something of such grandeur, that it is beyond my powers to describe it. The foot of this sugar-loaf-shaped beauty is one mass of forest, but for several miles from the sea coast it is perfectly clear, and at this moment ready to receive the plough, that is after you have run fire through it, for at present it is covered with fern, about ten feet high, the which has had almost as beneficial an effect as though a forest had been standing in its place, and is at the same time much easier to remove. It is between two rivers, which help to drain the splendid district in which New Plymouth is to be erected."
Climate and Soil.
Mr. G. Duppa states:-- "Amongst other sketches, I have sent you a panoramic view of the Sugar Loaves, Mount Egmont, 4 and the Taranaki district generally, which I made when I went down there in the Brougham, with the Plymouth Company's surveyors. It will give you a better idea of the country than any verbal
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CLIMATE AND SOIL--CAPABILITIES, PRODUCTIONS, &C.
description that I could give, beyond a few observations. The land, for about three miles inland, is slightly undulating, but not so steep but that a plough would go over the whole of it; and a little further up the coast, as you approach the Waitera river, it is still less so; in fact, the plough could run straight an end for forty miles, aye, and for a hundred and twenty, if steered in the direction of Wanganui, at the back of Mount Egmont. It is for the most part covered with fern and brush-wood, (which fire levels with the ground) for several miles inland, when you first meet with groves of timber, presenting a most park-like appearance. Still further inland, you come upon forests of several thousand acres in extent, perfectly level, with the exception of a slight inclination towards the sea, so that the country is beautifully drained, and not intercepted with swamps.
"The Waitera, which was first pitched upon for New Plymouth, is a very pretty river, almost twice as broad as the Hutt, for three miles up, when it suddenly shoals. They were obliged to abandon it however, on account of the tremendous surf almost constantly breaking over the bar, which was nearly sending me to my long home, inasmuch as myself and a party of others, consisting of the Company's surveyors, were nearly all drowned, and had it not been for a years experience of the surf on this coast, on my part, we certainly should have been all swamped; as it was, we came off with a mere ducking; I, having the steer oar, picked out a place upon the beach where there appeared to be the least surf, ran the boat in, and we got within twenty yards of the shore, before we took in any water, and were only filled when we touched the shore; so, by quickly getting our traps out of the boat, and hauling her up, we all got safe, and our things dry, before night-fall. They have since picked out a beautiful spot, between two smaller rivers, about four miles from Barrett's houses, at the Sugar Loaves."
Mr. Stokes says-- "The soil from the beach to the hills, which are a quarter of a mile distant, is rich and black, and has evidently, in the more prosperous days of the tribe, been under cultivation."
Capabilities, Productions, &c.
Dr. Dieffenbach, the naturalist to the New Zealand Company, states-- "If Port Nicholson will become the principal town, it does not seem doubtful that the principal agricultural settlement should be formed elsewhere, and where else could this be than at Taranaki? This country is so superior, that a large population would there find occupation and wealth; and, at the present moment, we are even unable to form a correct idea to what degree of productiveness this part of the land can be raised. I do not intend to repeat again what this soil is capable to bear. There are, however, two productions, which have not before been mentioned, and for the cultivation of which I think the country particularly well suited--I mean tobacco and cotton, two of the most important articles for the English market, and which she has now to import from other countries. If Taranaki should be chosen for the place of the first agricultural settlement, I would recommend the Waitera river, about seven miles to the northward, from Sugar-Loaf Point. About twelve miles up this river, there was formerly a native pah, the Bukkarangiora Pah, which contained a numerous population, cultivating the land around to a great extent. Now, through the wars of the Waikato tribe, all the country from Mokau to the westward of Cape Egmont is deserted, and its former inhabitants now live around us; a luxurious vegetation of fern has taken place of the cultivated plants, but this fern is no impediment to the plough, but rather an advantage, as it can be burnt down. Immense districts of flax-ground are found, and those, too, are fine places for cultivation. But it would be rather desirable to turn the flax to some use, as the flax of Taranaki is regarded by natives as the best in New Zealand. A beautiful place for a town is found
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CAPABILITIES AND PRODUCTIONS--ANCHORAGE, &C.
about three-quarters of a mile up the river, on its right shore, which is somewhat elevated from Bukkarangiora Pah; the natives had a very frequented road round Mount Egmont, to opposite Kapiti. It is probable that this road will be again the principal line of land communication, as it runs inland, and in a straight line towards Port Nicholson."
Mr. Aubrey says:--
"What we saw here quite satisfied us that, if brought into cultivation, the banks of the Waitera might become the garden of the Pacific. There are no hills to contend with, as at Port Nicholson, and the size of the timber, with very few exceptions, presents but slight obstacles to the clearance of the land. Nothing can surpass the quality of the soil, if we are to judge from the luxuriant vegetation springing up everywhere; some potato stalks, growing at the native settlement, which I had the curiosity to measure, exceeded four feet in length. The wild cabbage is also to be found here, in the greatest profusion, affording a delicious vegetable for the table; but what chiefly attracted my attention was the Indian corn. This is a plant which I have seen cultivated in France, Spain, and Italy, but never did I see it come to greater perfection than here. These are, I think, sufficient proofs of the prolificness of the soil."--Aubrey's Journal.
Colonel Wakefield states-- "Taranaki, the district abreast of the Sugar Loaf Islands, has but one disadvantage--it has no harbour. The roadstead is not unsafe for ships well found with ground tackle, and formerly numerous traders from Sydney used to lie there whilst loading; but often a swell prevents landing for many days consecutively. This, however, is the case in all the harbours of New Zealand. Considering the genial climate and fertile soil--the vast space of easily available territory--the land communication with numerous settlements, and the facility of transporting produce to Port Nicholson or New Holland, by means of small craft, which can anchor under the shelter of the islands with safety: seeing, in fact, that the only obstacle to the rapid rise of a settlement there is the inconvenience to large ships from Europe, which might be remedied by a Breakwater or Mole, connecting the largest island with the main, a work infinitely less formidable than that which, in modern times, has made the name of our English Plymouth familiar to the world, I cannot but recommend Taranaki as the most eligible place for the settlement of her offspring."
Anchorage, &c.
Mr. E. J. Wakefield describes the anchorage as follows:-- "Went out in Barrett's boat, and towed her to a snug anchorage, from which I took the following bearings, in nine fathom water. Cape Egmont, S.W. by S.; Moturoa, or the high Sugar-Loaf Island, S.W. 1/2 W. half-mile distant; Motumahanga, or the outermost, S. by W. 1/2 S.; Mount Egmont, S. E. by S. 1/2 S.; Baratutu, or the high peak on the main, S. by W. two miles distant. * * *
The anchorage from which I have taken the bearings mentioned on the other leaf is very good, so long as the wind does not come from any point between N. and W. but if there should be any signs of a breeze in that direction, it becomes necessary to get under weigh at once, and get an offing, as there is no port of refuge for a sailing vessel above fifty or sixty tons, between Kawai and Cook's Straits. Baratutu, or the Sugar-Loaf Point, is a most prominent mark in making the land about here. From it, the two principal islands bear respectively as follows (nearly):--Moturoa, N. one mile distant; Motumahanga, N. W. by N. two miles distant; and a small island, (joined to the main by a neck of rocks, dry at low water) called Kimi Kotahi, N. E. by N. half a mile. Vessels of any size may pass between the two islands of Moturoa and Motumahanga, or even between Moturoa and Kimi Kotahi, taking care in this latter passage to avoid a small wash rock to the W. of the latter,
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ANCHORAGE--LAND AND WATER COMMUNICATION.
but easily seen from the mast-head. Two other reefs are to be avoided in this neighbourhood--one high out of water, and of considerable size, two or three miles to the south of Moturoa, and the other between the two, with a constant break upon it. With these cautions, vessels may go as near to the islands, in any direction, as they please, there being from six to eight fathoms water close to. I am sorry that I did not take the bearings of the reefs exactly; but shall do so in the course of an expedition which I shall make on foot presently. Nor can I depend on the distances exactly, having no log-line to run a base. With the help of mooring anchors and buoys, 5 laid down in spots sheltered from the different winds by the islands, and with that of a Breakwater, which might easily be run out from a point north of Kimi Kotahi, into three or four fathoms water, this might be in time rendered a very fair anchorage, far superior to many now in common use in different parts of the world. A vessel of not more than 100 tons burthen may even now shift about so as to get under the lee of one of the islands in any wind. In summer, there are often weeks of uninterrupted light weather, the wind beginning at about E. S. E. in the morning, and working gradually right round the compass (by north) to S. W. by night, never exceeding a light air, in which case the beach is quite practicable for boats, and the anchorage from which the Guide sailed this morning is perfectly safe; while, on the other hand, there are, even in summer, (occasionally) violent gales from W. and N. W.; and in winter (often) weeks of uninterrupted gales from the same quarter, in which case a tremendous surf rolls on to the beach, and the precautionary measures of which I have spoken become necessary for vessels at anchor in the roadstead."
Mr. Harcourt Aubrey observes-- "The anchorage at Sugar Loaves is safe in all winds, excepting a northwester, and when that wind begins to blow, the sooner vessels leave the better. During the time we have been here, it has been blowing from the S. E. and S. W. but these winds did not give the captain any uneasiness for the safety of the ship."
Mr. Stokes also says-- "The anchorage is formed by three islands, and the reefs connected with them, called, from their conical shape, the Sugar Loaves; the fourth of these conical hills terminates Sugar Loaf Point. The district is called from them Ngamotu (of the Islands) and Moturoa (the high Island.) The highest is between four and five hundred feet high; on the furthest Island the natives keep their property and provisions, to secure them from a sudden visit or incursion of the Wykato tribes."
Land and Water Communication.
It will be seen from the subsequent extracts from the New Zealand Gazette, that a coast road of communication has been already commenced from Port Nicholson, and it appears that there is a natural road to be formed at a trifling expense, along the coast, which will be available for driving stock, &c. Col. Wakefield, in his general description of the present state of the Colony, says-- "Proceeding higher up Cook's Straits, we find the foundation of New Plymouth already laid in the vast and fertile district of Taranaki. The Surveyor-General of the Plymouth company, with assistants, is employed in marking out the site of the future city. From Taranaki and Wanganui, immense supplies of agricultural produce and of flax will be conveyed to Port Nicholson; and the fisheries on the coast will also become the source of much profitable employment. In anticipation of a large coasting trade, numerous small vessels are now building, in the various harbours and inlets, on both sides of the Straits.
Dr. Dieffenbach remarks, on this head-- "The principal export of the
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CHARACTER OF THE NATIVES--EXTRACTS.
productions must be carried on in coasting vessels, which will find shelter in the rivers; but we must not forget that this fine district extends to only a few miles from Port Nicholson, and it is very probable, that the valley of the Hutt is connected with this country to the westward, in such a manner as to render the construction of a road comparatively easy."
It will be seen from the subsequent extracts from the New Zealand Journal that this has been since done.
Character of the Natives--their Preparations for Settlers.
Mr. Stokes says, in his report to Captain Smith--"Our resting-place was within sight of the Sugar Loaf Islands, which we reached the following afternoon, after a fatiguing walk over the rocky beach, crossing in succession the Wai-mariki, the Temaru, the Oagura, the Tapu-wai, and the Onghi-onghi. We passed over a high sand-hill running down to Sugar Loaf Point, and descended to the pah on the other side, which is a small collection of huts, without even a fence, and very few natives. The house in which we slept during our stay at Nga-motu, had been built by them in expectation of the arrival of immigrants among them, and was intended for their reception. It was the longest we had met, being 140 feet long, and 18 feet wide, having seven doors or openings, and a rude verandah in front, about three feet wide. There are two others in progress, 6 one on either side that just described; these are the same width with the first, and 90 feet long. These houses are near the anchorage, on the edge of a terrace which skirts the beach from Sugar Loaf Point to the eastward, following the curved line of the bay. There is not much wood in the immediate neighbourhood; and the natives bring the wood used in building these houses a distance of some miles. All their time seems to have been occupied lately with them, almost to the neglect of their potato grounds; and their thoughts are wholly engrossed with the subject. They speak of nothing else but Port Nicholson and the settlers there, and all the questions are directed to this point."
EXTRACTS FROM THE NEW ZEALAND PRESS.
The Brougham and Surveying Staff.
February 3rd, 1841.
The Brougham, Capt. Kettlewell, sailed on Monday last for Taranaki. She had on board about 60 persons, and a full cargo of houses. The Plymouth Company's Surveying Staff and families were among the passengers. Mr. Barrett and family also accompanied the expedition, as the Company's Interpreter. Mr. Barrett purposes continuing at Taranaki, to which he is much attached, from having previously long resided there, he has taken all things necessary to fit out an hotel, and a large whaling party. From what we have heard, it is likely to turn out an exceedingly valuable whaling station. Several gentlemen have taken the opportunity afforded by the Brougham's going to Taranaki, to visit and examine the surrounding country. The Brougham must have had a large quantity of property on board, as the ship appeared as deep in the water as vessels generally are from a foreign voyage. With 60 persons, Taranaki may be considered as colonized. In two or three months there will be from three to five hundred persons there.
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EXTRACTS FROM THE NEW ZEALAND PRESS.
After the Brougham has landed her cargo, she will proceed to the Sound and Cloudy Bay, and load for London a full cargo of bone and oil, the property of Messrs. Waters and Smith, of Port Nicholson; we believe before starting on her voyage, she will come in for letters and papers for England. --New Zealand Gazette, No. 44.
Proposed Mail from New Plymouth to Wanganui.
February 20th, 1841.
Mr. Barrett, on leaving this for Taranaki, stated it to be his intention to arrange for a mail, to be carried, by natives principally, between the Plymouth Company's settlement and Wanganui. We hope those interested will be enabled to make similar arrangements for a mail between this and the latter settlement.
The establishment of a mail of the kind would be attended with very small expence, while certainty of communication would not fail to augment the value of property both at Taranaki and Wanganui. There can be no doubt the settlers at Port Nicholson would use their best efforts to maintain a regular land communication. We would fain hope a few months will find us in possession of a regular mail, at least once a week, between each of these important settlements. Appearances promise an active trade between Port Nicholson and the settlements on this side of the Straits. We became acquainted but the other day with Wanganui, and already there are six vessels in and entering the trade of that settlement.--New Zealand Gazette, No. 45.
Soil, Harbour, &c.
March 13th, 1841.
The Brougham was just two weeks landing her cargo at Taranaki. When she sailed, the exact location of the town had not been decided upon; but from what we have heard, we believe the feeling was in favour of a site near the Sugar Loaf Islands. An agricultural gentleman who went up in the Brougham, to judge for himself whether the accounts respecting the merits of the Taranaki district had been exaggerated, has returned, and given in his adhesion to an opinion from which no eye witness has, as yet, dissented. That too much in favour of the fertility, availableness, and scenery of Taranaki cannot be said, all agree. A sight of that district excites even the most apathetic to become enthusiastic in their opinions of the bright prospects afforded to the settlers in New Zealand. The drawback is its being without a harbour; but the riches which the territory will yield will enable a powerful settlement to provide the means of forming a harbour, sufficient for the purpose of landing the goods required on the spot, and shipping the boundless quantity which the garden of this island is destined to send forth in a few years. This gentleman returned to Wellington further confirmed in the great prospects open to this settlement, from the absolute dependence of such immense and capable districts upon us, as the source of all their shipping and commerce. It will be our duty unceasingly to represent, in every possible form, the importance of creating and maintaining good land and water communication with Wanganui and Taranaki. So soon as the Plymouth Company has landed some settlers at Taranaki, the propriety of establishing a regular mail must be urged upon the attention of the Government.--New Zealand Gazette, No. 48.
Captain Moore's Testimony.--Progress of the Surveys.
The schooner Jewess, Capt. Moore, arrived here on Thursday, from Mokou and Taranaki. She brought a mail from the latter place, which she left on Saturday last. Capt. Moore had been on shore, and adds his testimony to the invariable opinion respecting that favoured district. The site of the town was selected, and is situated between two small rivers, immediately in rear of the Sugar Loaf Islands. It is Captain Moore's opinion that the landing furnished by the protection of the Sugar Loaf Islands, is abundant for the purposes of an agricultural
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EXTRACTS FROM THE NEW ZEALAND PRESS.
district. The Plymouth Company's Surveyor-General and Staff were actively engaged in their surveys, and in all probability, will have the land ready for appropriation by the time the settlers arrive.--New Zealand Gazette, No. 48.
Road from New Plymouth to Wellington.
March 20th, 1841.
The road, from Wellington to Ki Warra Warra, is nearly completed, and is a credit to the colony. Sufficient improvements having been made from thence to Petoni to enable foot passengers and horses to pass conveniently at all times of tides, the road party are now engaged upon the road from Ki Warra Warra to Porirua. This is as it should be, and we hope, in a few weeks to be able to announce that the road is thoroughly practicable the whole distance. One step more, and the country from this to Taranaki, a distance of 200 miles, mostly through fertile districts, will be practicable the whole distance. That step is the survey and completion of the road from Porirura, twelve miles onward. From what I hear, this is an undertaking which, fortunately for this young colony, will not require much outlay.--New Zealand Gazette, No. 49.
Copy of a letter from the Colonial Surgeon at the Settlement of New Plymouth, New Zealand, addressed to the Medical Director of the Company.
Arrival of the William Bryan. 7 --Account of the Voyage.
Port Underwood, March 20th, 1841.
DEAR SIR,--From the unexpected manner in which the "Brougham" spoke us, and being afraid of losing the opportunity of writing to England, I was under the necessity of sending my journal without any comments. So regular, indeed, has been the routine on board, and so much has one day been like another, that I have some difficulty in finding any subjects particularly worthy of remark.
I have complied, as nearly as possible, with the printed instructions, and have been very strict from the commencement, in enforcing cleanliness. The emigrants who are, from what I can collect, much superior to those usually sent out, soon found that to be clean and orderly was absolutely necessary for their comfort, and considering the number of children (seventy) and the crowded state of the between-decks, I have been often pleased with their ready attention to this important particular. To this, and the fine weather we have generally had, may be attributed the success which has attended our voyage, not having lost a single individual. In damp weather, when it was impossible to keep the decks dry, sickness was found to increase, and, at one time, I feared the simple fever was an infectious one. We were not long in getting into a warmer climate. This brought the people on deck, where they took their meals for upwards of two months. Some who were indiscreet enough to leave off their flannel, suffered severely in consequence, having severe pains in the limbs, not unlike rheumatism and catarrhs.
The temperature gradually rose as we approached the line, and never exceeded 85° Far. at noon. The therm, in my journal is taken at 10 o'clock, A.M. being considered nearer the average for the 24 hours. The weather since our arrival, has been delightful, the therm, varying from 60° to 69° or 70°, from 7 in the morning to 10 at night. This port has the name of being very wet, but they have had no rain all the summer, the hills being quite browned. The natives are superior to the ideas we had formed of them from books and wood-cuts. Instead of morose, savage looking people, we find them very civil, constantly laughing, and pleased with the greatest trifles. This race or tribe is the same as those living at Taranaki--in fact, they were driven from that place a few years ago. The shrubs and trees are bright coloured
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EXTRACTS FROM THE NEW ZEALAND PRESS.
evergreens, bearing red, purple and yellow fruits; two of which form an important article of food to the natives. There is a missionary station (Wesleyan) at the head of this port, with a native village and a population of about 100. They build very comfortable houses. The Lady Nugent arrived a few days before us, with the loss of 16 passengers.
Taranaki is spoken of by all parties as the Garden of New Zealand, but the landing is bad. Many of the inhabitants of Port Nicholson have stated their intention of leaving for Taranaki.
I hope to be able to send you shortly some specimens of our vegetation, for nothing can exceed the beauty of the plants and shrubs.
I am, &c.
HENRY WEEKES,
Colonial Surgeon.
Extracts from a letter from one of the officers attached to the first expedition, by the William Bryan to New Plymouth.
Port Nicholson, March 23, 1841.
My dear Sir,
You will be pleased to hear of our safe arrival in this part of the world, after a good and pleasant passage. The Lady Nugent arrived but two or three days before. She put into Hobart Town, and lost on the passage four persons and sixteen children. You will not like to hear we have no harbour at Taranaki; we have, however, the Garden of New Zealand. Every one who has seen that district approves of it, and I shall not be surprised if we head Port Nicholson in a very short time. Port Nicholson is a fine place, but I would much rather go to Taranaki. This must be the port, Taranaki the agricultural district. The distance between the two places, through Wanganui, is possibly from 150 to 180 miles. There is a natural road a great part of the way along the shore, and I think in six or eight months from this time, cattle may pass from one place to the other.
There is nothing to apprehend from the natives at Taranaki, Mr. Barrett, who will now reside there, having them quite under control, and I understand there are not many of them. Wanganui is a new settlement between the two places--it is highly spoken of here. The mauris (dark men) are, I am informed, building houses 8 at Taranaki for the parkias (white men) on speculation, so that we shall not miss our cottages, and, indeed, I would much sooner live in a good house built by the mauris than in a wooden cottage, unless well finished, the former being much warmer than the latter.
I am now staying at an inn, built in London, and a very cold place it is. Do not fancy this to be a climate where warm clothing is unnecessary. They tell me Taranaki is a much better climate.
There are, I understand, at least 100 persons at New Plymouth, and many here are anxious to get there. A mail carried by "mauris" will, I expect, soon be established from Taranaki, through Wanganui, to Port Nicholson.
Agricultural implements of all sorts will be valuable, and jackets and trowsers, shirts, combs, razors, &c.; the former, of strong materials, will be valuable to barter with the natives. The natives dress is very disgusting.
You can send out to advantage a quantity of good brown paper, and a considerable quantity of paper for rooms (common) as I find they are much wanted at Port Nicholson.
I am, &c.
Landing at New Plymouth.
May 1st, 1841
The Rev. Mr. Wallace, who has recently arrived at Taranaki, reports the landing of all the passengers by the William Bryan, at New Plymouth, and that the ship had proceeded to Durville's Island, to take in ballast, previously to discharging some iron remaining on board.--New Zealand Gazette, No. 55.
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APPENDIX (No. I.)
TERMS FOR PURCHASE OF LANDS IN NEW PLYMOUTH.
NEW ZEALAND COMPANY.
Governor.
JOSEPH SOMES, Esq,
Deputy-Governor.
HON. FRANCIS BARING, M.P.
WEST OF ENGLAND BOARD.
President.
THE EARL OF DEVON.
Vice-President.
THOMAS GILL, Esq. M. P.
Members of Local Board.
Sir Anthony Buller, (Pound.)
John Buller, Esq. (Morval.)
Captain Bulkeley, (Stonehouse.)
John Crocker Bulteel, Esq. (Fleet)
Charles B. Calmady, Esq. (Langdon Hall.)
Nathaniel Downe, Esq. (Stoke.)
Richard Fillis, Esq. (Plymouth.)
Thomas Gardner, Esq. (Plymouth.)
William John Gilbert, Esq. (Lichfield.)
J. Hine. Esq. (New Zealand House, London.)
George Leach, Esq. (Penlee Villas, Stoke.)
Sir Charles Lemon, Bart. (Carclew.)
Sir William Molesworth, Bart, (Pencarrow.)
E. W. W. Pendarves, Esq. M. P. (Pendarves.)
Edward St. Aubyn, Esq. (Devonport.)
R. Hippesley Tuckfield, Esq. (Fulford Park.)
Dr. Thorburn, M. D. (Plymouth.)
Right Hon. Lord Vivian, (Glynn.)
Thomas Woollcombe, Esquire, (Managing Director.)
Local Bankers.
DEVON AND CORNWALL BANKING COMPANY, PLYMOUTH.
Secretary.
WILLIAM BRIDGES, Esq. Office, 5, Octagon, Plymouth.
THE Court of Directors of the New Zealand Company hereby give notice, that the future sales of land in the settlement of New Plymouth in New Zealand (so far as the same are made in England) and the emigration to that Settlement, will henceforth be conducted under the superintendence of the Local Board above-mentioned, which has been constituted under the authority to that end, specially conferred upon the New Zealand Company, by the charter from the Crown.
The New Plymouth Settlement is intended to consist of three classes of land.
First--The Town land, comprising 2,200 sections, of a quarter of an acre each; and therefore equal to 550 acres, exclusive of all streets, squares, public places, parks, and land which may be rejected as unavailable.
Secondly--The Suburban lands, comprising 209 sections of 50 acres each, and therefore equal to 10,450 acres, exclusive of roads and rejected land.
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Thirdly--The Rural land, comprising at least 1,150 sections, of 50 acres each, and therefore equal to 57,500 acres, exclusive of roads and rejected land.
Two hundred of the town, and nineteen of the suburban sections have been set apart as native reserves; and it is intended to add a further quantity to the rural lands, for disposition in a similar manner; so that a quantity equal to one tenth of the whole settlement may be distributed among the native chiefs, in the same manner as in the first settlement of Wellington, subject only to the regulations of Her Majesty's Government.
The Plymouth Company, previous to its merger in the New Zealand Company, had disposed of 1,000 sections of town land, and 54 sections of suburban land, the priority of choice for which, respectively, together with the priority of choice for the sections reserved by the Plymouth Company, and for the natives, has been decided by a ballot, wherein the Company took equal chances with those who had purchased land orders from them.
The Company had also disposed of 149 sections of rural land, the purchasers of which are entitled to make their choices according to the order in which they may present their land orders in New Plymouth.
All further sales in England will be confined, until further notice, to actual colonists, on the following terms:--
1. With a view to distribute, as generally as may be practicable, the advantage to be derived from the possession of preliminary lands, no application from an individual colonist will be entertained for more than eight allotments of land, each allotment containing one section of town land, and one section of rural land.
6. Two hundred and fifty allotments are set apart for sale, as above mentioned, at the price of £75 for each allotment, and applications for (according to a form which may be obtained at the Company's offices, or the agents,) the same are to be made in writing, which, if accompanied by a deposit of £10 in respect of each allotment, will entitle the applicant to receive separate land orders for each town and rural section, with such priorities and rights of selection as hereinafter mentioned, in exchange for the residue of the purchase money.
3. The numbers signifying the priority of choice for the town sections have been selected, on a fair average, from the 1000 numbers of choice which have fallen to the Company, in the general ballot above referred to. These selected numbers (particulars of which may be obtained at the office in Plymouth, or at the New Zealand House, London,) are deposited in a wheel, from which the purchasers numbers will be drawn, in the presence of three directors and of the applicant, if he shall think proper to attend, either in person, or by his agent.
The purchasers will be entitled to such town sections as may have been chosen by the Company's Agents, in virtue of the priority of choice signified by the number so respectively drawn. The purchasers will also be entitled to select the rural sections from any land in the Plymouth Settlement, surveyed and declared open for choice as rural sections, at the time, and according to the order of presenting the land order in the Colony, subject only to the regulations of the land office, for preserving fairness and regularity of choice.
4. The sum of £50, in respect of every £75 received for each allotment as above, will be transferred to the Emigration Fund, and a purchaser to the extent of £300 will be entitled to an allowance from the said fund towards the passage of himself and family to the Colony, at the rate of £25 per cent, on the amount of his purchase money, subject to the regulations of the Directors for confining this allowance to bona fide settlers, as embodied in the special Land Orders for the Settlements of Nelson and New Plymouth. Provided that no party will be entitled to a larger allowance on the above-mentioned account, than will pay his own passage and that of his family (if any) according to the rates which will be issued from time to time by the Court of Directors. The residue of the fund will be expended in the conveyance
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of labouring emigrants to the settlement.
5.--The residue of the land, consisting of 750 town sections, 136 suburban sections, and at least 750 rural sections, will be sold by auction in the settlement, in such portions and at such upset prices, as will from time to time be declared by the Company's Agents; the minimum price being in no case less than the uniform price required by the Government, for Crown Lands in New Zealand.
6.--It is the intention of the Company, in reference to the minimum price named in the last paragraph, that a portion of the purchase money obtained by means of auction sales, equal at the least to 15s. per acre, shall be set apart for the exclusive purposes of emigration to the settlement. But, as it may reasonably be presumed that the sales by auction will produce a much larger average price per acre, if the lands are judiciously selected and offered for sale, the Emigration Fund will in that case be augmented; it being the confident opinion of the Court, as expressed in the instructions which have been given to their officers, that the prosperity of the Colony, no less than the interests of the Company, depends on the proportion per acre, in which the appropriation of land as private property shall conduce to emigration.
7.--Any person who may wish to proceed to the settlement with a view to purchase land by auction on his arrival, shall be entitled to a certificate from the Court of Directors, stating the amount he may have paid for the passage-money of himself and his family, (not being money allowed under the preceding regulations) and the party to whom such certificate may have been granted, will be entitled to a drawback, not exceeding 25 per cent, on whatever may be the price of land so bought by auction in the settlement, towards the repayment of the amount specified in the certificate.
8.--Any intending purchaser who shall deposit with the Company in England, a sum of money towards a purchase of land at auction in the settlement, will, if such purchase be completed within twelve months from the date of deposit, be allowed a drawback of 10 per cent, exclusive of the passage allowance before mentioned; and, if such purchase be not made, will be entitled to have the deposit money returned, without interest.
9.--Any intending purchaser making a deposit as last provided, will be allowed to nominate labourers and their families, who come within the Company's Regulations, for a free passage to the settlement, in the proportion of three adults for every £100 deposited.
By Order of the Court,
F. DILLON BELL,
Secretary, pro tem.
New Zealand House,
10th Sept. 1841.
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APPENDIX (No. II.)
REGULATIONS
FOR LABOURERS WISHING TO EMIGRATE TO NEW-ZEALAND.
1. --By its terms of purchase for Lands in the Settlement of New Plymouth, the Company has engaged to lay out a portion of the monies received from Purchasers, equal at the least to 15s. per acre, in defraying the cost of Emigration to the Settlement. Purchasers and others may, therefore, submit labouring persons, of the class hereafter described, to the approval of the Board, for a free passage. In the selection of labouring Emigrants, the Company has undertaken to give a preference to applicants who shall be under engagement to work for capitalists intending to emigrate.
2. --The Company offers a free passage, (including provisions and medical attendance, during the voyage), to persons of the following description:-- Agricultural Labourers, Shepherds, Miners, Bakers, Blacksmiths, Braziers and Tinmen, Smiths, Shipwrights, Boat-builders, Wheelwrights, Sawyers, Cabinet-makers, Carpenters, Coopers, Curriers, Farriers, Millwrights, Harness-makers, Boot and Shoe-makers, Tailors, Tanners, Brick-makers, Lime-burners, and all persons engaged in the erection of buildings.
3. --Persons engaged in the above occupations, who may apply for a free passage to New Zealand, must transmit, free of expense, to the office of the Company, at Plymouth, the most satisfactory testimonials as to their qualifications, character, and health.
4. --They must be actual labourers, going out to work for wages in the Colony, of sound mind and body, not less than fifteen nor more than forty years of age, and married. The marriage certificate must be produced.
5. --To the wives of labourers, thus sent out, the Company offers a free passage with their husbands.
6. --To single women, not exceeding thirty years of age, a free passage will be granted, provided they go out under the protection of their parents, or near relatives, or under actual engagement as servants to ladies going out as cabin passengers, on board the same vessel. The preference will be given to those accustomed to Farm and Dairy work, to Sempstresses, Straw-platters, and domestic servants.
7. --A free passage will also be granted, in certain cases, to single men, under thirty years of age, whose qualifications and character are satisfactory, provided they are accompanied by one or more adult sisters, likewise not exceeding thirty years of age.
8. --The children of parents sent out by the Company, will receive a free passage, if they are under one, or full seven years of age, at the time of embarkation. For all other children, £3 each must be paid, in full, before embarkation, by the parents or friends, or by the parish.
9. --Persons not strictly entitled to be conveyed out by the emigration fund, if not disqualified on account of character, will, at the discretion of the Directors, be allowed to accompany the free emigrants, on paying to the Company the sum of £20 for every such adult person. The charges for children are as follows:--Under one year of age, no charge; one year and under seven, one-third of the charge for adults; seven years of age, and under fourteen, one-half the
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charge for adults; but if the parents be of the labouring-class, the children will be taken out on the terms stated in Regulation 8.
10. --All Emigrants, adults as well as children, must have been vaccinated, or have had the small-pox.
11. --Emigrants will be embarked at the Port of Plymouth.
12. --The expense of reaching the port of embarkation, must be borne by the Emigrants; but on the day appointed for their embarkation they will be received, even though the departure of the ship should be delayed, and will be put to no further expense.
13. --Every adult Emigrant is allowed to take half-a-ton weight, or twenty cubic feet of baggage. Extra baggage is liable to charge, at the ordinary rate of freightage per ton.
14. --No Mattresses or Feather Beds will be received on board, but the Emigrants will be supplied, gratis, with Mattresses and Bolsters, which they will be allowed to retain on arrival at the Colony. They must provide sufficient blankets, sheets, and coverlets for themselves and their children, and the necessary utensils required on board, such as a knife and fork, plate, spoon, drinking mug, &c.; the latter had better be of tin or pewter. The articles required in cooking will be supplied on board. The Emigrants must procure the necessary tools of their own trades, and, before they will be permitted to embark, they must provide themselves with a proper outfit of clothing and other necessaries for the voyage. The outfit may be obtained upon payment, to the Company, or to the outfitter, of the prices affixed to the several articles in the List.
15. --On the arrival of the Emigrants in the Colony, they will be received by an officer, who will supply their immediate wants, assist them in reaching the place of their destination, be ready to advise with them in case of difficulty, and at all times to give them employment in the service of the Company, if, from any cause, they should be unable to obtain it elsewhere. The Emigrants will, however, be at perfect liberty to engage themselves to any one willing to employ them, and will make their own bargain for wages.
16. --The application of no Emigrant will be considered as granted, until a deposit of 20s. per head for each adult, and 10s. per head, for each child under 14, in the family, is lodged in the hands of the Secretary, which will be returned on embarkation only.
By Order of the Directors.
W. BRIDGES, Secretary.
New Zealand House,
Plymouth, Sept. 1st, 1841.
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SCALE OF EMIGRANT'S OUTFIT.
It is considered that each Male and Female Emigrant should make up a Stock of personal Clothing, &c. equal to the annexed scale; the Articles in which may be obtained, by payment of the undermentioned wholesale prices, at the Company's Office, or of Messrs. Foster and Co. St. Aubyn-street, Devonport.
FOR EACH ADULT MALE.
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SCALE OF EMIGRANT'S OUTFIT.
Children must be provided with a proportionate outfit.
Each Family should provide a stout Linen Bag, large enough to contain a month's Clothing, which Bag, and a Box, not exceeding 16 inches square, may be kept on the deck where the Emigrants sleep. All other baggage, of every description, will be stowed in the Hold, and the packages should, therefore, be very strong, well corded, and marked with the owner's name at full length.
As a general rule, packages which exceed 3 feet 6 inches in. length, and 2 feet in breadth and depth, will subject the owner to the charge of 1s 6d. per cube foot, notwithstanding the total quantity of baggage may not exceed that allowed by Rule 13, unless it shall appear to the Shipping Agent that the articles could not have been conveniently packed in a smaller compass.
Parties may be supplied with copies of this pamphlet, by post, on addressing a letter to the "Secretary, New Zealand House, Plymouth." enclosing ten postage stamps, or by any Country Bookseller, through their London Correspondents. The recognised Agents of the Company will be supplied with copies for distribution, without the lithographic sketch, at 25s. per hundred.
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WORKS ON NEW ZEALAND, ETC.
