1857 - Paul, R. B. Letters from Canterbury, New Zealand - LETTER I.

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LETTER I.

YOU are no doubt aware, that the Canterbury Association was formed avowedly for the purpose of founding a settlement to be composed in the first instance of members of the Church of England; or at least of persons whose acceptance of the conditions set forth by the projectors of the plan might be taken as evidence of their good will towards that Church. With much that was Utopian and dreamy in this plan, there was yet enough of common sense to recommend

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it to the consideration of practical men. The idea, if it was ever seriously entertained, of attempting to exclude from the new settlement all whose profession of faith differed from their own, was abandoned by most of the colonists almost as soon as they had set foot on the shores of New Zealand.

They found the ground already occupied, though to a small extent, by Scotch and other settlers, who received them with great kindness; and they were content to fraternize with those excellent men, without inquiring too closely how far their religious opinions coincided. Still the plan, although ignored to this extent by most of those who had subscribed to it in England, was very far indeed from being a failure. By collecting together a body of colonists professing the same faith, the Association laid the foundation of a community, in which, at all events for the present, the difficulties generally attendant on the establishment of religious and educational institutions in new colonies would be very materially diminished. And this has been in reality the case, for although Wesleyan congregations were soon formed in Lyttelton and Christchurch, the whole educational system is still (with one exception) that of the Church of England; and in almost every place where a community of any magnitude is settled, plain buildings have been erected, or are in course of erection, for the celebration of divine service according to the ritual of that Church.

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Again, with regard to endowments. Although most of the Canterbury settlers now smile at the magnificent programme of churches and college and bishop's residence, and so forth, which you have seen, I dare say, in the early numbers of the Canterbury Association's papers; still the great majority of them are thankful that the plan adopted by the Association has enabled them to start with an available fund sufficient even at present to qualify the acknowledged evils of the purely voluntary system, and steadily increasing every year. Another incidental advantage has been, that the ecclesiastical scheme of the Association has brought together a body of settlers second to none in intelligence, moral worth, and persevering industry; men who are proving every day that polished manners and literary attainments are no obstacle to their "going a-head" as surely as the roughest backwoodsman that ever handled an axe in the forests of the Far West.

Having obtained a charter of incorporation, and a sum of money as an advance, repayable out of the funds which would, as they supposed, be realized by the sale of lands at 3l. an acre, the Association commenced their operations in July, 1848, by sending out Captain Thomas as their agent and chief surveyor. In his first report this gentleman informs the Committee that he has selected as a site for the Canterbury settlement the plains adjacent to Banks's Penin-

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sula, which some years before had been refused by Governor Hobson to the New Zealand Company. The advantages of this site are reported by Captain Thomas to be "a harbour of its own, instead of being dependent upon one appertaining to another settlement; an immense extent of land easily available for cultivation, and removed from danger of disturbance from natives; possessing an extent of outside grazing country unequalled in New Zealand, and being in every way available for being formed into a province with a separate legislature."

On the 16th of December, 1850, the first detachment of Canterbury colonists arrived in two ships, the "Charlotte Jane" and "Randolph," followed on the 17th by the "Sir George Seymour." These ships had left Plymouth 100 days before in the same order in which they arrived. On the 27th the barque "Cressy," which had sailed with the other three, anchored off Lyttelton. These were followed at short intervals by fourteen others, bringing 1650 passengers; thus making a total of 2600 emigrants sent out within the first year. In this manner a population of nearly 3000 souls (including carpenters and other mechanics from Van Diemen's Land and elsewhere) was established within a single twelvemonth; but so excellent were the arrangements made for their reception by Mr. Godley (who had succeeded Captain Thomas as agent of the Association), that very little

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inconvenience, and certainly no real suffering, was experienced by any of them. Still there were among them (as there always have been in such undertakings, and always will be) a few unquiet spirits, whose ill-considered and peevish reports (after a residence of a few weeks, or even a few days, in the colony) were productive of no little mischief. Their expectations had been unduly raised by the representations of interested persons in England, who poured into not unwilling ears the most exaggerated stories of the beauty of the scenery, the more than Italian brilliancy of the sky, the delicious mildness of the climate, and the ease with which fortunes were sure to be made. They landed, and found the vaunted Canterbury plains (as they appeared at that time of day) little better than a howling wilderness. 1 Their welcome was sung perhaps by the terrible south-west wind, with its driving rain or sleet; the rickety sheds (V huts they are called here from being in the form of an inverted V) in which they sought shelter admitted the rain, which plashed on their faces as they lay in bed; and worst of all, some of them soon discovered that those who came out with little or no capital, either in the

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form of money, or of a pair of strong arms and a hopeful contented spirit, might be ruined in a colony even more rapidly than at home.

Forgetting in their irritation and disappointment how unfair and unreasonable it is to compare a new with an old country, they sat down and wrote to their friends at home, that they had found (what they ought to have been prepared to find) no small amount of discomfort, and daily and hourly trials of their patience. Unfortunately their letters, coming as they did from the opposite side of the globe, received, much like the report of the monkey that had seen the world, more attention at home than they deserved-- "they had seen, and sure they ought to know." And so for a time the settlement had a bad character, and many were deterred from an undertaking which could only end, they were told, in bitter disappointment. We are in a condition to laugh at these absurdities now; but in the early days of a colony such statements produce consequences which the authors of them are often the first to deplore.

The first batch of colonists landed, as I have said, on the 16th of December, 1850, and were welcomed by Sir George and Lady Grey, who had come down from Wellington to receive them, and by Mr. Godley, the agent of the Canterbury Association. Arrangements had been made for their accommodation in several large buildings; so that every settler was sure

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of finding shelter until he could provide some sort of habitation for himself. On the 3rd of January, 1851, the Bishop of New Zealand arrived in his little schooner yacht, the "Undine," and was followed in February by the Rev. Thomas Jackson, Bishop designate of Lyttelton, on a visit to his future diocese, which he soon quitted, never to return. Considerable progress was now made in public works. A bridle path over the hill at the back of Lyttelton, 1100 feet high, served as a means of communication between the port and the plains for foot passengers and horses, the road being continued from the foot of the hills to the river Heathcote, where a horse-ferry was established in order to connect it with the high road leading to Christchurch, of which the portion from the ferry to the town was soon completed. At Christchurch a very neat wooden building was opened as a church and schoolroom; a land-office was also built, and two parsonages, one in the valley of the Heathcote, and the other (now used as a grammar school) at Christchurch. One of the emigration barracks was neatly fitted up as a school and church at Lyttelton. In the following year (1852) a bridge was built over the Avon at Christchurch, and a ferry established on the Waimakeriri (Courtenay). A considerable sum was also expended in opening up the country by the construction of roads in different directions. Lands now began to be enclosed, and large sums invested by

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the settlers in the purchase of sheep and cattle, brought principally from Australia and Van Diemen's Land. 700,000 acres of pasturage were rented from the Association within the Canterbury Block (i. e. between Double Corner and the Ashburton river), and application was made to the government for a still larger quantity outside the "block." During this year five more vessels were sent out by the Association, bringing 580 passengers, a number supposed to be just sufficient to supply the places of those who had been attracted to Australia by the fame of the newly-discovered gold diggings. For a time, however, the progress of the settlement, which had been rapid beyond all precedent, was checked by the steady efflux of able-bodied men; but at length the tide began to turn, slowly at first, and almost imperceptibly, but with an increasing force, which is bidding fair to place the colony in a better position than ever, as far as the supply of labour is concerned. It has been calculated that in the November of this year, the population of the whole district was 3400 Europeans, and 200 natives. 5000 acres of land were fenced in, of which 1200 were in cultivation. There were in the district about 50,000 sheep, 3000 head of cattle, and 300 horses. In the town of Lyttelton there were 170 houses, and 580 inhabitants; and in Christchurch 200 houses, and 600 inhabitants. In the year 1853 Canterbury was proclaimed (under the Consti-

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tution Act of 1852) one of the six provinces of New Zealand. Mr. James Edward Fitzgerald, one of the earliest settlers, was elected superintendent of the province, and also representative for the town of Lyttelton in the general assembly; and at the same time twelve representatives were returned to the provincial council, a number which has since been augmented to twenty-four. Early in this year a settlement was formed on the banks of the Waimakeriri and Cam, near the native village of Kaiapoi. A very neat church was also built at Papanui, chiefly through the exertions of Mr. W. G. Brittan. During this year six ships of about 3821 tons arrived at Lyttelton from England; fifteen ships of 5292 tons from Australia and Van Diemen's Land, and forty-eight vessels of 2343 tons from the other settlements of New Zealand, making a total of sixty-nine vessels and 11,456 tons. A weekly market was established at Christchurch, and a cattle-show held, at which prizes were awarded to the extent of 106l. 2

In May, 1854, Mr. Richard Harman sailed for England as emigration agent, charged by the provincial government with the duty of providing passages for persons, a portion of whose passage-money had been guaranteed by their friends or relations in the colony. In the same month 28,000 acres of waste land within

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the province of Canterbury, but outside the "block," were purchased at ten shillings per acre (the price fixed by Sir George Grey for the whole of New Zealand, except the Canterbury and Otago blocks), by a gentleman named Moore, from Van Diemen's Land. Within the Canterbury block the price continued for the present to be 3l., the sum originally fixed by the association. During the second session of the provincial council, 10,000l. were voted for immigration, 2445l. for public works, and 1000l. for education. A grammar-school was opened at Lyttelton, and a commercial department added to the grammar-school at Christchurch. In their third session (October) the council voted 10,000l. (afterwards reduced to 6000l.) for the construction of a portion of the Sumner road, 2000l. for the erection of a council-chamber, and 1000l. for the promotion of local steam navigation. On the 1st of July some statistical information, collected by Mr. H. J. Porter, was published in the Government Gazette. 3 On the evening of the 23rd of January, 1855, a shock of earthquake, described by Mr. Hamilton, collector of customs at Lyttelton, as "a slight tremour," was felt throughout the province, but no damage whatever was done.

In March of this year intelligence was received by the Messrs. Rhodes that a thousand sheep had been

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driven off from their run at Timaru, by a highlander named M'Kenzie, who was tracked through a pass of the snowy mountains, and captured by their agent in the very act of herding the sheep. During the night suspicious cooeings 4 and whistlings were heard by the agent; and the next day M'Kenzie, taking advantage of the momentary absence of his captor, effected his escape, but was soon afterwards recaptured by Serjeant Seager of the police force, and lodged in Lyttelton gaol. At the next session of the supreme court he was tried on a charge of stealing a thousand sheep, the property of the Messrs. Rhodes, found guilty, and sentenced to five years' hard labour. On the 10th of May the convict, who was at work on the roads with several other prisoners, suddenly started off for the mountains, and on the following morning appeared at a station twenty-five miles distant, just as the men were sitting down to breakfast. Unfortunately for the fugitive, the house was full of visitors, many of whom at once recognized him. After giving him some breakfast, for the poor creature was by this time half dead with terror and exhaustion, they bound him on a dray, and sent him on towards Lyttelton, in custody of Mr. C. Russell and some of the workmen. They had scarcely proceeded half way when M'Kenzie

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managed to free himself from the rope, and attempted to escape. Russell, after calling on him to stop, without any attention being paid to the summons, fired, and wounded him in the thigh and back. M'Kenzie hesitated for a moment, putting his hand to his thigh, but again started off at a great pace. One of Mr. Russell's men then mounted a dray-horse, ran M'Kenzie down, and having replaced him on the dray brought him on to Christchurch, where he was handed over to the police. Scarcely however had he been lodged in gaol, when he again effected his escape, but being heavily ironed was soon retaken, and brought back to his former quarters. On the 4th of May, the Grasmere, 455 tons, anchored off Lyttelton, having on board 107 steerage passengers, sent out by Mr. Harman, the Provincial Government's Emigration Agent in England. 5 In June of this year, an act of incorporation was obtained from the Provincial Council by the Warden and Fellows of Christ's College, Canterbury. The lands purchased by the Association for ecclesiastical and educational endowments, were also handed over to a board of Church Trustees, who soon afterwards transferred a fifth of these endowments to the College. Two very important ordinances were passed this session. By the first, the price of waste lands within the Province of Canterbury, includ-

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ing the "block," was fixed at ten shillings per acre, an additional payment of thirty shillings being exacted, by way of rate for purely local purposes. 6 By this arrangement the General Government of New Zealand, and the Imperial Government (as representative of the late New Zealand Company), would be entitled to their share of ten shillings only, the remaining thirty shillings being wholly at the disposal of the Provincial Government. The same ordinance contained pasturage regulations, which seem on the whole to have been framed on tolerably equitable principles. By the second ordinance the Government of the Province of Canterbury accepts the liabilities and assets of the late Association. A few items of the debt (amounting altogether to about 2000l.) which had been originally disputed by the Government, were now admitted almost without discussion, the members of the Provincial Council seeming anxious to manifest by this graceful act of generosity their sense of the benefits conferred on the settlement by its disinterested founders. During the winter of this year arrangements were made by the Provincial Government for the completion of the Lyttelton and Christchurch road, portions of which were taken by contractors, who commenced their operations with great alacrity,

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and every prospect of a satisfactory termination. Steam communication between Canterbury and the other provinces of New Zealand was also placed on what promises to be a permanent footing. On the 17th of August arrived the "Caroline Agnes," with 180 passengers. The Provincial Council held another short session in October, when the waste lands and census bills, which had been disallowed by the governor, were carried through the house in an amended form, and an ordinance passed for the administration of the property handed over to the Provincial Government by the Canterbury Association. On the 23rd of October arrived the ship "Cashmere," with 146 passengers. In the beginning of November, the Bishop of New Zealand visited Canterbury in the missionary yacht, "Southern Cross," and held confirmations and public meetings at Lyttelton, Christchurch, and Akaroa, besides visiting Kaiapoi, Rangiora, and Pigeon Bay, and walking over from Akaroa to Okain's Bay, where a considerable number of sawyers and their families are settled. Towards the end of this year the long-vexed question of the best means of transit for heavy goods between the port and the plains was to a certain extent solved by a gentleman named Thacker, who commenced running a small steamer between the Heathcote Ferry Wharf and Lyttelton, with occasional trips to Kaiapoi and the Bays of the Peninsula. The road from the Ferry to Lyttelton (via Sumner) was

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also completed as a bridle path, with a fair prospect of its being rendered available for drays within a year or two. Meanwhile those who dislike mountain-roads, may have the satisfaction of riding from Christchurch to Lyttelton without once dismounting. On the last day of the year, the Governor of New Zealand, Colonel Gore Brown, arrived at Lyttelton in the "Zingari" steam-packet, and visited several districts of the province.