[CHAPTER 2]
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CHAPTER II.
THE EARLY PROGRESS OF THE COLONY.
ON the return of our party from the northern parts of the island to Port Nicholson, we found that the first colony had arrived, and the settlers had commenced building, and were also cultivating ground for immediate purposes. The harbour presented now a very different scene from that which it had shown a few months previously; twelve ships were lying at anchor in the bay, and on shore the numerous houses and tents which had been erected gave an appearance of civilization and comfort to the place, which we had not expected so soon to find. The natives, we were pleased to find, were on excellent terms with the settlers, and most of them were either engaged in their employ, or in building houses for the immigrants which were yet to arrive.
The energy and industry of the settlers were conspicuous, and a cheerful spirit reigned amongst them They seemed to care but little for difficulties of the country around them, and little objection was made to the land on account of the expense of clearing as they were satisfied of its extreme fertility.
Had all the land-owners been then able to commence farming, the colony would ere now have produced far more grain than would have been sufficient for its consumption; but at this most critical
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FIRST PROCEEDINGS OF THE COLONISTS.
period in the history of the settlement, the colonists were given to understand that from the Government they would have no title to the land, and that should they commence cultivation or building on the site of the town, their property would be liable to forfeiture, and themselves to ejection. The sight of the "mounted police,"--men whose business it was, in the penal colonies to apprehend escaped convicts and hunt down "bush-rangers,"--patroling the beach, with fetters in their hands, for the intimidation of the inhabitants, served but to prepare them for the still harsher usage they were to meet with from the local government.
A public meeting was convened by the settlers, to consider the state of affairs in this crisis: and the Colonial Secretary, then resident in Wellington as chief magistrate, was respectfully invited to attend a future meeting, in order that the settlers might be made acquainted with the intentions of the Government respecting their claims, as far as he was authorized to disclose the same. Mr. Shortland refused to have any interview for that purpose, saying that he had no instructions to treat with the inhabitants in any way but as a magistrate; hinting, afterwards, at the substance of the bill then about to be passed in the New South Wales Council, which prevented any person or company holding more than 2,500 acres. Subsequently, when asked by some gentlemen his opinion respecting their security in expending capital on the place, the Colonial Secretary replied, in accordance with the whole system of conduct of the Governor, who was instructed to treat the Port Nicholson settlers with "kindness and consideration,"--"Gentlemen, I cannot satisfy you in this particular, or give you my opinion at all on the mat-
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HOSTILITY OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
ter, as I am daily in expectation of receiving instructions from Auckland to order you off the land, to give place for a Government township."
In the state of uncertainty caused by this system of Government, the settlers could not, of course, proceed with any degree of assurance; and those possessed of small capital, finding themselves unable to cultivate land, or to carry out the plans on which they had emigrated, became dispirited at the poor prospects before them; while those who had embarked a few hundred pounds in the enterprize, and had hoped to commence farming in such a manner as would soon yield them a maintenance, seeing that there was no chance of the realization of their plans, turned their attention to trading instead of agriculture, and soon lost much of the spirit and confidence which they had manifested before the interference of Government.
At one time this uncertainty had reached to such a height, that it was proposed by some of the most influential persons in the place, and with much seriousness, that the colony should remove to Chili, giving up all claims to land in New Zealand, and placing itself under the protection of one of the South American republican governments, which was willing to grant it land and considerable constitutional privileges. This project, however feasible as it was, soon fell to the ground, in consequence of the continued arrival of settlers from England, as well as the confidence every one had in the power and influence of the Company in England.
Colonel Wakefield, the Company's principal agent, returned about this time from the Bay of Islands, whither he had been deputed to proceed, on the part of the settlers, with an address of congratulation, and
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DEPUTATION TO SYDNEY.
promises of support from them to the Lieutenant-Governor. The answer which he brought was, however, vague and indecisive, and had not the effect of tranquillizing the public mind.
A deputation was then dispatched to Sydney to learn from the Governor-General the terms on which the settlers were likely to receive titles to their land from the Crown. Sir George Gipps displayed a statesmanlike and conciliatory spirit, to which his subordinate was a stranger; and in making known to the deputation the arrangements and plans which he would propose for them to the home Government, he assured them of the interest which he took in the welfare of the colony, and of his anxiety for its prosperity.
The propositions of the Governor-General met with immediate and decided acceptance at Port Nicholson. It entailed some inconveniences on the settlers by obliging them to take their land in the immediate vicinity of the harbour, where much of it was unfit for agricultural purposes, and by reserving the Government right of selecting twenty acres of town land, as also of a certain extent of ground above high-water mark, for its own purposes; but the settlers were happy in having any terms proposed to them, and on the announcement of the success of the deputation, the colony again resumed an appearance of spirit and activity.
At the same time, in the period which elapsed before the settlers could proceed with assurance in their respective occupations, nothing but the large amount of capital which had been brought into the colony by the first settlers, and the liberal expenditure of the Company in Wellington, could have saved the colony from destruction.
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EXPEDITION TO MOUNT EGMONT.
Shortly before the return of the deputation from Sydney, Mr. Shortland, the Colonial Secretary, was removed from Port Nicholson, and was succeeded in the magistracy by a person of gentlemanly deportment and comprehensive understanding; and although the settlers could not be satisfied with the sole adjudication of one magistrate, who, while really interested in the welfare of the colony, was nevertheless in the pay of the local government and had been sent from Auckland, they yet rejoiced in their deliverance from the annoyance and overbearing authoritativeness of the one who had left them.
Previous to the departure of the deputation for Sydney, an expedition was despatched from Port Nicholson to explore the country northward of the Tararua range, lying about the Manewatu and Wanganui rivers, and as far as Mount Egmont. Having formed one of the party, and more especially as the country over which the expedition passed is one of the finest portions of New Zealand, and is entirely dependent on the harbours of Port Nicholson and Wanganui as outlets for its future produce, I shall here give some description of the various districts which we passed, and which either are now, or shortly will be, in the various stages of colonization.
The principal object of the expedition was to ascertain whether the more remote districts lying along the northern shore of the strait were of a nature to cause their general applicability for settlement; as well as obtain a more accurate knowledge of the coast line, and the various rivers, than had before been known.
On leaving the neighbourhood of the harbour, we found that the difficulties of communication with the northern shore and the interior had been far exagger-
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EXPEDITION TO MOUNT EGMONT.
ated. The hills, which had been pointed out as forming a barrier to any outlet from the district of Port Nicholson, were of easy access, and of exceedingly rich and fertile soil, covered with valuable timber, and for the most part available for agriculture.
As a description of the Porirua harbour and district is given in another part of this pamphlet, I shall here only notice, that had the depth of water been greater at the entrance of the harbour, the Porirua country might, probably, have been chosen for the site of the first enterprise of the Company, in preference to Port Nicholson, in the district of which it is now included.
For about thirty miles from Porirua, the strip of available land along the coast is narrow, the high snowy mountains of the Tararua range rising only a few miles from the sea ; but a short distance beyond the island of Kapiti the level land increases in width, and the mountain ranges receding, open the Manewatu plains, which are the commencement of large flat inland districts in the centre of the North island.
The whole country, from the Manewatu river along the coast of the strait to the Sugar Loaf Islands, is of a level nature, much less wooded than the rest of the island, and watered by numerous rivers, of which three are navigable at their entrance for small vessels. The country generally is well adapted for settlement, but it must be accomplished by the growth of the population of the places already colonized. The Wanganui and Manewatu rivers, which will be hereafter described, are both now in progress of settlement from Wellington, and possess many facilities for becoming important agricultural and pastoral stations.
Between the above-mentioned rivers, the Ranga-
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EXPEDITION TO MOUNT EGMONT.
tiki and Wangaihu fall into the sea. These rivers have their origin in the plains to the south of the Tongariro volcano, and flow through a fine level country eminently adapted for grazing.
Beyond the Wanganui, and between it and Mount Egmont, lies the Patea district, which is equal to that of Wanganui in extent and fertility, but without the advantage of an equally navigable river. Small coasting vessels have, however, entered the Patea for native produce, which maybe obtained in abundance. The country around this, and the Wenua Kuri river, which two closely approximate, is exceedingly fine, and capable of depasturing large herds and flocks; being, for the most part, covered with grass and herbage.
About thirty miles from the coast of Wanganui there rises a range of hills separating the Patea from the Taupo country, which lies in the vicinity of the lake of the same name and Lake Rotorua. Although this range of hills intervenes between the districts, there is yet an easy communication between them by the valley of the river, which winds amongst the mountains, and has its source in the Taupo plains. The last-mentioned country is so level and devoid of bush, that, according to the statements of the natives, it is possible to ride with ease from the sources of the Cook's Strait rivers, all the way across to the Bay of Plenty.
Of the Taranaki country, which we next visited, but little need here be said, as it is by all parties allowed to be the most fertile in New Zealand. The level land extends around the base of Mount Egmont, as far as the eye can observe, and is composed of an exceedingly rich volcanic mould over granite and conglomerate. In the centre of this plain, or slightly
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RETURN OF THE EXPEDITION.
undulating surface, the mountain, rising with beautiful regularity of form to a height of nearly 8,000 feet, is an object of extreme grandeur and sublimity.
The Taranaki district is not so densely wooded as that near Port Nicholson. Towards the coast are extensive tracts of open country, covered with coarse grass and fern. Around the immediate base of the mountain, the country is covered with forest; large portions of grazing land being, however, occasionally interspersed. All the land is well adapted for the production of wheat, and may be cultivated at a comparatively trifling expense.
The report given of the nature of the country (on the return of the expedition to Wellington, after an absence of two months,) and of the quantity of available land in the interior, which would eventually be dependent on Wellington as a commercial port, and as the only outlet for its produce, gave much satisfaction to the colonists; as it assured them of the facilities of communication between their settlement and the whole of the North Island, and at the same time convinced them all of the suitability of the locality selected for the site of the future capital of New Zealand.
I must now advert to the treatment received by the colonists from Governor Hobson. Although he had been in the country since the arrival of the colony, with constant means of communication at his disposal, he had not yet visited the settlement where were established three-fourths of the white population of the islands. On his arrival in the country, he might have been expected to view the proceedings of the Port Nicholson settlers with some degree of caution and jealousy, from his known partiality to the missionary interest, which was always
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PROCEEDINGS OF GOVERNOR HOBSON.
opposed to the Company's plan of colonizing the country in a systematic manner: yet, on the joyous reception of the declaration of the right of the English Crown, by the settlers in Port Nicholson, and their expression of support and gratulation to its representative, all mistrustful feeling and jealousy should have ceased: and Captain Hobson would then have been respected and beloved as the Governor of New Zealand, rather than known as the founder of an obscure and distant settlement, and the head of a party of officials dependent on the colonists for their maintenance.
On becoming acquainted with the arrangements between Governor Gipps and the Port Nicholson settlers, and finding that the threat of dispossessing them of their land was uncared for, a new plan was resorted to by Capt. Hobson, that would have the effect of retarding the prosperity of the rival township, and injuring the inhabitants. At this time, when, through the settlement of the long-pending title question, the settlers in Wellington began to feel themselves in a position to carry out the plans on which they had immigrated--when numerous buildings were in the course of erection--land being cleared and cultivated, and all the mechanic and labouring classes in full employment, at high wages,--a ship was dispatched from Auckland for the purpose of removing from Wellington to that place the working people who could be induced to enter the Government employ.
The Governor has since, I learn, denied participation in this business, but the fact is incontrovertible; the inducement was advertised in the local newspaper, with the signature of the resident police magistrate attached to it; and the constables, and go-
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PETITION FOR HIS RECALL.
vernment agents were continually at the Company's immigration depot, endeavouring to persuade the newly-arrived immigrants, by the ships Blenheim and Slains Castle , to leave the place, and proceed to the Thames.
These various objectionable proceedings of the Lieutenant Governor towards the Port Nicholson settlers did not fail to excite their indignation; and their feelings were soon made manifest in the dispatch of a numerously signed petition to the English Crown for his removal. Soon after being made acquainted with the fact of the petition having been forwarded to England for his recall, Capt. Hobson, in a letter to the Company's agent at Wellington, declared that he intended shortly to visit that settlement, and that he "would bring in his hand an olive branch." The letter was accompanied by the newly-made list of magistrates, in which had been omitted the names of three of the most respectable residents in Port Nicholson, who had been put in the commission of the peace by Sir George Gipps.
The reason of these gentlemen not being included amongst the magistrates of New Zealand, appointed by Capt. Hobson on that country being erected into an independent colony, was, that they had accepted the invitation, at a meeting of the inhabitants, to exercise the power with which they were invested as magistrates, as a check upon the proceedings of the police magistrate, with whose conduct some of the settlers were not satisfied. The insult shown to the settlers by Capt. Hobson in this instance was deeply felt, and they did not forget to express to him their opinion concerning it on his subsequent visit.
On the arrival of the intelligence of the erection of New Zealand into an independent colony, and of the
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ARRANGEMEMT WITH THE HOME GOVERNMENT.
Company's incorporation by charter, together with the news of the favourable light in which the Government viewed the Company's proceedings, the public confidence in Wellington was completely restored, and the settlers became assured of their ultimate success, which caused them to proceed with increased energy and enterprize in their different avocations. This spirit, happily, had not in the least diminished at the date of the writer's departure from the colony.
The arrival of the colony for New Plymouth, which occurred about this time, rather than being looked upon in Wellington as detrimental to the interests of that place, was esteemed a benefit; as all knew that the colonization of the land around Cook's Strait would conduce materially to the prosperity of that settlement. The enterprise proved, too, that the Company had neither diminished its efforts for that end, nor been awed into inaction by the difficulties which had been thrown in its way by Government. The subsequent location of the Nelson settlement was, in the same manner, viewed in Port Nicholson as highly advantageous to the interest of the latter place.
On the arrival of the Governor at Wellington, which at length occurred twenty-seven months after his landing in New Zealand, he found the colony proceeding with far more spirit than it was likely he had expected; as he had until that time only obtained a knowledge of the place from the accounts of persons whose interest it was to depreciate it. The settlers at Wellington knew that the two principal Government agents who had visited them--Messrs. Williams and Shortland--had not reported favourably of the locality; they were, therefore, not surprised
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VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR.
when it was asserted that Capt. Hobson had expressed himself favourably of the place, which he found to be different from his pre-conceived idea, but that he was much disgusted with the behaviour of the inhabitants. This latter feeling was, however, reciprocal, and cannot be wondered at by those acquainted with the mutual position of the parties.
The Port Nicholson settlers did not, on receiving the Governor, follow the example shown them at the Bay of Islands. At a public meeting, held on the night of his arrival, it was determined that no congratulatory, or any other kind of address, should be presented to him, but that at the same time respect should be shown to the representative of the Crown, and to an old and efficient naval officer, and that in their conduct towards him, they would be guided by the spirit which he might display towards the interests of their settlement. It is true, that during the discussion some excitement was evinced; and the circumstance of colonial newspapers having been put into mourning on like occasions was even mentioned; but the settlers, although they could not welcome him, allowed no expression of insult or contumely to escape them.
During the stay of the Governor in Port Nicholson, no unusual excitement took place; and a stranger would have scarcely believed that the long-expected visit had taken place. The Governor, with his aide-de-camp and party, walked about the town, unattended by the inhabitants, and unnoticed; and at his levee, none but officials, or persons seeking government employment, were present. The working classes displayed the same dissatisfaction as the others, and showed but little gratitude for his pretended wish of bettering their condition by removing
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VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR.
them to Auckland. His refusal to set apart a piece of ground for the site of a mechanics institution, did not increase his popularity amongst them.
This long expected and much desired visit was followed by but few of the advantages which were expected to attend it. The Governor still evinced the same spirit of opposition to the interests of the place, which had been so long and deservedly complained of ever since his first arrival in the country. The greater benefits derived from his visit were the establishment of a criminal court, and the liberation of some of the prisoners who had been waiting in gaol for trial for more than two years. The boundaries of the district were also fixed, and a few localities pointed out in and around the town for the necessary public buildings; but when these were to be erected was not mentioned.
The principal cause of dissatisfaction to the settlers at this time was the opposition displayed to their own as well as the Company's interests by Capt. Hobson, in the question as to the location of the Nelson settlement. A suitable site had been proposed, at Banks' Peninsula, where there was a good harbour, adjoining a splendid agricultural district; but this was, unfortunately, a few miles beyond the limits of the territory originally purchased by Col. Wakefield, within which the Company was obliged to found the settlement, unless any other location were approved by the Governor. As its position in the Middle Island, which Capt. Hobson declared he would not colonize, could not, of course, in any way adduce to the supremacy of the government town, the veto of the Governor was put on the colony being settled at Port Cooper; and a bay was pointed out in the gulf of the Thames, about fifteen miles from
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SELECTION OF THE SITE OF NELSON.
Auckland, as the most proper place for the new settlement; while the Company's agent was informed that if he should not choose to go to a place of which he had no knowledge,--marked on the chart as without a harbour, or any other apparent advantage,-- he must restrict himself to the limits of the territory originally acquired by the Company.
It is almost needless to remark, that nothing short of infatuation would have induced Capt. Wakefield to plant the colony in the place pointed out, where, without any equivalent advantages, it would have been continually suffering from the rivalry of the adjacent government town, which would soon have drained the place of the working population which had been brought out at the expense of the landowners of Nelson: while the additional circumstance of Auckland possessing a tolerable harbour, would also have always caused its pre-eminence over the adjoining township.
