1961 - The Richmond-Atkinson Papers Vol I - Chapter 4, The Bush Farmers, 1854-55, p 138-187

       
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  1961 - The Richmond-Atkinson Papers Vol I - Chapter 4, The Bush Farmers, 1854-55, p 138-187
 
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Chapter 4 The Bush Farmers 1854-55

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Chapter 4

The Bush Farmers

1854-55

In 1854 interest in politics waned. The energies of the community in Taranaki were hopefully absorbed in bush farming on their holdings, which were about six miles from the town of New Plymouth. Jane Maria Richmond describes with exactitude and abandon the strenuous assault upon the primeval forest and the feverish haste of the bushmen to fire the fallen trees and scrub on a favourable turn of the wind.

Misgivings about the availability of land for farming were allayed early in the year by reports that a meeting of Maori chiefs had approved the sale of "a splendid tract of land as large as the Europeans already possess. Let no one hesitate coming now for fear of a want of land." To English friends Jane Maria re-echoed her joy in the New Zealand surroundings: "I love Taranaki more every day. I suppose I was born to live here; certainly it fits me well." Even the practical Harry Atkinson, in his brief leisure from hard labour in the sawpit, was moved to write to his aunt in poetical praise of "the Arcadian beauties of our luxuriant province."

But in a few weeks the cloud reappeared on the horizon. The anti-selling chiefs, who were pledged to prevent the sale of land to Europeans, determined to enforce obedience upon any who were recalcitrant. Early in August 1854 Rawiri Waiaua, who was friendly to the Europeans and had offered land for sale, was fatally shot by the anti-selling faction. "There seems no end to the difficulties of this poor province about its land," deplored William Richmond. "For us there seems nothing to do but keep clear of the row if possible." The superintendent was away from the province and Richmond, as attorney, was responsible for the administration, which in its infancy he

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had to watch anxiously. Towards the end of the year a more influential meeting of the Taranaki chiefs resolved that the tribes should hold fast to their lands; no more should be sold to Europeans without the consent of the federated tribes, and Maori disputes should be settled by their own runangas. The idea of electing a king for the Maoris was now fervently adopted.

Spasmodic fighting was prevalent in the district, and war parties occasionally crossed the pakeha farm lands to attack each other. In the initial stage the province was reluctant to ask for help from the general government, but as tension increased the settlers felt insecure on their farms and an appeal was made to Auckland for military protection. The senior military officer (Colonel R. H. Wynyard) was acting as administrator of the Government pending the arrival of Sir George Grey's successor. He replied that he had not sufficient military force to send troops away from Auckland and advised the settlers to organise for their own defence. In April 1855, on a visit to New Plymouth, he became aware of the strong resentment prevailing against the Government, but again he declined to send help, on the ground that he could not safely assert the authority of the Queen beyond the limits of the town of New Plymouth. He advised the local authorities to organise their own defence and to call out the militia if required. Since it was obvious that native hostilities might eventually involve the Europeans he ordered iron barracks to be obtained in Melbourne, which the settlers erected on Marsland Hill.

In August 1855 a serious faction clash at the Ninia pa indicated the extension of the dispute. The settlers thereupon raised a volunteer corps and appointed a committee of public safety. Their anxiety was somewhat allayed on the 19th by the arrival of 470 men of the 58th and 65th regiments and artillery with field guns. Meanwhile Bishop Selwyn, who was strongly pacifist, if not pro-Maori, endeavoured to arrange a truce between the factions.

In October 1855 a new Governor (Colonel Thomas Gore Browne) assumed office in succession to Sir George Grey. He brought for the colonists the promise of full self-government, but this welcome gift was accompanied by a stipulation the gravity of which was soon to be apparent. Though the colonists were granted full power to govern

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themselves, the administration of native policy was to remain in the hands of the Governor. At the moment the consequences were not considered. The colonists, delighted with the outcome of their long agitation, threw themselves in a mood of haphazard partisanship into the turmoil of a general election. The letters of this period and the newspapers show that they gave free rein to the narrow prejudices and the slanderous utterances of the English hustings.

William Richmond could not hold out against an insistent demand for his services on behalf of the public. Writing to his uncle in England on 17 Oct 1855 he says, almost apologetically: "The province has a sort of claim on me. I am afraid I must stand, at great personal inconvenience and some pecuniary loss. I feel that I shall have an opportunity of learning much that I want to know." On 5 Nov he was elected unopposed to represent the Town of New Plymouth in Parliament. It was a first step in service for the Colony at large from which he could not thereafter retreat.

To record the fortunes of the family group: James Richmond, who had entered upon bush farming with naive enthusiasm, soon felt the frustration of the native menace, and in his perplexity glanced back wistfully towards the artistic world of London. In 1854 he sailed by way of Sydney. The next three years he spent partly in England studying art and painting, and partly in Belgium constructing railways.

In December 1854 Arthur Atkinson and Jane Maria Richmond were married. The two families in 1855 adopted Hurworth as the name of the village they had established. In March 1855 a family party made the ascent of Mount Egmont, Jane Maria Atkinson being the first European woman to reach the top. In that winter the family cooperated in producing a manuscript periodical, the Aspective Review, a few numbers of which were circulated at irregular intervals.

Passengers in the Cashmere, which arrived in November 1855, included a younger Atkinson, Decimus, and (Amelia) Jane Skinner, the daughter of a Rochester banker, who was to marry H. A. Atkinson.

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A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - F 6 Jan 1854

Underbush before breakfast and then felled all day. I found a pigeon on its nest in a mahoi and told the Maoris of it who immediately set about catching it in this way: one of them got a little way up the tree and another handed him a supple jack about 5 ft long with a running noose of kie-kie at the end - this he insinuated over the neck of the pigeon and so brought it down.

W 18 Jan. Four Waimate natives came before breakfast and after a good deal of bargaining came to work for 3/- (8 hours).

F 20 Jan. Harry, I and Stark went out in the morning and began to fell the first rimu (at the corner of our paenga). When we came in to dinner, lo old Bill 1 was sitting there looking very well, so we did no more work but talked all the afternoon and till 12. He has come overland from Wellington.

S 4 Feb. In the morning Harry and I went on with the big rimu we began yesterday; after about an hour it divided, half of it came down and presently the other half also went off, but being separated from the first half it would not fall according to the facing but went sideways and came against a rata that was standing near . . . the head of the rimu was doubled over and came back on to the stump where we were standing; it hit Harry on the head and knocked me down backwards, but God had put us where we should not be hurt - it seemed wonderful afterwards how we had escaped. We did no more work after this but went home . . .

v 28


Jane Maria Richmond, general letter No. 1 of 1854 - - - Taranaki, 24 Feb 1854

The houses in this neighbourhood have been in some danger from the bush firings. Two of our near neighbours were in greater peril than ourselves, but ... we felt our property to be in some danger. These burnings are not generally attended with any risk but this year a very long, dry and hot summer has prepared everything to burn freely; then just as several people had lighted their clearings a strong gale from the south east, what is called here 'the mountain wind', sprang up. In a few hours all the dead trees and stumps in the neighbourhood were on fire. Nothing grander ... at night can be imagined and if the stream of fire did not run in the direction of any human habitation there would be unmixed pleasure in watching it. There is no fear for life in a case like this because you know for some hours before whether your house will be in danger . . . But even when thoroughly forewarned, great loss occurs in these hasty removals . . . Richard Lethbridge . . . removed all his property and furniture and took out his doors and windows and carted his wheatstack into John Hursthouse's grass field . . . However, the active exertions of some 20 people who came to Lethbridge's assistance saved the house . . . Broadmore's premises were not in as perilous a position but he watched on his stack all night and all the family were slaving to and fro with pails of water to extinguish the nearest fires in logs or stumps all day.

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T night 5 Mar ... I have commenced a feeble sort of Sunday journal just to note a few events as they occur . . . Lely, Em and I with baby spent the 18th [Jan] at the Chas Brown's. An invitation to a party at the Curtises came to us there. Lely and Em of course would not go, but the Browns kindly pressing me to sleep in their house . . . I remained. . . . The ride to Omata was warm and dusty but not quite so broiling as I anticipated . . . Met one of the Miss McKellars, named Georgina . . . Dinner being spread on tables under a lovely piece of bush with a stream near. All cold provisions except splendid potatoes boiled at a fire close by us. The tea was even prettier, a splendid fire being lighted under the trees which illumined the forest and made it look like an enchanted bower. . . . Our driver was quite tipsy with Mr Curtis's good cheer . . . Heard this morning of Wm. Atkinson's arrival from Wellington overland . . .

22 Jan was rather an unsettled Sunday, long confabs of various people with W. Atkinson. Read sitting on the side of the gully in the morning, took a saunter into Crocker's bush after dinner, took a turn in the evening round Lethbridge's, Broadmore's, Drayton's, Skinner's and Roberts's lands, never having yet explored properly those regions . . .

29 Jan. A perfect day. Read Wordsworth on the banks of the Henui part of the morning. Started for church in the evening with Blanche and Richmond. As we found service had commenced and as the stragglers outside remained to keep us in countenance, we had not courage to go in but went on to the King's . . . Last week we commenced the delicious practice of bathing in the Henui. I bathed alone on the 23rd . . .

5 Feb. Last night the bush party returned earlier than usual. There had nearly been a sad accident in felling a pine; in falling it struck another tree and the head split . . . Hal and Arthur . . . were quite buried, and for a minute James and Charlie feared they were killed or much injured, but thank God they were quite unhurt . . . The fright unnerved Jas. and the party came home . . .

On Monday 8th. James, Charlie, Arthur and I walked to the Sugar Loaves, I expected to ascend the largest land loaf, but the prudent men, Jas and Ar, hindered us. I was greatly delighted with the spit . . . There seems a wonderful feast for marine botanists all about the rocks, such singular looking plants I never saw before. We thought Mr Arthur Henfrey would enjoy himself amongst them.

On Saturday came off the long talked of Waitera party . . . The day was the loveliest imaginable ... A party of young male pedestrians started early and about 8 o'clock two bullock carts with the elders and youngsters . . . escorted by the champions Jas, Charlie and Arthur. In point of smoothness the motion of a bullock approximates that of a locomotive. Riding in these carts is a fine healthy exercise no doubt. Who can describe the crossing of the river? Every joint seems dislocated, every portion bruised . . . Arthur declared going over the Waiwakaiho to be the most shocking passage of his life. We passed three bridgeless rivers before coming to the Waitera. The country is open fern land, part of it belonging to Europeans called the Bell Block. Towards the Waitera the country becomes more undulating; hereabouts, tho' ups and

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downs are plentiful, they are formed by abrupt table land cleft as it were by deep gullies . . . When the English possess and cultivate the Waitera plains it will assume a more English aspect than any tract I have yet seen in N.Z. The wide placid river and beautiful groups of karaka trees . . . on the banks are the attraction to pleasure parties. We walked up the river banks for 2 miles or more to an eminence with a lovely view . . . There are Maori pas and cultivated fields where we walked and the natives were at work bringing in their harvest. They seem to have plenty of cattle, but have not much idea of dairy work, they use the milk and sell bullocks and cows to the Europeans. Four bulls saluted our caravan with indignant bellowings, but the strange bullocks and not the human beings were the objects of their rage. They came stamping round the carts but were driven off easily. We dined in the karaka grove and assembled there about 4 o'clock to return, when behold! a pair of bullocks had decamped ... in triumph with our cart at their heels, so one cart had to do double duty in the passage of the rivers and the strongest legged ladies and children walked a good part of the way home . . .

Su 12 . . . All the bush party which now includes W. Atkinson and Charlie, but not Mr Brind, returned to the whare this eveng. During last week our first honey, between 50 and 60 lbs, was taken from the orchard bees.

Su 19. James's small clearing where he proposes placing his house was lighted yesterday ... It burnt rather badly which seemed to please artistic James as he wants to preserve a magnificent red pine which is on the edge of it that a good burn would probably have killed . . . Mrs Chas Brown spent from Monday till Saturday of last week here . . . She is a very sweet unaffected little creature but I sadly fear not long for this world - she is very delicate . . .

Su 26 . . . On Monday, 20th., a portion of the bush party went back . . . Tuesday morning there was a fine breeze and Arthur appeared to say they wanted to burn the large clearing that day if Jas and all spare hands would go back. Jas, the two Williams, Cal, Wilson and myself returned . . . About 3 o'clock they lighted. I took my station on the slope of a little hill where Hal and Ar's house is to be and saw the flames burst out all along that side of the clearing almost at the moment they applied their torches. Wm, Cal and Ar joined me after doing their duty and we made good speed round to the other side of the clearing for . . . the smoke on the little hill soon became intolerable. Once to windward of the flames and smoke we could watch them comfortably . . . We got out of the bush just at dusk and found the old clearing at Rata Nui was lighted up by Mr Batkin . . . But the wind was strengthening gradually to a gale and . . . our neighbourhood was in a rather too fiery condition. Harry had lighted his small patch . . . but perceiving the approaching gale neither he nor Oliver lighted their large pieces. However, the whole lower flat seemed on fire and we retired in some fear for Orchard cottage. Nobody rested much. Wednesday was spent in drawing water to fill the cisterns . . . Night brought some moderation to our anxiety . . . By Thursday

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evening we were free from fear as the wind lulled and everyone was thankful for a long night's rest after the great fatigue and excitement . . .

. . . The grand Maori meetings last week . . . were terminated most satisfactorily for Taranaki by the acquisition of a splendid tract as large as the whole of the land before in the possession of Europeans. There seems nothing now to retard the progress of this settlement. Let no one hesitate coming now from fear of a want of land. Everyone is in great spirits at the purchase and I am more than ever glad we did not stop at Auckland.

v 3, p 56


Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Taranaki, 12 Mar 1854

If you ever receive this my own dearest Margie, James will be in Europe and near you. What you will be thinking, feeling and deciding when this is in your hands I cannot imagine, that your heart will be in favour of our dear James I can hardly doubt, for with such a strong regard for him as you have already, you can only need to be assured as to his feelings to make you give him your hand confidingly; but with respect to your outward circumstances I am full of misgiving, full of dread. Margie dearest, the excitement and uncertainty of the last few days has made me feel a weak helpless creature. I have never felt more perplexed as to what was the right course, I can now do nothing but throw myself on the Almighty's love and mercy and may He guide us all and overrule events for the good of all. Sometimes I find refuge in the belief that He will order the issue rightly, but then again all quiet trustful thoughts are swept away by a sea of doubts; human errors, misunderstandings and human selfishness . . . one sees them so constantly upsetting all peace and happiness that I dread their stepping between you and my own dear brother. Margie dearest, deal trustfully, lovingly with him; if you can, be his help mate thro' life; never did creature need a faithful wife as he does, all his excellences, all his weaknesses make him restless, uncomfortable, almost useless in life till he is anchored and supported as he can now be by you. . . . You may have to leave a useful career but you will find one here ... I may seem selfish to speak as I do, but you dearest know that at Boppart I was as anxious to have you for a sister as now . . . The length of time during which he has persevered in the desire for a union with you and his undertaking this long and perilous voyage to seek you must show you all that it was no fleeting fancy . . .

We only knew this morning for certain that he would go, tomorrow he sails for Sydney! Only 24 hours for preparations for a voyage to the Antipodes. He takes next to nothing with him so that I expect he will land looking a beggar. He has talked of working his way home from Australia as cook, steward or stoker or indeed in any way to save money and time ... I cannot bear him to have any additional discomforts and trials beside the inevitable disagreeableness of the voyage. . . .

v 3, p 57

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C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond (England) - - - 13 Mar 1854

. . . The natives here after many years' refusal to alienate any further portions of their land have given way at last, and the area of land available for European settlement in this Province has just been augmented to double its late extent by the purchase of 30,000 acres. Thus a great opportunity for investment will be opened in a few months when the Hua Block and the Waiwakaiho Block will be proclaimed as open for selection . . .

Ten percent here is got on the best security ... It is provoking to think of thousands lying at little if anything above 3 per cent whilst Captain King and Cutfield and Parson Bailey and the rest are safely making their 12 1/2 . . . and 15 per cent and Norris and Redhead, the money brokers, their 20, and the storekeepers, nobody can tell how much . . . You may wonder that with the land we hold we are thinking of increasing but I assure you we are hardly reckoned amongst the land owners. The 200 a. in the bush goes for nothing being remote and I should not like any lady to live there for years. Besides 260 acres amongst four is no large patrimony - we want a better footing in the country we have chosen - and now is the moment. In order to show you ... I subjoin a valuation of the property acquired in this place.

200 acres bush (with clearings) £150
This farm
24 acres cultivation @ £8 per acre
192
House and buildings 150
30 acres bush 60
Stock 100
Beach house £150
  £802

I believe . . . that the real value must be £1000. Thus our neighbour Gilmour in the back bush wants £1 per acre for his uncleared land not so well situated as ours. Our neighbour Oliver considers his farm adjoining to this as worth £400. He has 24 a. land (the same quantity as we have in cultivation) and a house considerably (very considerably) inferior to this, and no reserve of bush. The Superintendent told me the other day he thought it would be cheap at the price.

v 41, p 1


J. C. Richmond to Maria Richmond - - - Port Jackson, Sydney, 31 Mar 1854

. . . The harbour has but two rivals as I have heard said - San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro ... It is a wonderful place, seemingly made for man's especial use.

The ships lie to load and discharge against a long line of shore which is almost a natural wharf . . . The city is not pleasing, stone houses but roughly finished . . . On the whole there is nothing not branded unmistakeably 'Colonial'. I give no way to my

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feelings of disgust at the appearance of city and citizens; I feel it is an impertinence, the actuality of the thing is respectable and I try to respect . . . trade, trade, trade; gold, gold, gold . . .

It seems unlikely that I can get away from here in less than a month ... I want to see the Hunter river and Bathurst, and I have even a notion of dating to you from Ballarat or the Ovens before I leave for England. Wages are good, and I am going to look out for work today as a carpenter, shingler, draughtsman; the least pay for a day's work is ten shillings, and thirty shillings is paid to good hands - diggers here get thirty shillings for six hours work. I wish I had brought pistols; Ar's revolver would come in here. It is very impressive to see the close contact of violence and order indicated by the armed gold escort amidst the busy street of Sydney: a long phaeton with four seats one behind another, with moustachioed men in plain dresses intended for work, with glistening muskets and pistols, and perhaps a lady passenger in the middle, it is I suppose the gold carriage, and a van and rear-guard of horsemen attend this. I have a sort of pleasure in thinking how unquestionably these gentlemen intend to use their tools if occasion turns up.

There are other carriages very interesting to me - the bullock drays with their teams of ten oxen and loads of groceries waiting to finish cargo or for their drivers to take a last glass before getting under way. The roads out of Sydney ... of the best kind - wide, level, hard, but the drays have on their wheels traces of something like our New Plymouth roads. . . .

v 38, pp 266-9 (t.s.)


C. W. Richmond to T. S. Forsaith (Auckland) - - - New Plymouth, 18 Apr 1854

Mr G. W. Woon. I believe the young man is well principled, and really desirous to extricate himself from the embarrassment in which his inexperience in business has involved him. As he is now engaged in a business which he understands - the printing of the Taranaki Herald, and is also earning a good sum by the printing of the Provincial Gazette, I think he will clear himself if we let him alone. The sacrifice of a considerable sum of interest I am inclined to recommend you to put up with. Supposing you should prefer immediate pressure you must employ a solicitor at Auckland. There would be no advantage in coming to me because I myself in the Supreme Court must act by agent.

v 41, p 35

C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, 29 May 1854

Owing to the great delay in the surveys we have had no opportunity of making any purchase on the new blocks ... I do not think it likely that we shall make any purchase there because we have been able to increase our holding on the Grey Block by the purchase of 100 acres adjoining the 200 a. we already held for £125.

The mere augmentation of the income by an increased interest is of trifling importance compared with the establishment of ourselves by timely and judicious pur-

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chases of land whilst it is to be had. If James and Henry could have sunk £300 or £400 when they came here first we should now have had a fine estate on the open land worth £1000 at the least.

v 41, p 2


Jane Maria Richmond to Margaret Taylor - - - Merton, 24 Jun 1854

Henry is going to begin making a road to our far bush estate [Hurworth] ... He and Charlie work at this end of the road . . . Wm. Atkinson and Ed. Patten begin from the end in the lands of both Richmonds and Atkinsons. . . . Harry is sawing as mate to our neighbour Broadmore; his sawn timber sells for 20/- a hundred ft., and they expect to saw 200 ft. a day - they will make a good thing out of it . . . Henry's heart seems a good deal set on making a palatial residence in the back bush, but I don't know how funds will be found at present. I love Taranaki more every day. I suppose I was born to live here, certainly it fits me well, tho' I feel doubtful as to any woman without my peculiar crotchets being happy here. Your Dresden life is the more interesting in a thousand ways but it has no root, it is like a beautiful nosegay of rare flowers, whilst my life is an ugly little stick of a rosebush with plenty of prickles but ... in good soil it will give me a few sweet smelling blossoms for years.

v 3, p 58

R. H. Hutton to C. W. Richmond - - - Richmond, Surrey, 27 Jun 1854

There are very few letters I value so much as yours . . . The insight into the kind of place you are inhabiting and the kind of work you are all doing that it gives me is as complete and real as written information can be . . .

I held a government office for the months of April and May, but the work was too unrelieved by any interval for me to continue in it ... At present I am looking to some work in the ladies' college at Bedford Square ... I now do nothing but write for the Inquirer which brings sufficient to help me on ... I see a good deal of Sanford who helps me in editing the Inquirer. . . . Bagehot 2 I see occasionally. He . . . usually comes to see me. If the Inquirer ever reaches your remote spot you may have seen some very clever letters of his on the university reform, signed Amicus. . . .

I was greatly interested in your few words about the colonial governments, and feel curious to know how the central assembly will accomplish its difficult work . . . Father Newman has seized the occasion of the war to write a very able little history of 'The Turks' in which he regards them as the representatives of barbarism . . . and, what is worse, as the permanent enemies of the Church ... he does not deny that Christian nations must fulfil their engagements even with Turks, but the Ottoman power has always been the enemy of God ... He will not, however, persuade Englishmen to leave off feeling for an oppressed power which has . . . even made many steps

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beyond Russia in ecclesiastical tolerance. I think the whole nation - except a handful of Puseyites on the one side and Cobdenites on the other - are heart and soul indignant against the profligate dishonesty and ambition of Russia, and heart and soul with the Turks . . .

As far as I have been reading anything not for some temporary purpose, it has been in Wordsworth and Goethe whose influence over educated Englishmen indirectly and directly seems greater than ever. The more I read Wordsworth the more I feel his right to rank amongst the first class of English poets, being indeed quite alone in his kind - as no other poet however great can be called meditative in the same sense. Goethe personally I continue to dislike not less than ever. But his intellect and his influence are very wide . . .

Your friend Mrs Wilkins 3 published a tale about Trinidad some months ago, in many ways clever but as a whole worthless and in bad taste. Her husband has been very ill . . . but is better and again painting. His pictures are real and powerful though cold.

v 3. p 59

C. W. Richmond 4 to C. Brown 5 - - - New Plymouth, ij Jul 1854

I commence this report of our proceedings in the little province so that . . . you may return fully informed of all that has taken place.

It was not long, I assure you, before you were missed. On Thursday morning . . . Wm Halse 6 came in and told me that Imlay had seen him in reference to the depasturing of the sheep ex Camilla on the Town Lands. The only question was how best to give effect to the temporary indulgence which Mr Imlay alleged had been promised to him by yourself ... I suggested that if it were possible to find a solid block of Crown Land (for example, Victoria Park) fit to accommodate the sheep he might possibly issue a license which would protect Mr Imlay . . . We also discussed the 39th Clause of the Provincial Impounding ordinance. I am not absolutely certain whether or not I pointed out to him . . . that it prevents any person from depasturing under the Crown Lands ordinance . . . because ... it would be impracticable for the licensee ... to confine his cattle to the Crown lands. ... I am certain, and Halse admits it - that nothing was in question but the best mode of giving effect to the promised temporary relaxation . . . My surprise was therefore considerable at hearing on Saturday that a license to run on the Town lands . . . had been granted to Imlay ... I at once saw Halse about it, and explained to him . . . how utterly unlooked for this proceeding was ... I also expressed to him my opinion that . . . his act was in diametrical opposition to the policy of the Council and suggested that the best way would be to withdraw all the licenses at once. He said he entirely disagreed as to the question of legality and as to withdrawing the licenses it was all over the town that they were to be granted and he

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could not and would not recede. I said I was sorry of it, would think over my course and see him again. In the afternoon Chilman 7 and Parris called full of the subject - all the town in a buzz. The Liberal Bulldogs (W. and T. Bayly) already growling round the great Scotch Beast ready to join him. Chilman and I . . . saw Halse again, argued the matter very fully . . . We decorously complained of his taking such a step as to set agoing the whole machinery - wardens and all - just at the moment of your departure and without notice to us - for what had passed between him and me we could not admit to be notice. Well, he . . . said he would think it over and let us know on Monday. This morning he came in early - Chilman was with me . . . Halse said that he had thought of a way in which it could be arranged. If I would write asking him to withdraw the licenses on the ground of the pending measure he would do so. We consented ... we have accordingly exchanged letters and the licenses are to be withdrawn and the cattle cleared off by Wednesday . . . The R.M. appeared disposed to support Imlay as a licensee . . . What the event would have been I cannot tell. If we had not succeeded they would have triumphed in the reversal (so to speak) of a Provincial ordinance and have obliged a gentleman (to whom everyone must bow) with feed for 500 sheep for 6 months at the moderate cost of 10/6 . . . It would have been a very glaring case and a private enemy of Halse could have wished nothing worse for him than that he should have adhered with obstinacy to what he had undertaken with rashness.

Lethbridge is fined and is to memorialize. It is I think very desirable to mitigate the penalties by fixing a maximum ... is. was too little for a single head, but £14-7-6 is a little severe for a flock.

I have not got the 4 bills King sent up to refer to at the present moment. That troublesome diplomatic Pheney has them. I hope ... in some other efficient way we shall be protected from having all the available land snapped up at once by the speculators. Halse has inserted the notice . . . that a meeting for selection will be held on Thursday 17th August . . . that only about 600 acres will be given out . . . You have a power conjointly with the Commr. to appoint reserves . . . We shall soon be safe from having our road lines given up to private individuals without compensation.

Cutfield was in town on Saturday and Chilman says he was very wroth at Halse's attempting to issue licenses - said Halse seemed determined to fly in the face of the Council.

I am sure you will not forget our miserable state as regards the judiciary. I think the most practical thing here would be a Court of Quarter Sessions of the R.M. and not less than 2 J.P.s ... It would be far better to be included in a circuit even were it annual only.

18th . . . The Mountain Maid ... is now at the anchorage. Chilman and I wanted to send the duplicate bills by her to Waterlow's. But we did not know what paper to send as a sample, and were especially afraid of sending a wrong Unicorn. Fancy your disgust at receiving a half-bred looking creature, without any rampancy, and a horn not cocked at the orthodox angle - whatever that may be. Chilman and I besides being

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mere rustics, and wholly inexperienced in the merits of Kings-Armses have declined the responsibility . . .

July 21 . . . Batkin ... is not certain about the sample of paper. The Gazette heading he knows . . .

Stockman's memorial for a mitigation of his penalty has not been complied with . . . Stockman put them in my hand two days ago. He was drunk at the time, and disposed to be very insolent. Indeed I could not get rid of him and was obliged to call a policeman to put him forth out of the Audience Chamber . . . The R.M. was applied to by Stockman and refused to recommend the memorial, . . .

Hulke called on me on Tuesday about the sheep he has taken off Imlay ex Camilla. It seems he had agreed to take sheep in part of the purchase money of the mill, and had made an arrangement with Parris for depasturing the sheep. The Camilla not arriving so soon as she was expected Parris took in other sheep and now the unfortunate Hulke came to declare that he should martyrize himself, should turn them out, must turn them out on the Town lands as he could get no other feed. I pointed out to him that he had nobody but himself to blame . . . (which must have consoled him much) and he left me to see the Resident Magistrate and request that the heaviest penalty might be at once inflicted and so a speedy end be put to the sufferings of him and his sheep. On Thursday the police made their rounds. Hulke had 300 sheep out. There were six or seven others on the black list. I told Henry Halse to pass them all over for that day . . . Yesterday the police again went round the town. There were a few beasts and sheep out, but Hulke's had crossed the Waiwakaiho, so Master Hulke escaped, which he did not deserve to do. The ground on which our lenity is defensible is this - that Wm. Halse's proceedings had disturbed the public mind and confused people as to the law. The appearance of the police looking out for trespassers was sufficient warning and . . . there were far fewer cattle out the next day. These must be proceeded against.

Before I close this I want to countermand the order for the screw jack. Broadmore says a screw jack is no use with logs. If a rack and pinion jack can be procured that is the right thing . . .

v 41, p 39


C. W. Richmond to T. S. Forsaith (Auckland) - - - New Plymouth, 22 Jul 1854

I see you are a very prominent figure in the G.A. I expect to see the intense provincialism of you Aucklanders a good deal softened down. As your town increases in commercial importance you will not care so much as you do now about keeping the expenditure of the General Government. New York and Boston and Philadelphia are not jealous of Washington.

I don't like the nasty spirit of your papers about Taranaki. To people fresh from England the airs of the Southern Cross about the Port of Auckland are abundantly ridiculous. It is I believe quite untrue that the west coast is more subject to gales than the east. I know that here in the depth of winter the sea has been smooth as a mill

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pond for the last three weeks. In short it is very absurd in any part of New Zealand to fancy it helps itself by slandering its neighbours. Auckland has I know suffered in this respect but it is now time to have done with such follies.

v 41, p 40


C. W. Richmond to C. Brown - - - New Plymouth, 28 Jul 1854

With this you will probably receive an official letter from me with a copy of my communication on the subject of the native Hiriwanu to the Col. Secretary. I had a consultation about the case this morning with the R.M. It appears that of all the witnesses Katatore alone (whose evidence is not at all direct since he did not see the death blow) is willing to go to Auckland. The instructions of the Secretary you recollect were, to send on the prisoner 'if the willing attendance of the necessary witnesses can at the same time be secured'. Now I suppose . . . that Katatore's evidence would not convict. Nevertheless remembering Katatore's threats to take the law into his own hands if the prisoner were liberated - 'if the judge did not kill him' - it has seemed to me most plainly expedient to send on the prisoner with or without witnesses.

There is one important circumstance not appearing on the deposition of which the Crown Prosecutor ought to be informed. It seems the deceased (Aperahama) and Te Mangara had resolved to take the life of the prisoner and that the latter was perfectly aware of this having heard the whole conversation on the subject. This fact might very likely be elicited. I mention it because Hiriwanu makes no attempt at denying his deed and would readily plead guilty to the charge either of murder or manslaughter.

The Resident Magistrate is very anxious that the natives should receive some exposition of the English law and the grounds on which it discriminates between murder, manslaughter and homicide, on this occasion. However desirable this might be I fear the present case will not tend much to the illustration of English jurisprudence . . .

There seems no end to the difficulties of this poor Province about its land. The friendly party of natives (so it is stated) are sowing wheat and planting potatoes on the Waiwakaiho Block. This is said to be done with the assent of Mr Cooper and Honi Ropiha because it is feared by them that Henry Epuni would crop the land if the friendly natives did not. Other people say that as the reserves are not marked out the natives are allowed for the first year to crop what land they choose. It ought to be known at head quarters that we are not to have the benefit (such as it is) of the new purchase for an 'indefinite time' . . . only a small portion of the Hua will be given out under the notice Halse has published . . .

W 2 Aug. The Velox came in on Monday with a general cargo. I hear that R. Brown is to pay £300 duty exclusive of the wine and spirits which go into bond. The English news of the bombardment of Odessa is very exciting.

Th 3 Aug. News came in this morning from the Hua of a serious nature. Rawiri

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(the assessor) and some others of his tribe have lately offered a new block to Cooper. 8 Halse told me yesterday that he saw the affair was 'not straight' as certain influential men who ought to have been present at such an affair were not there. The event has . . . more than verified Halse's fears. Rawiri went with a party to cut a boundary line. Katatore with a number of his party followed armed with guns and requested Rawiri to desist. These refused to do so, whereupon Katatore and his men shot them down like dogs . . . Old Rawiri of the town pah has been grazed in the buttock by a ball. I have seen him in the pah this morning. He is quite positive in affirming that five men are killed. The Hua natives have sent into town for arms and ammunition. For us there seems nothing to do but keep clear of the row if possible.

4 Aug. It now appears that 4 were shot dead, another (Rawiri's brother Paul) mortally wounded and died this morning about 9. Rawiri shot in the chest, is alive, and although he yesterday refused to allow himself to be moved, he is now desirous of being taken to the hospital. The Doctor, I mean P. Wilson, says he has dressed 8 wounded including Rawiri and his brother. Four or five are in the hospital. The Hua natives yesterday went down to Katatore's pah and fired some hundred rounds into it, probably without doing any injury as Katatore's men all lay down. William King of Waitera was in Katatore's pah and it is said narrowly escaped a ball. Halse and Cooper both visited the scene of the conflict, or rather murder, yesterday. The Hua people wanted the Europeans to arm and go after Katatore. They also declared they should go on with the line today, but Cooper dissuaded them saying enough blood had been spilt already for the road.

From all I can learn our relations with the natives are quite safe at present. Nevertheless such occurrences [make] me feel forcibly our wretched defenceless state. It is an excellent occasion to urge on the Government the necessity of doing something for our defence. My own notion would be that we should have what we call a New Gaol (the old one being found inconvenient). It should have loopholed walls and a substantial blockhouse in the centre - something like the Auckland barracks on a small scale. At present we are absolutely without refuge.

6 Aug . . . Our feeling is against having troops at present. If any were sent it must not be one man less than 200. What we should best like would be that a ship of war should look in on us and see how matters are going on. That would be less likely to alarm the natives than soldiers. Chilman . . . agrees in all this but says that to act on the offensive 200 would not be nearly enough.

. . . The Cashmere is in the road with some 60 passengers for this place . . .

v 41, p 41


Jane Maria Richmond to M. E. Hutton - - - Taranaki, 31 Jul 1854

Every month that has passed since I first knew Arthur has drawn me more strongly to him, and now not one doubt or scruple remains in my mind as to the rightness of my course in accepting him. It is intended if all goes well that we shall marry in the

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course of the approaching summer. . . . How oddly this must sound to you. I do not like the idea of James's being away when a second wedding takes place in our family. . . . Where to be married and by whom are questions not easily settled; a wedding at church will, I fear, be very public and disagreeable in a little gossiping place like this where anything that can be made into an event, is. A special license and a wedding at home would be the thing, but it is too expensive a luxury for our purses. A civil marriage might be quiet and performed at home I believe, but we should both dislike it very much as being only a civil ceremony. There are to be some changes in the marriage laws for the Colony before long and I hope they may come in time for us. At present most unjustly only Church clergymen and Wesleyan ministers have the right to marry here. . . .

We have had a splendid winter . . . There is very little milking to do, all our cows but one have been sent back to the bush as we have not enough grass for them and our small crop of mangel wurzel. . . was burnt during the great fires last summer. . . .

There has been much excitement in the town these two days in consequence of a quarrel between two parties of natives of the same tribe. One set are willing and anxious to sell more land to the Europeans between here and the Waitera. A party of them went out unarmed, suspecting no attack, to cut lines to mark off the tract they wished to sell, when a much larger party of their tribe with arms fell upon them, shot 4 dead on the spot . . . These men are neither more nor less than murdered in cold blood and yet it seems thought that our law cannot touch the murderers, as we have not force enough to compel the natives to give up the culprits. I must say it makes my blood boil to think of standing quietly by and permitting such outrages as these, but the settlers are I feel a mean-spirited set, thanks in part to wretched misgovernment which has discouraged a manly independent spirit amongst them. I am afraid 'moral force is moral humbug' when addressed to savages. At anyrate the English government should have first made itself respected and feared and then kindness and conciliation might have been useful as it would have been better understood.

v 3, p 60


C. W. Richmond to C. Brown - - - New Plymouth, 7 Aug 1854

. . . Rawiri was buried this afternoon on the land where he fell notwithstanding Katatore's threatening. The Hua people with natives from the town and from Moturoa were present in great force so it did not suit Katatore to come out of Kaipakopako. Clare and Rundle have just ridden up from the Bell Block and say all went off quietly but that they were going to have a tangi over the grave.

I think we shall probably send Hiriwanu away in the Cashmere. Although I think that he will be at once liberated yet it may be necessary to make some arrangements as to his rations whilst there, the gaol being I suppose a provincial affair . . .

A Provincial seal will have to be procured if the bills King forwarded passed without alteration in that respect.

v 41, p 42


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C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond (Stockton on Tees) - - - New Plymouth, 8 Aug 1854

I have this afternoon concluded a bargain with our neighbours the Gilmours for 200 acres of land for £220.

14 Aug . . . The line [of road] is so good that we all became very anxious to secure this piece of Gilmour's because the moment its easy accessibility became known it would be snapped up . . . Yesterday, I hear, a large party went back to view a small piece of 75 acres which Gilmour has yet to sell . . . Had we not secured our purchase, I have no doubt they would have thought the land worth 30/- an acre and would have given that price if Gilmour had asked it.

We have got a small Government allowance for making the road, but this not sufficing to pay for labour, the owners have contributed 1/- per acre in aid of the Government fund. Out of this fund our working parties on the road will be paid. They get 5/- per chain for felling (chain wide) and 2/- per chain for clearing a track through the fallen timber wide enough for a cart to pass. At this work they can earn 4/- to 5/-per diem . . . The distance from town of this farm is about 2 miles, and of the new land about 5 1/2 miles. We find this half way station a very great convenience . . . Henry and Charlie have been working at this end of the road . . . William Atkinson and Edward Patten at the far end. Their habitat is the new house of fern posts . . . thatched with the leaves of the nikau palm which has been built on Harry and Arthur's land and adjoining ours . . . The two working parties can now hear each others axes and the trees going down, which is a great encouragement.

We have 36 head of cattle running this winter on the back bush land. 14 head are our own, 2 head Mr Atkinson's and the rest are taken in at the rate of 1/- per head per week. The cattle have the entire range of the country and we might as easily have 100 head as 36, so far as the quantity of the keep goes. The bush feed keeps the cattle in fine order in winter time . . .

If you get your Taranaki Herald . . . you will see the narrative of the very terrible occurrence amongst our natives of the Puketapu tribe . . . The dispute arose out of Rawiri's offer of a block of land to Government . . . because he was enraged at the destruction by one of Katatore's people of some young wheat of his. It seems one of Katatore's men claimed the land where Rawiri had sown his wheat, destroyed the crop and planted potatoes. So Rawiri very soon after came into town and offered the land to the Crown Commissioner. The Commissioner required him ... to cut the boundary of the block they were offering. The Maoris understood this cutting the boundary to be . . . not merely a definition of the land but also a considerable proof of title to dispose of it. Katatore warned Rawiri that he should oppose him and even recommended him to come armed if he came at all. Rawiri however and his people went with bill hooks only and being interrupted by Katatore and required to desist they refused and were then shot like dogs ... I have been rather anxious in the absence especially of the Superintendent. The steamer too played us a nasty trick, going on without allowing us any opportunity of sending on to Auckland by her. I had written to the Colonial Secretary at Auckland by the overland mail which takes 10 or 12 days . . .

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The Cashmere had been several days in the roadstead but the weather being doubtful she had stood out to sea leaving Captain Pearson ashore. The Captain and some of his passengers had gone out to join their ship in one of the boats, the weather having become fine. But unfortunately the ship mistook the signal made to her and again stood away to sea, leaving the unfortunate Captain to come ashore again. Just at this time the steamer showed her nose around the Sugar Loaves. The returning boat boarded her, and . . . she to our disgust turned northwards and under steam and sail was soon out of sight . . . This was very annoying because . . . Her news would be a week earlier than that per overland.

We are all well here and continue to go on very harmoniously. The lads are such a good set as would be difficult to equal. All fond of their work and no such thing as quarrelling known. They are fierce champions of New Zealand and of Taranaki in particular. Moreover they are very fierce champions of bush against fern - all of which is exceedingly fortunate since their lot is cast in the Taranaki bush. Only Charlie has been rather unsettled by the reports of the high wages mechanics are getting at Melbourne and Sydney. But after James' very unfavourable report . . . and after hearing that James Ronalds could save nothing out of 8/- and 10/- a day, he has, I think, given up thoughts of Australia. But really our markets are getting quite to Australian prices. Flour is just raised to 35/- (the 100 lbs). Potatoes are £10 a ton. The exporters have rather overdone the thing . . .

We shall very shortly have another session of the Provincial Council. There is a great wish amongst the proprietors that something should be done to promote immigration. But our lack of funds will prevent our doing ourselves much good in that way. Although the salaries of the officials here are moderate, yet the expense of the present form of Government is a heavy burthen on our small resources. Any attempt at raising a fund by taxation will I expect raise as great a storm as it did last session when the unpopularity of the measure out of doors caused its abandonment by the Council.

The want of a harbour and the strength of the anti-selling party amongst the natives are our great obstacles. Both will eventually be overcome and this will be as favoured a district as the sun shines upon. Whether any of us will live to see that day is a very different question. The Sugar Loaf Islands appear to offer very remarkable facilities for the construction of a breakwater. That made, neither Auckland nor Wellington would rival us. Standing boldly out the place is easy to make and easy to leave, whereas a man bound either to Auckland or Wellington is sure of a foul wind some part of his passage.

v 41, p 4


C. W. Richmond to J. Brind - - - New Plymouth, 16 Aug 1854

Your description of Nelson is excellent. The distances seem enormous to us who consider the Tatara people at the end of the world.

I find it quite impossible to get any kits for Mrs Blundell. The natives here are too profitably occupied in agriculture to give any time to the making of kits . . .

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As to the axes, the Velox lately brought 4 cases (48 axes) of Collins's make. We have bought 15 and I have also got 2 for you . . .

Provisions here are rising - flour is at 35/- the 100 lb and will be 40/- next week. People talk about £60 a ton before the harvest.

v 41, p 43


C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, 23 Aug 1854

... I do not expect that the murderer Katatore will escape and can scarcely wish he should. These acts of violence are injurious to the settlement and many wish the thing hushed up, but others cannot bear to think of Katatore's escaping with impunity. Our young men were some of them eager to start and storm Katatore's pah 'Kaipakopako' and shoot the villain or drag him to justice. Indeed Harry intimated that if a man of vigour like the Superintendent had been at the head of affairs it would have been done. I believe he considered it my duty, as having the control of the police, to head the storming party. We do not expect that the General Government will move in the affair. It will be treated as a Maori quarrel. Possibly it will decide the Government to send a detachment of troops - a step which has been for some time in contemplation . . .

At the opening of the session of the General Assembly the Lower House with a single dissentient voice, voted it desirable forthwith to introduce the English practice of government by filling the chief offices of government with persons possessing the confidence of the Houses of Assembly. The old government officials . . . objected that . . . they being appointed directly by the Crown, were responsible only to the Crown, and could not be dismissed by the Governor for political reasons ... A kind of compromise was effected by the Governor adding certain members of the Assembly to this Executive Council, and a number of measures were brought in by these new ministers - the old officials meanwhile standing quite aloof and not in any way committing themselves to the policy of their new colleagues. Only one of the three chief officials of Governor Grey's bureaucracy possesses a seat in the General Assembly - viz. the Attorney General. He, however, is Speaker of the (Nominee) Legislative Council, having been appointed to that office by the Governor, and this position has enabled him to steer clear of any expression of opinion on the bills introduced. This arrangement lasted about eight weeks, when . . . the new Executive councillors found themselves embarrassed in their policy and recommended the Governor to call on the three old officials to retire . . . They relied upon an understanding which they conceived to exist, that the holders of Crown offices would retire upon being provided with retiring pensions. Thereupon the Colonial Secretary resigned to the Governor, the Attorney General declined to do otherwise than tender his resignation to Her Majesty, and the Treasurer altogether refused to budge. On the other hand His Excellency (acting no doubt under the advice of the Attorney General) refused to take upon him to dismiss the Attorney and Treasurer. So Fitzgerald, Sewell and Weld resigned and there was no Government . . . and no measure passed but a new law enabling wine, spirits, etc to be

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vended in the Houses of Assembly without a license! E. G. Wakefield gets the credit for a great deal of this mischief. It is certain that the Governor has thrown himself into his hands and that the message lately sent to the Lower House is his composition. His egregious egotism even led him so far as to approach the Speaker whilst the message was being read with a view to alter an expression which he said had been wrongly transcribed.

v 41, p 5

H. A. Atkinson to Mrs Coster - - - Taranaki, 10 Nov 1854

My dear Aunt,

. . . We got to Auckland on the 25th of May [1853] after an easy though long voyage. The captain proved himself a wretched fellow, we were quarrelling all the way -I was a particular friend of his . . .

I am entirely incompetent (not being a poet) to do justice to the Arcadian beauties of our luxuriant province ... I would refer you to Moore's Utopia, but people have got to consider it chimerical now a-days, I once thought so, poor foolish thing that I was, but I know better now that I have found the 'Island' and have lived in New Plymouth . . . Upon landing you see at once that you mistake the country if you thought it aught but a land flowing with milk and honey. It is this in a literal sense, honey is most plentiful, and so indeed is everything that is good. The land in this province is as fine as anywhere in New Zealand. I don't know that it is better but we have this great advantage over most of the other provinces that we have large quantities of good land altogether - in fact all our land is available . . . We bought at first 200 acres of the crown at 10/- the acre. When Bill joined us we let him have a third of this under certain restrictions; we then bought 100 acres for £110, and then 75 acres for £130 - these are all adjoining our first lot. Bill and I have 100 acres each, Arthur has 125 and 50 we mean to keep for E. Patten . . . Our house in the bush is rather under 6 1/4 miles from town (the centre of the town) . . .

It is rather rough work at first in the bush. You have to make yourself a small hut of poles and thatch with nikau (the N.Z. palm), light a good fire in the middle and at night roll yourself up in your blankets, then possessing a contented mind you fall asleep and dream of the days when the mighty forest will have given way before the axe and the fire to beautiful green fields and 'homes of ancient peace', and you awake on the morrow with fresh strength to do your share in the glorious work which is set us, of subduing and replenishing the earth. We have all in one block between us and the Richmonds nearly 800 acres. Cattle do well in the bush, but they require a clearing to come out into to sun themselves . . . We have ... no fences up so they go where they like but they are never away any long time . . . Last year we got down 19 acres of bush, 10 1/2 Ar's and mine and the rest the R's. The clearing and the 100 acres on which it is is now mine . . .

It is not wise to fell after Christmas if you can help it in case of bad weather (rain) . . . You commence a clearing by cutting what is called the under bush - that is the

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supple jacks, small trees and all the ferns; this is done with a bill hook. You then go on with the axe (and saw if you like) and chop down every thing but the pines, these are small trees measuring from 6 feet (although you seldom find them as small as this) to over 20 feet in circumference. We felled 28 in our clearing, the largest measured 21 feet 11 in, the smallest about 6 ft, but I have never measured it correctly. The pines should be thrown last because then they do not cover up the other stuff until it is dry. It is necessary to be very particular in lopping the branches off the tree when they are down, for if it does not lay all snug and compact you will not have a good burn. After it has been felled from one to three or four months you fire it in a strong wind. The fire if it is a good burn destroys all the small stuff, leaves, and burns the surface of the ground well. Now comes the clearing up, this is the worst job of all because everything is black and dirty. You chop up everything of reasonable size and collect it together with what the fire has left in heaps against the fallen monsters which lie about on every side and burn it. You then sow your grass seed and in a very short time have capital feed. If you are going to sow wheat or mangles or plant potatoes you take a little more pains with the clearing up.

I suppose you know that Arthur is going to marry Miss Richmond. Before you receive this she will be Mrs A.S.A. I too am thinking of getting married as soon as I can get up a decent house. Cash fell rather short by the time we had got up our present house, and as there was a chance of getting in with the best sawyer in the place at the same time, I did not let the opportunity slip, but went with him and am earning £10 a month wet and dry, working from 8 in the morning till 5 at night. I get 8/- the 100 feet. I am going back again to the bush the beginning of next month to commence sawing timber for a good house for myself. There is no labor to be had, timber is fetching any price th at the sawyers choose to ask and then you are very lucky if you get it under a year. The only way is to do it all yourself, we are a strong party and shall, now that I can saw be pretty independent.

Things are very dear here. The 4 lb. loaf 1/6, meat about 7d. butter 1/-. Horses and cattle quite as high as in England, potatoes have been fetching £12-10-0 the ton. Arthur has just bought a lot of sheep, they were reasonable - £50 for 27 ewes and 19 lambs. We shall in a short time buy up a lot of young stock to run in our bush. . . .

v 3, p 61

C. W. Richmond to J. Chamberlain 9 (Cheapside, London) - - - New Plymouth, 21 Nov 1854

I have to acknowledge the receipt of yours . . . enclosing bill of lading of six trunks of boots and shoes shipped in the Monarch. That vessel . . . reached this place about 3 weeks ago ... I have effected a very favourable sale of the whole consignment - the gross proceeds being £202. . . . The charges (exclusive of any premium I may have to give for bills of the Union Bank) will be about £28.

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With respect to your observations on the charge of 10 per cent made by my brother on your former consignment, a gross charge of 10 per cent is made by the chief commission agents in this place to cover commission, guarantee, 1 per cent for remitting, warehouse, etc. and I do not think it will answer for us to take a less percentage. . . . The present sale is at 3 and 6 months from 9th November. I propose to forward you bills of the Union Bank of Australia at 30 days' sight for each instalment as it falls due.

We are, thank God, all well and prospering and I believe I may say for all of us well content with the new country. Taranaki is very home like and few people of simple taste and homely feelings quit it without strong desire to return. The place is at present prospering but its expansion rendered impracticable from the unwillingness of our natives to alienate more of their lands. Savages who are getting £7 per ton for potatoes and selling hundreds of tons must you perceive be rapidly acquiring notions of the value of land - and indeed ceasing to be savages . . .

v 41, p 46


C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, 24 Nov 1854

. . . Most of the picanninies have been 'down with the measles' as the people here phrase it. ... Maria's marriage will take place very shortly. Her share will be settled in such a way as to secure to her as full a power over it as she now enjoys. That seems to me the right thing when as in her case there is no doubt about the prudence of the lady and her ability to manage her own affairs . . .

v 41, p 6


Jane Maria Atkinson to Margaret Taylor - - - Taranaki, 11 Feb 1855

. . . Visiting began very soon after our marriage as the Kings wished to give us an entertainment before their Xmas holidays ended. Their party was ... a most successful affair. Everything was most beautifully managed, they all have so much neatness, cleanness and taste that I have often been at parties where a pastry cook and a dozen assistants have been engaged which might be called clumsy and vulgar in comparison with this colonial and servantless entertainment. We went to an early tea that we might enjoy this lovely evening and sunset in their beautiful garden . . . Miss King is a wonderful woman; besides doing all the cooking and household management and assisting in the school three days of the week she has found time to make a wilderness at the extremity of their garden blossom like the rose . . . clearing away all the ugly undergrowth from a number of beautiful fern trees, draining a little swamp and confining the water to a narrow bed and then making terraced paths and beds on the steep sides of the gully from which you can look down on the spreading fern trees and get glimpses of the flower garden, thatched cottage and sea beyond.

There were nearly 40 people at the party and the gaily dressed groups moving about in such a scene were . . . like a miniature but highly romantic Chiswick fete.

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About sunset we all assembled in the great schoolroom where dancing and music . . . was kept up with great spirit till 1 o'clock . . .

On the 17th the Chas Browns gave a dance which was very pleasant but tho' more costly, not so distinguished as the King's whose school room too is a far better room for dancing in than the drawing room of the high-sounding Egmont House - the name of the Superintendent's residence. On the 1st. of this month Aunt Helen gave a tea champetre at which 65 people were present. They assembled early in the afternoon and amused themselves as age and taste dictated in cricket, les graces, 10 battle-dore and shuttle-cock or strolling about the garden and field. A long table was made under the peach and mimosa trees near the house at which Aunt and Hannah Smith presided dispensing tea and coffee. When sunset and moonlight were mingling the whole party adjourned to this house to dance . . .

There has been a second dance at the Superintendent's at which most of our youth were present. Some of the bushmen are such enthusiastic dancers, that after a hard day's felling they will come a six miles rough walk, metamorphose themselves from wild men of the woods into smart patent leather booted young gentlemen, some of them demanding white pt. handkerchiefs and scent, for the sake of dancing till two or three o'clock. . . .

I probably mentioned a small wooden house erected by Harry and Arthur soon after the Paget's arrival, it used to be just above the orchard on a slope below this house and nearly a furlong distant from it. On the 14th of Dec. it was dragged up by Broadmore's bullocks and a whole army of assistants under the great Broadmore's guidance and stands now about 10 yards from this house. It has been papered and adorned and is now inhabited by Mr and Mrs A.S.A. 11

v 3, p 63

C. W. Richmond to J. Chamberlain (London) - - - New Plymouth, 19 Feb 1855

... I shall also enclose the first of a bill for £86 which I have obtained from a responsible person here at a premium of 2 1/2 per cent - the Bank premium being now, as I understand, 5 per cent. I shall therefore take credit for £88-3-0.

23 Feb. I now enclose the first of a bill for £86 drawn by H. Hammerton on the Halifax and Huddersfield Union Banking Company at 30 days sight . . . payable to my order and endorsed to your own order . . .

P.S. On the 23rd ulto. Wellington was visited by an earthquake of considerable severity which has occasioned great destruction of property and even some loss of life ... It was pretty smartly felt here, and brought down a few defective chimnies and broke some crockery . . .

v 41, p 50

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Mary Smith to J. C. Richmond - - - 27 St. John's Villas, 28 Mar 1855

Your letter brought to my mind a sentence in a sermon of Keble's which struck me as about the most exquisite thing of the kind I had ever met with. I little thought then that I would find a man who would try to make me believe it. Here it is, a lament after your own heart - 'It is a sad truth, that no one of us is safe from being called upon at any moment to experience something like a judgment of his own on matters which in better times would have been indisputably settled for him.' Doesn't the thought make you shudder, dear Jas. I think what an awful position for a man or woman to be placed in - to have to use something of a judgment of their own - you ought to have this sentence printed in large characters and framed that you might have it continually before you as a subject for warning and meditation . . .

1855/7


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, 6 Apr (Good Friday) 1855

In the morning a light south easter began and blew up the fires we had made in the high field leading them along the old log fence which ends just by the old cowshed so threatening the workshop and the house. As I was drawing water in preparation Broadmore came in and said . . . that the logs had better be taken away, so while I went up the road to get the chain he fetched two of his bullocks, and in a little time the logs were lying out in the middle of the field at a safe distance.

M 9 Apr. Went on at the road again with six others . . . About 4.30 his Ex. Col Wynyard 12 with two attendants rode up to us and said to Mr Bennett and me . . . 'Can you tell me where this road leads to, my men? 13 Does it go to Auckland or Wellington?' We told him it did not go to Auckland but to Charles Brown's. 'What was the name of it, was it the great south road?' 14 I told him it wasn't the great south road but that it ought to be called the great mountain road. After this then he wanted to know if he could get any further so we assured him he could and they went on . . .

T 10 Apr . . . Henry and Cal began digging the main crop of potatoes.

Th 19 Apr ... I set off at 1/2 past 9 to see the ship launched at Moturoa . . . The launch proved rather a failure 15 but the scene altogether was very pretty and gay. We had some refreshment with the superintendent's party and returned to the B[each] C[ottage] to an early meat tea . . . Heard from Lely that Wm. may probably have to go to Auckland as a representative.

S 21 Apr. Soon after breakfast went to town with Hugh Ronalds . . . and got some forms of application for votes at the election of 'any Superintendent' etc. Coming away we met William and Lely ... we had a great deal of talking about . . . his going up to Auckland as an M.H.R. which he says he will not do, but for no reason that he can give.

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M 23 Apr . . . Went down the town with Charlie carrying about 20 lbs of honey (of C. Brown's) in a large milk tin . . . Went on to George's where was a Rifle Meeting . . . There were about 50 people present but only got 26 names. Blaschke got excited as usual but would not sign because he did not like the chance of paying for his rifle . . .

Th 26 Apr . . . Went with Maria to a grand affair at the Hammerton's. I was unable to dance because they made me play chess ... I played three games, 1 with Mr G. H. Orme Hammerton, 1 with Mr Ritchie & 1 with Dr Home. 16 I won the two first & the last was drawn. . . .

F 27 Apr . . . Called at Gilmours and found they had sold the 75 acres to young Morrison for £200. This is a blow ...

v 28


C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, 28 Apr 1855

Henry's agricultural or rather pastoral pursuits bring in very little money at present. But the live stock is increasing and . . . the land itself has been doubled in value by the opening of the road . . .

I don't like writing about Provincial politics ... of which of course I get rather tired. Our great Maori question, however, redeems our policies from parochial littleness of which otherwise they would partake. As Provincial Solicitor I was engaged this week in a prosecution of some importance instituted by the Superintendent against Mr Richard Brown, the principal merchant of the place, one of the cleverest men here and a malignant opponent of Charles Brown. The offence charged was depasturing sheep on a Native reserve. The Constitution Act prohibits all private agreements for purchase or occupation of lands owned or occupied by the natives in common as tribes or communities inasmuch as such agreements favor land-sharking and tend to produce strife and contention . . . We succeeded in obtaining a conviction but only after a hard struggle in an unfavorable court. The Commissioner of Crown Lands (Wm. Halse) . . . did his best for R. Brown who . . . was one of his principal supporters in his contest against Charles Brown for the Superintendency. Party feeling . . . runs very high here though its manifestation is smothered. I have taken care to make no enemies, or rather I should say to take a conciliatory position. It is a miserable thing to see the Public Service suffering from miserable personal animosities.

v 41, p 8


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, F 4 May

After helping Harry load the cart with his things I went with him to French's to look at a heifer & calf, we liked the look of them so I bought them for £12 & brought them home. The heifer James & Henry had sold to French when it was a calf with its mother Pansy.

v 28

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B. Holmes to J. C. Richmond - - - Glasgow, 7 May 1855

. .. Brodick [in Arran] is the place for you . . . Anything you would like to borrow? My portable little easel?.' . I have Ruskin's Modern Painters his Lamps of Architecture . . . Redgrave on Design, Burnet on portrait painting. ... I have also taken in Household words; and, dont smile, Cassel's works of the eminent Masters, which after all is not to be despised . . . My brother has a first rate library ... if you have time look it over and see it there is anything you fancy to beguile the evening hours in lovely Arran. At all events the Scottish guide book might be handy as the Duke of Hamilton limits the building of houses in the island and they are all more or less primitive ... If you are wise you will invest in a Scotch plaid, admirable for putting on the ground to keep off damp.

How have I offended you that you should wish me to write a book? What a piece of delicate satire is that when in your letter you compliment me on my giving an effect to my sketches and talk of the zusammenhang [?]. Ah my friend, why not say at once that you set me down as fit to decorate a steam boat cabin or adorn the curtain of a provincial theatre. You must not think me envious. I would rather burn my brushes than let painting become a source of jealousy but I do sigh after that more feeling eye and hand which you possess - do you remember our famous ovals of Totnes town with the row of trees by the mill stream, do you remember the regiment of nine pins I produced and the gamboge foreground I fondly imagined was like a corn field, putting nevertheless cows standing therein? I do remember seeing your sketch and feeling on an instant that you were my master not in the art of making eligible sign boards, but in the perception of that far more difficult thing the endless detail and nicety of nature and it will be thus that I predict you will outstrip me speedily.

A hundred can get up an effect to one who will render nature lovingly. I belong to the former class, you to the selected few. My only hope for a name will be in doing battle with grand scenes in a grand manner, painting the storm or angry sunset, heaping up masses of light and shade till folk pronounce me mad and by their verdict make me so. I wish I hadn't to paint to live, it is all very well for you to point neat sentences about gravel banks and white clouds, but I cant altogether say, spite of my will - 'I will do no more of this' or 'I will only do that.' No, my aim is like yours, we want not to turn out accomplished drawing masters or 'clever annual exhibitors at our leading Exhibitions' but to produce sterling stuff in which all traces of self shall be wanting. I am a great advocate of Ruskin's principle of self annihilation being such a requisite in a picture. 17

1855/9


C. W. Richmond to J. Chamberlain (London) - - - New Plymouth, 21 May 1855

Business has been very dead here of late. There has been scarcely any importation from England but the wants of the place have been supplied by the traders between

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this and the Australian ports. Owing to the late glut of the Australian market, importers have been able to buy cheaper there than they could do in England - at least taking freight into account. Money is still very scarce here and I have been obliged to give time for the payment of the six months bills I took for the shoes by the Monarch.

v 41, p 57


C. W. Richmond, journal - - - New Plymouth, W 30 May 1855

C.W.R. immersed in state difficulties about the cargo boats, resident magistrate's decision yesterday holding Watson liable in damages to Richard Brown for refusal of boats to unload Velox.

Th 31 May. Today Council . . . passed a law that the resident magistrate and Richard Brown might not take Mr Watson's tables and chairs. C.W.R. all day in Council and he dined at Foote's. Cutfield in his way is a brick, C. B[rown] is as hard as nails - a really strong character, C.W.R. is a well meaning man, Blaschke is a noisy man very and has taken to thump the table with the new paper weights, Burton is subdued by matrimony, Vickers is a rat who cannot escape - poor little man; the honours of the bench come inopportunely and expose him to some ridicule.

F 1 Jun. C.W.R. is requested to make this entry for the purpose of finishing up Richard Brown. Yesterday Council suspended standing orders and passed a bill to declare the non-liability of Provincial Officers ... on government engagements entered into by them. When C.W.R. came home he found a new summons had been taken out against Watson to be heard at 10 today - so this morning he (C.W.R.) went into court and made a fine constitutional display and the magistrate held the ordinance put an end to the action and non-suited the plaintiff . . . The whole affair has ended for the present by R. Brown's giving an implied pledge for the future, viz. agst. the repetition of his attack on our poor little revenue and to pay duties on Kawia goods at this port so as to make up to us what he has diverted this time.

S 9 Jun. Public meeting for patriotic fund tonight. Got up by Norris and R. Brown who, to put a slight on Charles Brown, omitted to send him a requisition as Superintendent to convene a public meeting and put Flight in the chair. Mr Chilman and C.W.R. attended. They both refused to be put on the central committee, not approving of the Superintendent having been passed by whereas in all the other settlements the Supt. both convened the meeting and presided. Harry . . . not being up to the party move seconded one of the resolutions. He afterwards begged to state he should not have taken an active part in the business of the meeting had he twigged . . . his misunderstanding was that he had supposed the meeting to have been convened by, tho' not presided over by, the Superintendent. Finding he had been in error he desired to be considered as not having seconded the resolution . . .

C.W.R. was consulted on Friday by Mr Horne. The Rev. Dr. Samuel has informed agst. him for rescuing one bullock which the Rev. Dr. was taking to the pound. The unreverend Doctor says the Reverend had never caught the heifer (not bullock) but

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was running after it when he came up and caught it and moreover it was not on the land of the sufferer for the cross. The other day the sufferer was pulled up by Mr Horne, who wished to swear the peace agst. him for certain uncomplimentary expressions applied to the Horne family. The case being dismissed the sufferer exulted in a manner which might have become David dancing before the Ark or a defiant Maori rather than a sufferer for the cross and a Doctor of Law and of Divinity recommended by the Bishop of Calcutta.

Jane Maria Atkinson to Margaret Taylor - - - Taranaki, 13 Jun 1855

We have been adding to our possessions in the 'back bush' (henceforth to be known as Hurworth) since I wrote to you, and the Mob is now possessed of 1070 acres . . . The road is now completed . . . Harry's house is just about to be begun; it will be the first sawn timber house Hurworth can boast. Henry's clearing of this year is . . . now sown in grass . . . Henry is determined to lose no time in getting a good orchard; he proposes building a good house . . .

Arthur and I have just invested a fearful sum in a mare - no less than £65, and saddle and bridle £4 more! We have been obliged to make this outlay to enable Arthur to begin felling on our own land this season. He could not spare time and strength for an eight mile walk every day and work hard at his clearing . . . there are cows and other matters requiring his daily attention . . . Our mare (Lallah Rooke) . . . was second at our Taranaki Derby . . . She will carry a lady, but until there is a second steed in the family and a side saddle, I shall not mount very often. . . .

I hope to send some sort of a sketch of this place that you may see how what was the Orchard House is now Arthur's and my room ... I suppose to your palatial eyes it would look very scrubby and insignificant in its internal arrangements, though to colonial eyes its pale green paper, bright furniture and scarlet table cloth make it seem very gay indeed . . .

Needlework is a great incubus just now ... I never can enjoy either reading or writing in the evening for the heaps of mending screaming to be done. If my invalids are well enough tomorrow I am going to town to buy a ball dress for the 26th, frightful extravagance. I expect to see some fun . . .

To think of my paper being filled without my having even alluded to the celebrated Mountain expedition on which alone my hopes of fame rest! 18 The ascent of Mount Egmont I have attempted to describe, but it is a most difficult subject and if I covered quires of paper I should still fail in giving you a notion of it. I must try in my next if courage comes. On the 7th March we stood on his snowy head.

v 8, 283-6 (t.s.)

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C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, 19 Jun 1855

. . . We are all particularly pleased that you approve of making some investments here ... Of bush I almost think we have enough, but I would gladly buy fern land with a proportion of bush ... it might be let for a term of (say) 21 years. Raw land in good situations lets readily at from 10/- to £1 per acre . . .

The Atkinsons with ourselves have joined in the purchase of 200 a. more bush (Gillingham's) for which we are to pay 35/-. £150 is to be paid now, and the £200 balance remains on mortgage at 10 per cent ... In New Plymouth land purchases the first cost is the least - for land seems never to recede in value.

Harry . . . has had an attack of bronchitis. In England he had a perpetual cough and he has never quite lost it. He works too hard. His spirit is very great - too strong for his frame. The work of a sawyer is too laborious for many a man bred to labour and that has been his occupation for a year past. Our Prince of sawyers, Broadmore, declares to his wife . . . that Harry was the best mate he ever had. Hal is now top-sawyer, Teddo Patten in the pit and they are sawing out timber for Hal's house. Henry . . . will be master builder, but he is not to allow this engagement to interfere with next year's felling - when he intends with Charlie and Cal to have down thirty acres.

v 41, p 11


Margaret Taylor to C. W. Richmond - - - Kreuznach, Prussia, 23 Jun 1855

We live just now almost wholly in the interests of the war and all connected with it. One has had little else to do than to read the Times during all the winter and now we are cut down to the daily study of Galignani while we are here and consider ourselves ill off . . . We find it difficult to behave properly in Germany of late when politics and the war are mentioned, there is no sympathy whatsoever with England, even among those who are anti-Russian; one hears nothing but abuse of the selfish policy of England and the strangest confusion of England with the ministers for the time being . . . and a mean and miserable jealousy of our greatness as a nation, which would make the Germans rejoice in anything that would bring us humiliation, even were that anything the triumph of Russia and barbarism. People are very ready on all sides to say that our constitutional government and institutions are proved rotten now they are tried by the demands and emergencies of a war . . . That enormous errors and abuses and most wicked chains and fetters have come to light in the last year no one can deny, but these . . . can be reformed and knocked off, and will be. We are slow to see abuses, slow to mend them, and do not leap from one panacea for all ills to another, as they are given to do in other countries that may be nameless, but it always seems to me . . . that there is a power of improvement and progress and reform in England which there is no where else . . .

One thing I have often wondered over; I always believed that God raised up men for the great needs of the world ... I felt sure they would arise also in this hour of dire

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necessity, but none come, none! Miss Nightingale seems to me the only man who has been made for the time; all others seem unfit for their work, either from weakness or folly, or even worse causes . . . The fact that red tape has been strong enough to fetter them, proves how little they were men, and we wanted giants! . . .

I suppose you read [F.D.] Maurice out in your new home? ... I am making acquaintance with his writings with a delight and comfort which are great indeed. He will surely do an immense good if he gives any of his spirit to the young minds of this day, and I hear the students and young men go in crowds to hear him. . . .

v 3, p 64


Emily E. Richmond, journal - - - New Plymouth, M 25 Jun 1855

W. S. Atkinson came to tea this evening, he wants William to go with him to the Waitera tomorrow to see the natives dance after their tangi over the dead bodies of their friends. W.S.A. talking a great deal about the necessity of C.W.R. standing for the Town for the General Assembly - C.W.R. at present says 'No'.

Th 28 Jun. William came home to a dinner of lampries which William Atkinson brought us from the Waitara.

5 7 Jul. Hal came down, as he says, to look after the requisition, for the future I shall detest Auckland, but William says he will take me.

M 9 Jul. The Alexander schooner from Melbourne with barracks for the troops (who were once coming) has been discharging since Friday . . . They got 45 tons out for two days, 30 tons the next and 20 to-day . . . slower for the last two days because they have been reloading at the same time to keep her (C.W.R. says) in ballast trim . . . The . . . dear little Onkaparinga 19 is on shore at Wanganui and going to pieces . . .

v 21


Jane Maria Atkinson to Margaret Taylor - - - Taranaki, 28 Jun 1855

There has been a very gay ball . . . commencing at the plebian hour of seven p.m. on Tuesday, and breaking up at eight a.m. yesterday morning. Fancy thirteen mortal hours of dancing, varied by only an hour's interval for supper!! Colonists think eight hours of work a long day, but it seems their endurance in the cause of pleasure is much greater. The ball was given by the Freemasons, who are of all classes, so of course there were both Nobs and Snobs; indeed it would be impossible to get 150 people together here, or to make any show in a room upwards of sixty feet long, out of the 'genteel' class. Arthur was regularly inveigled into going by the persuasions of various friends; fortunately for him there was a chess table and he had several games establishing himself as the Taranaki champion . . . Emily and William figured on the gay scene for about three hours. Many people considered Em the belle of the evening . . .

6 Aug. I hardly like to say much on the engrossing topic of the day here, because it may cause you some uneasiness long after all shadow of a pretext for the smallest

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anxiety on our account has passed away - nevertheless without speaking of the warlike aspect of the household here I can give no faithful picture of our state. You must have heard of a Maori quarrel which took place exactly a year ago . . . Different tribes have arranged themselves on the two sides. Our Government has been too indifferent or cowardly to take any steps towards the punishment of the murderers, though the murdered chief was a great friend to the English and fell because he was the leader of the party anxious to sell the Government more land; . . . During the past year the quarrel has been languidly continued by the Maoris until the feud has spread wide. The Governor pro tem, Colonel Wynyard, came at the end of March last after being incessantly asked during the previous half year to place some troops here. He had some long interviews with various chiefs and left us promising to send some soldiers immediately. About a week ago (four months after Colonel Wynyard's departure) some iron barracks from Melbourne made their appearance; these it seems had been countermanded, but they were shipped before the second order arrived. No troops have arrived and no reason is given for their non appearance. People are beginning to think that some sort of organisation may be desirable amongst themselves, so that in case of need they may offer resistance to any Maori aggression. Some people think in this way, others won't trouble themselves at all - 'they did not come out here to fight; that is the business of Government; it is paid to take care of us.'

v 38, pp 286-8 (t.s.)


C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, 24 Jul 1855

Having had no prior experience in the conduct of litigation, and at a distance from the seat of the Supreme Court at Auckland I have felt the responsibility (and still do) very heavily and somehow I do not make business lucrative. My rival Norris has got firm hold of the moneyed men here . . .

Our members in the House of Representatives got a sickener last session. Two have resigned, and one of them has done me the favour to start a requisition calling on me to stand for the Town of New Plymouth . . . but I dread the toil of the session and well know that the representatives of New Plymouth will have a thankless office as well as a most arduous one.

The native difficulties here continue , . . so serious that we must e're this have thought of providing for the personal safety of our ladies by sending them away from the place for a time if we did not weekly expect that protection which the presence of troops would afford, and which, in the opinion of most people here, has been criminally withheld for so long a time. With troops the difficulty would, I feel certain, disappear . . . and we should enjoy a more solid security than we have ever yet done . . . We see so little of the contending native parties that it is wonderfully easy to forget our really critical position ... A powerful party of natives of the Ngatiruanui tribe who are openly leagued against land sales and secretly hostile to the British Government have reinforced Katatore and threaten to annihilate Adam Clarke and his people who are

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falling short of ammunition. Should they accomplish this it is impossible to say to what lengths Katatore might not be urged by the will of the people he leads.

3 Aug. This is the anniversary of Rawiri's death and we are still in hot water with the natives . . . We continue our exertions to secure an efficient force but the word of the Governor has been shamefully falsified. There is no denying that affairs are very serious looking. Since Turton wrote the letters published in last week's Herald, the Waikatos have appeared on the scene, making Katatore and Wiremu King draw in their horns.

Charles Brown has gone on to Auckland to urge the necessity of immediate measures for the security of the settlement.

v 41, p 13


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, F 27 Jul 1855

Did some accts & carpentring in the morning, cleaned mangels in the afternoon . . . Called on Hughes & ... he proposed a scheme to me which I think a very good one: namely to form a small company of such as will join having a gun of any kind & willing to get ammunition - the members to pledge themselves to stand by each other to rendezvous at some predetermined place & to obey the officers chosen by themselves I believe this to be at present the only practicable plan.

T 30 Jul. Did several small things - in the evening cleaned my rifle & cast a few bullets. All the bushmen went back to Hurworth.

W 1 Aug. In the afternoon we got a note from C.W.R. to say that 'there was some further talk of a deputation to His Excellency and that if he (C.W.R.) has to go he thinks it will be best for Emily, Lely & Maria to go up to Auckland with him to be out of the way in case of a row.

Th 2 Aug . . . Went to William's office & talked with him about the Maories -there are 'rumours of wars' in the Bay of Islands ... Mr Batkin told me in the evening that 140 Waikatos had arrived at the Waitara (and that 500 or 600 more were on the road) and that Wiremu Kingi had gone to oppose their passage.

v 28


C. W. Richmond to C. Brown (Auckland) - - - New Plymouth, 2 Aug 1855

I get ready a few lines for the Zingari should she deign to give us a call when she passes northwards. You will see affairs have got a new complexion since your departure. For particulars of Turton's proceedings I refer you to the Herald. He has assumed a very grave responsibility because . . . the part he has taken in sending for the Mokau natives must have completely committed the Europeans . . . They do not like the taking of the bull by the horns. If salvation lay in denying the bull and his horns or in the ostrich plan of sticking heads in the ground, they would be safe. For my own part, though not blind to Turton's vanity, I hold him justified by the real exigency of the case. Whatever the General Government may do or attempt to do it seems to me we ought not to disavow or to censure him . . .

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It came on to blow here . . . Sunday . . . The Ocean with Cresswell's goods got in on Saturday. On Sunday all had to run out and stopped out till yesterday afternoon. Vixen, Don Juan, and Ocean with Taranaki (arrived yesterday) are now at the anchorage. As for the terrible clipper ship, she came back, fired two guns and shewed a light last night to bid us good bye and was out of sight by day - the six days allowed to consignees having . . . expired. If we are to keep the direct trade at all, some new regulation must be made with reference to the use of the boats . . .

Lakeman has been detected in supplying spirits to natives and convicted in the extreme penalty, viz. £10. Had he sold a bottle instead of two cases of gin he would have been let in for £60. Such is the wisdom of legislation whereof we now know something. By right you ought regularly to be furnished with the depositions in these cases.

v 41, p 64


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, S 4 Aug 1855

... In the evening a good many of us attended a public meeting, a committee of twelve was appointed to wait on and ask the magistrates to swear in special constables & to give them what arms & ammunition there are in the place, also to request them to request Captain King, Lieut King & Lieut Jones to organize some body presently to be forthcoming. This was the most disorderly and disreputable meeting I have been at in Taranaki. There were some very fine speeches - William Bayley who 'approved of Lieut Jones as much as any man did', objected 'to his being on the committee'; '1st because he was a very disagreeable man on a committee and 2nd because he was deaf'.

v 28


C. W. Richmond, journal - - - New Plymouth, 5 Aug 1855

At 3 this morning a gun fired at sea told us of the Zingari on her way north with the members of the General Ass: . . . C.W.R. very cross because I opposed his having his black trousers which however he would wear. He went down before breakfast to meet the first boat was introduced by Mr Gledhill to Mr Robert Hart of Wellington. After breakfast ... he went to look after the members who had . . . dispersed all over the town.

Sewell accompanied by T. King had gone in the direction of the Henui and Chilman and C.W.R. followed and met the two on the far side of the Henui bridge. C.W.R. had much talk on state affairs with Sewell whom he took to the top of Marsland Hill. Sewell interested in the Church and goes to listen to the singing (standing under the windows for the purpose) which was very poor.

C.W.R. then tackled Hart again and finding there was still half an hour to spare before the last boat brought him up here and gave him a glass of port ... Mr Clifford has prevailed on T. King and F.U.G. to go up to Ramoth Gilead to battle, and strongly advises us to put up the barracks ourselves. It seems we owe no thanks to Wynyard for sending them for they were actually countermanded but luckily too late to rescind the contract, the barracks were to go to the Bay of Islands!!! But they were

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too late, the villains!! And now if they send for them don't they wish they may get them?

Alexander King, considering the danger to the place as not any longer absolutely imminent . . . determined with concurrence of C.W.R. to go on to Auckland . . . Alexander proposed (if need be) to burn down the Henui bridge so as to render the river impassible to the Maories.

Last night . . . public meeting - very discreditable in its behaviour - to take into consideration organisation of our means of defence. Bench to be applied to to swear in special constables - arms to be issued - barracks to be erected - permanent committee of public safety appointed . . .

v 21


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, M 6 Aug 1855

This has been a day of excitement . . . There has been a great deal of casting bullets, grinding cutlass, sword, bayonet, fitting guns & pistols & going to town. The Maories have been firing at each other a great part of the day, and even the sleepy townspeople are at last getting a little excited. By the steamer yesterday there came 200 lbs of powder which Charles Brown had ordered from Wellington. This is very welcome ... I believe there was not a pound to [be] had of any of the storekeepers. Collins & R. Lethbridge came in for bullet moulds for their guns. Harry went to town to get iron ramrods for our rifles as our brass ones are too weak.

T 7 Aug ... in the evening had three quarters of an hour more grinding at my cutlass, then went to Aunt Helen's to fetch Maria. Teddo & Cal came down & were sent back again with their guns. Bill & Henry & Harry went back at different times - Willy was here to tea. The Maories firing again a good deal but no harm done.

W 8 Aug. Finished carting in mangels. In the evening I began working at a new iron ramrod for the 'school-man' . . . Charlie is making a new stock to one of the guns . . . The Revd Turton in the Taranaki Herald says (Tu Augt 7), 'Having heard they were fighting this morning went up and found them skirmishing in the fern, the balls whistling about him' . . . three shots were fired at him which went close by his head . . . after this he retired into the Ninia pa. I don't think he is the least inclined to hide his light under a bushel.

Th 9 Aug ... Mr Batkin told me that the swearing in of special constables had begun today. All the male population 'capable of bearing arms' are to be sworn. This was decided on at a full bench of magistrates . . . and also that the new iron barracks are to be put up as a place of refuge for women and children.

F 10 Aug . . . Charlie went to town for iron for a ramrod & powder flasks 20 . . .

S 11 Aug. We three, Henry and Teddo were sworn in as 'specials' 21 - we had to give

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account of our arms and ammunition. About 250 have been sworn in already . . . There is to be a public meeting tonight about putting up the barracks on Mount Elliot by voluntary labour.

v 28


Jane M. Atkinson to J. C. Richmond - - - Taranaki, 8 Aug 1855

All the southern members are on board the Zingari on the 5th proceeding to the General Assembly ... I suppose the liberal party will be predominant; old E. G. Wakefield is on his death bed and Jerningham W. is in attendance on his father, instead of strengthening his faction at Auckland . . .

I must say your decision not to return here at present gives me satisfaction for I have really dreaded the thought of your coming back a bachelor, and vainly striving to settle down to colonial life without a partner or any home of your own ... I might hope in your artist wanderings Providence might lead you near some good soul destined to be a sister to me here in N.Z. . . .

The cost of living is enormous just now, flour 2/5d. cwt, 2/- the quarter loaf, and everything to match. As this place continues half way house and free quarters for the bush men; good accommodation for man & beast, ordinary at 12 o'clock, charge £0 0s. 0d. you may imagine the money runs out to a pretty good tune.

Arthur is going to make a clearing on our land this year, and . . . after the burn would put up a slab house of two rooms which might serve afterwards for cowshed or kitchen and workshop when we build a better abode . . . 'Bird's heart is in the bushland, his heart is not here.' I hope Lely will make her permanent home with us . . .

1855/12


H. R. Richmond to J. C. Richmond - - - Taranaki, 11 Aug 1855

... I have just returned from being sworn in - being about the 250th. All males between 16 and 60 are requested to enrol, under a penalty of £5 ... I quite believe that the knowledge that we are prepared to defend ourselves will be a sufficient protection and that we shall never come to blows. At present the party who back Katatore, namely his own people, Wiremu Kingi of the Waitera with his men and some hundreds of the Ngatiruanui from southwards, are greatly superior in numbers to Arama Karaka's party . . . These latter have sent for assistance to the Waikato tribes . . . Both parties have strongly fortified their pas from which they come out occasionally and fire away at each other at a safe distance. This warfare has been going on for weeks, but as yet I believe no wound has been inflicted . . . Turton lives in Arama Karakas pa and has identified himself, and thereby to some extent the whites generally, with that party, so that if they were driven into the town a collision would probably ensue. But until they begin killing each other, which they seem very loth to do, there can be no danger for us.

The conduct of the general government . . . has been enough to exasperate every man in the place and to join all our little parties. Three officers have been severally

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dispatched to investigate and report on the Native difficulties and they have all been forced most unwillingly to pronounce that a garrison was very necessary. Finally Wynyard himself paid us a visit and appeared fully convinced of this necessity . . .

We have been buying land at a rate that must seem rather wild to you, but I believe we shall not lose by anything we have bought if we keep it a year or two till all our plans are more settled, ... At present we hold altogether 1070 acres, which may be divided as follows - W.S.A. 105, H.A.A. 105, A.S.A. and J.M.A. 122 1/2, T.P. 52 1/2, C.C.W. and F.C.W. 105, C.W.R., J.C.R. and H.R.R. 440. Atkinsonian undivided 130. Last season after we had made the road, Charlie and I built a small slab hut in your little clearing and felled 10 acres adjoining it. ... there was an admirable site for a house near the centre of it . . . There is a beautiful view of the splendid kohekohe bush on your ridge from it, and from the highest part of the ridge in the clearing a very fine view of the mountain. The great fault of the site is that . . . the sun does not reach what would be the garden for some time after it is up . . .

Charlie and Cal work by contract at felling, otherwise they have labourers' wages 7/- per day of 8 hours and pay 10/- a week for their food, which costs however somewhat more at present. . . . We have some hope that Turner the sawyer may fell 10 acres for us . . . Next season the lads will have earned their land and I hope a little money to start with ... I shall have about 50 acres of grass . . .

Our little slab house in which we have lived since last October is a very curious little residence ... 22 ft by 10, height of walls 6 ft. ... The centre where the table stands is floored, the fire is at the other end. We have a good safe which is a great comfort. All the walls except near the fire are lined with carpet and old curtains so that we are all pretty warm. The roof is shingled with rough shingles two feet long rising 10 inches each row on split battens. Almost all our food we now get up by cart as far as the fern post establishment. We bake our own bread in the immense camp oven which you bought. . . . Arthur is now renting this place at £25 per an. and I think the net proceeds of cattle keeping in the bush will be about 10 per cent on all the money invested there, perhaps a little more . . .

Su . . . We have had no earthquakes lately and hardly expect any till January, unless we should have a slight touch in the beginning of October just after the equinox. You would hear of my earthquake letter to Henfrey and of the singular coincidence of there being on the table when I sat down to write a number of the Athenaeum containing an announcement of my theory ... I am now very anxious to know what progress this view is making amongst scientific men ... If it should be established that shocks are most frequent at a certain number of hours or days after full and new moon, the irregularities in their occurrence may perhaps be made to throw some new light on what is going on down below. I should fancy it not improbable that terrestrial magnetism may be connected with the motions of the fluid centre, and I noticed the other day that variations whose periods are a month, and a year have been discovered in addition to the diurnal motions of the needle ... If I had knowledge and opportunity I might do some good as a natural philosopher ... At the present moment if I were in

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England I should inevitably offer myself as assistant to Mr Faraday or some of these great men and so forget myself and my troubles . . .

You can tell Henfrey that I have got a few mountain plants dried for him, but have not commenced regularly collecting . . . till I get comfortably established in the back bush. I was surprised and delighted on our mountain trip with the carpet of alpine plants which covers the ground when the trees and bushes . . . have disappeared . . . Now that we have a line all the way the trip to the top and back may be made even from the town in three days, and from the back bush it can be done in that time quite easily . . .

Nelly [Hursthouse] is only at home on Sunday - during the week she lives at Aka Waru; Blanche keeps the little school, Kate grows tall and handsome . . .

I have been . . . reading MacFarlans's Japan . . . When one is in a moony state it is almost overwhelming to think of the millions of little egos that are panting and striving away in different parts of the world, and of whose ways of life and of thought we have scarcely any idea . . . One feels more as if one were reading another of Gulliver's Travels than anything real.

1855/2


C. W. Richmond, journal - - - New Plymouth, S 12 Aug 1855

The week Aug 5 to 12 signalised by the swearing in of special constables and long and earnest consultation as to the erection of barracks and other measures of defence. We have charge of two kegs of powder for the public use. Ultimately decided to put up barracks in the hollow between the two summits of Mount Eliot - surely a most absurd decision - which happily we were prevented from acting upon by the arrival on Monday the 13th of the Zingari. We have gained our point at last. The Duke of Portland is coming round with troops!! In the Zingari were the Superintendent, Thomas King, Gledhill, Captain Travers Royal Artillery, Captain Chesney R.E., a specimen sapper and miner, a do. artillery man and a lance corporal H.M. 58th Regiment. Also in C.B's pocket an order for £1500 on acct. of our back revenue. Ha! ha!

Colonel Wynyard gave a dinner to the Superintendent and he had to hand in Mrs Wynyard who would scarcely go through the doors - as big as the side of a house he says she was. The troops are said to be a fine effective body of men very well appointed. Guns are coming with them, 2 field pieces and a 24 pr Howitzer.

During the week Turton, going outside the Ninia to call in the people and save powder was shot at and nearly hit. He says one ball went through his whisker, and that it is a mistake to suppose they cannot aim. He also says they cannot at all appreciate the poetry of action and that the best mode of dealing with such murderous rascals is to keep altogether out of their way. The Resident Magistrate has gone very heartily into the self-defence movement. The Bench of Magistrates were very unwilling to move in the matter but Mr Chilman (who was Provincial Secretary during His Honor's absence) and C.W.R. succeeded in convincing the R.M. (and therefore the Bench) that the Bench alone was responsible for the peace of the settlement.

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Right glad we were when the Zingari's smoke was seen in the north after her prolonged absence of 8 days . . . We thought her detention must be due to our Taranaki affairs. The Ngati rua nui have sent a note to Turton saying 'You need not trouble yourself to inquire who it was that shot at you. It was WE the Ngati rua nui - the men of determined spirit.'

H. R. Richmond to J. C. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, [14 Aug 1855]

... I don't know what to think about your painting ... I have unlimited faith in your taste, but doubts as to the strength of your creative power. I have little doubt that you could paint landscapes which would be admired and sell, but am afraid you will be disappointed yourself instead of surprised and delighted as I fancy an artist should when he has realised his ideas. If you succeed I suppose England will be your home though you may come here for a time. We certainly none of us can wish you to come back to be a bachelor bush farmer, unless indeed you and I were to set up again together and work half the day and amuse ourselves or moon the rest, or devote our spare hours to training the young idea. I fancy we should jog on very quietly now and I should not require you to treat me as if I were made of glass.

That reminds me of chemicals; if you should be able when you come bring me a small carboy of sulphuric acid to mess about with, but don't bother about it if there is much difficulty . . .

Our road, has been a good deal improved since you left. We - that is Broadmore, Dr Neild and I - commissioners of public works for the fourth district, spent £144 on it between Gilbert's farm and our back bush, of which 70 was spent in one mile, from Chas Hursthouse's cottages to the far side of Drayton's land. The effect for foot passengers has not been favourable, as there is now no avoiding the mud . . . Patterson has returned with 7 jacks and a new wife . . . Scotland has returned or is coming and also I believe the Pratts. I leave the question of bringing or sending cattle entirely to your discretion . . . Flour has suddenly risen from £32 to £45 per ton . . .

Tuesday morning . . . The troops are coming at last . . . There are to be 400 altogether . . . We have not heard why the members are returned, but suppose there has been a dissolution. 22

1855/3


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, S 18 Aug 1855

We heard that Bishop Selwyn (who has been here two or three days) thinks there is a fair chance of collision with the 'niggers'.

Su 19 Aug. The Bishop preached here today. It seems that people in general are not very well satisfied with the patch-work peace he is trying to make between the Maories.

F 24 Aug. There are some very good letters in the Herald this week about the

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Bishop's doings here. It seems that Wiremu King & Katatore are churchmen and therefore in the right, though there are heretics in Taranaki who do not think so.

Su 26 Aug. In the evening Henry did some small hydraulic experiments.

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C. W. Richmond, journal - - - New Plymouth, M 20 Aug 1855

. . . Sunday is such a favorite day with ships for making Taranaki that somehow everybody expected the Duke and sure enough about 3 up went the St George's ensign and Mount Elliot was covered with people. To the north-west was the little tower of canvas which became rapidly more distinct as the punctual and trustworthy clipper walked up on a wind . . . When she came near enough for a signal they asked for all the boats and forth went the galleys of Taranaki. The Superintendent, Chesney and Travers . . . returned accompanied by Captain Cooper and some other officers and five and twenty rank and file of the gallant 58th. The fires on the beach were beset with curious throngs and it was a very lively scene . . . C.W.R. returned with Dr Montgomery the surgeon who had got his billet here. Dr M had tea and some grog and a pipe (the pipe of course in the new kitchen - kahore kaikai the paipa in my nice rooms). They had a long korero about New Zealand and the Bay, where the Doctor has been quartered for 5 years and for which he has a great affection.

To-day. All the troops have landed except the guard on board with the military chest and ammunition. Also all the emigrants . . . Major Nugent is commanding officer, which is considered satisfactory from his knowledge of the Maories. The crest of Mount Elliot above Skinner's is now . . . covered with the round red-topped tents of the soldiery - sentries pacing up and down and triangles of muskets with glittering bayonets. Meat is 9d a lb. Lethbridge has taken the contract for the first fortnight . . .

The surf is evidently increasing hourly. Anr. 24 hrs and I believe the whole job would have been done and we should have shewn those insolent Auckland people how we manage discharging at Taranaki. But the ship is a day too late.

v 21


C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, 27 Aug 1855

. . . Our representations, now backed by all the Wesleyan interest here have at last prevailed . . . On the Governor's visit to us in April last he ordered iron barracks for 300 men to be got ready at Melbourne. Afterwards, when our secret enemies at Auckland had counteracted successfully all our endeavours and induced our weak Governor to abandon his avowed determination to afford us military protection, the order it seems was countermanded, but it being too late to rescind the contract the barracks were to be sent to the Bay of Islands. Not a little indignation was felt here when we learnt of this. Fortunately however, the Governor was altogether too late. The barracks had been completed and despatched. They were landed here and the New Plymouth people were unanimous in declaring that they should never go out of the place again.

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Now when the sending of troops was indefinitely delayed and . . . our position at the same time was getting more and more critical, we resolved to set up the barracks as a place of defence and a public meeting was held and the place placarded for procuring voluntary aid in the work . . . The whole male population was summoned to be sworn in as special constables. Such was the state of affairs when the arrival of the steamer relieved our anxieties . . .

We looked for the Duke about Saturday . . . Sure enough on Sunday she made her appearance late in the afternoon. It was dark before any of the troops landed. A great concourse on the beach to witness the arrival and bonfires lighted to guide the boats to the landing place. In the course of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday last, all the troops and 200 tons of military stores, 2 24-pounder howitzers and a field piece were landed besides cargo and a number of passengers. The Auckland people who have the meanest idea of this place gave three weeks for the business of discharging. On Friday the Duke sailed for Wellington to bring up a detachment of the 65th . . .

The Hua people (Rawiri's) sent a present of a great many cart loads of potatoes to the troops and an immense pig. Their adversaries are equally desirous of conciliating the soldiers and they too were sending ten tons of potatoes but the people at the Hua stopped the carts in transitu saying to the drivers, 'No we sent for the soldiers, and we shall feed the soldiers. You sent for Ngatiruanui and you may feed them'. Major Nugent has, I understand, declined to accept this latter present of which I am very glad. Almost everybody here hopes (though we scarcely expect) that decisive measures will be taken with Katatore and his rascal ally Wiremu Kingi of Waitera, the bad genius of Taranaki . . .

Of late there has been formed a League amongst various of the tribes on Cook's Straits for resisting further alienations of land to the Europeans. This is the great bond of union between Wiremu Kingi, Katatore and the Ngatiruanui. Rawiri was sacrificed because he had rebelled against the League. You will understand it is a Combination (like those which the artizans in England have sometimes entered into) not to protect the tribes in the exercise of their admitted right to retain their lands, but to coerce those who are desirous of selling. The Church of England missionaries labour under a strong suspicion of fostering and even originating this Land League. Some most abominable perversions of the Hebrew Scripture have been circulated amongst the Maoris through the agency of Church missionaries and Scripture readers. They refer the Maoris to those parts of the Levitical institutions by which the chosen race is forbidden to alienate their God-given inheritance in perpetuity, and by which it is ordained that all lands should revert to the original owner in the year of Jubilee. Archdeacon Had-field of the Otaki Mission is believed to be a great offender in this way. Bishop Selwyn also is thought to be much of the same way of thinking. His Lordship is now among us and notwithstanding his eminent qualities there is a very general wish that he had stopped away. People feel certain he will do his best to patch up a hollow truce and to shield the murderous Land-Leaguers. You will see from the paper how indignant the settlers are getting that such encouragement should be afforded to a handful of

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turbulent and disaffected savages who have for so many years been allowed to play the dog-in-the-manger with the finest district in New Zealand.

The large exports to Australia and the considerable addition to our population have raised the necessaries of life to famine prices . . . Harry got £20 on Saturday for a cow which cost him £11 about 6 months ago. All this tells tremendously against consumers like ourselves, but of course greatly benefits the settlement, so we must not complain.

14 Oct ... A detachment of the 65th from Wellington brings the strength here to between 500 and 600. Everything quite quiet, but the negociations supposed to be on foot for getting rid of King and Katatore by removal do not appear to be progressing ... I write to James a few lines enclosing a Pastoral Letter of the Bishop of New Zealand on our affairs with a reply thereto in which I have had some hand.

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A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, S 1 Sep 1855

. . . Wrote Aspective Review 23 in the evening. We saw in a Norfolk paper that Mrs Nicol, formerly Miss Bronte or Currer Bell was dead - no more Villettes for us.

Th 6 Sep. Harry is thinking of living here till he is stronger and setting up a bullock cart.

T 11 Sep . . . Harry bought a pair of bullocks & cart (£74 for the pair £35 for the cart).

Th 13 Sep . . . Harry took the first two loads of firewood into town. It is 12/- a load.

Su 16 Sep ... In the evening we talked a good deal on other artificial modes of milking cows.

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C. W. Richmond, journal - - - New Plymouth, T 18 Sep 1855

. . . What is to be done about our affairs it is difficult to conjecture. Any measure approaching coercion is very distasteful to the officials and soldiers. The detachment of the 65th from Wellington has arrived, the Duke of Portland having been absent only 13 days on her trip to the south . . . The Colonel was received with a salute from the field pieces. The new Governor is well spoken of as a courteous, discriminating and decided man . . .

C.W.W[ilson] has been in a singularly excited state - persuaded of his possession of an extraordinary gift of expression. He now edits a M.S. periodical entitled The Axeman, containing rhapsodies by the editor with self-criticisms appended. The other lads contribute. A.S.A. has a separate publication named The Aspective Review. 24 Very racy.

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Jane Maria Atkinson to J. C. Richmond - - - Beach Cottage, Taranaki, 22 Sep 1855

. . . Hal's chest has been a good deal affected this winter, he is now living at Lely's and has taken to carting fire wood. He is bringing some in now for the troops at 12s. a load. He makes two journeys a day . . .

Alexander King has presented his 'charger Inkerman (own brother to Alma)' to the Ladies branch of the Auckland Patriotic fund. The charger was valued at £8.

The top has been cut off Marsland Hill and the £7000 barracks are to be erected there. Mr Batkin's salary is now £150 so he has set up a cream colored mare named Lalla Rookh on which he rides to and from town.

30 Sep. A public meeting of the settlers was called to meet at the Masonic Hall on Friday evening last, for the purpose of investigating the allegations contained in Bishop Selwyn's Pastoral letter just received and of satisfactorily showing every one of them to be incorrect . . . William disapproved of the meeting, as not being the right way at all of answering the Bishop. He attended however, feeling Mr. Turton to have done good service to the settlement. William was in the chair so he was able to moderate matters.

1855/15


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, W 26 Sep 1855

. . . Thomas King called ... He says the writs for new members of the House of Representatives are down. They are returnable in four months. MacLean and Wynyard have got the direction of our foreign i.e. native affairs here - so the Maories will look up again.

Th 27 Sep . . . There are rumours that the 'Rifle Corps' is to be embodied.

M 1 Oct ... In the evening I rode down to the beach and attended a Rifle meeting. C.W.R, Harry, Henry and Bill were also there. There have [been] 30 rifles with bayonets sent down, they are to be distributed among the members of the Rifle Corps. I heard a pipiwharauroa today - first time this spring.

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C. W. Richmond to J. C. Richmond (England) - - - New Plymouth, 4 Oct 1855

... I know you are still one of us and will, my brother, very soon be back amongst us in your natural place - giving up so sadly unnatural an attempt as that you are now making ... It does appear a sad thing that a man so beloved should throw away large opportunities of happy usefulness and make all the love he holds and must ever hold the instruments of so much pain to himself and others merely because the cup of happiness is not sweetened to his taste ... Do not delay to come back to us. Exile & solitude cannot permanently help you . . .

24 Nov. I open this to announce the safe arrival of Deciinus and Jane [Skinner] after a fine passage . . .

1855/17

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C. W. Richmond to T. Richmond - - - New Plymouth, ij Oct 1855

. . . Our new Governor has dissolved the General Assembly and we are to have a new election here in about 3 weeks time. I am afraid I must stand at great private inconvenience and some pecuniary loss - though to me the loss will be less than it would be to many of the settlers because I shall of course continue to draw my official salary as well as the allowance of £1 per diem for expenses. These, however, must of necessity be considerable. I believe if I stand there will be no opposition as candidates are not easily to be found. Honours which envolve an absence from the homestead of 3 or 4 months, a sea voyage, the discomfort of a long residence in lodgings in a strange place and plenty of hard work for a payment which scarcely covers necessary expenses, are at a decided discount amongst our practical settlers. For me, the Province has a sort of claim on me and I feel that I shall have opportunity of learning much that I want to know.

22 Oct. We have today received news of the unsuccessful attack on the Malakoff and Redan on the 18th June . . . All quiet amongst the natives, but the Land League is said to be greatly strengthening itself. The forbearance of Government is as usual imputed to cowardice and the selling natives are joining Katatore seeing that the soldiers are, as they think, afraid to touch him. The Governor may be expected to arrive at any moment in the steamer Zingari. We do not hope anything from his advent. There is an impression here that 'the Bishop has got hold of him', and that a vigorous policy on native matters is not to be looked for. I must say were I Governor I should be very shy of meddling.

The weather has been very fine this spring. The young men all getting on with their felling but we shall not have so much thrown this year as we hoped for - having been disappointed in obtaining labour.

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C. W. Richmond and Emily E. Richmond, journal - - - New Plymouth, 25 Oct 1855
[In writing of E. E. Richmond]

William and I went to a dance at the Imlays' . . . Major Thompson (dear old thing) was there in somebody else's shell jacket, his own having been burnt in his tent. Donald McLean, Dr Wilson and Mr Ritchie danced a Scotch reel . . . C. Brown was there and so was R. Brown and the leopard lay down with the lamb. I was rather unkind to dear William, because, fearing an embranglement he judiciously hesitated about embarking on a set of the Lancers and we lost our chance of a place . . . Mrs Montgomery and Mrs Chesney there with their lords. The uniforms decidedly seedy. Captain Artillery King as attractive as usual with his nonchalant way. The host and hostess hospitable and kind.

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A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, M 5 Nov 1855

. . . Went down with my old wife & saw 'C. W. Richmond Esq duly elected' as member for the Town of N.P. in the House of Representatives. He made a very good speech afterwards. I am sorry we hadn't the chance of returning him instead of the towns-people. There is no doubt they have got the best man in the place ... At 5-30 p.m. I set off for Hurworth and did a little canvassing for Charles Brown as I came along. It is disgusting to hear some of the wretches talking about 'hardly having time to come in to vote' - when wages are 7/- & 8/- a day.

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C. W. Richmond, journal - - - New Plymouth, 5 Nov 1855

Gunpowder treason and plot and William was elected. Holla boys. Holla boys!! That nice dry man Mr Flight as Blanche calls him became quite juicy on this occasion.

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C. W. Richmond to J. C. Richmond - - - Beach Cottage, 6 Nov 1855

Amongst new acquaintances are the Hindes, a brother and sister about 20 years of age they are - came out in the Fletcher . . . the honest and stumpy children of an evidently worthy man, a clergyman, near Pontefract. Hinde bought Eva's house next John Hursthouse - has lately parted with it to James Brind and has taken up land in the Upper Mangorei. Poor James Brind, his versatile father seems to have given up New Zealand and poor James ... is going away to reach India as best he can . . .

Hal's health I am sorry to say is not strong. He has asthmatic tendencies not unlike my own. The deep bush is too damp for him. He now lives here (at Lely's) and has got a cart and bullocks and carts firewood up to town for the troops.

East represents no principle whatever and even his supporters admit Crompton to be the better man. Blaschke in opposing East has made some good hustings speeches - shewed them how their candidate was disqualified by utter political ignorance and laziness. 'He is my very good friend, Mister East is a capital fellow over a glass of grog', etc etc. East all the time trying to look happy and unconcerned. Last night when the election terminated Blaschke told them: 'Electors of Omata, I am very glad you have returned my friend Mr East!!! Shall I tell you vy I am so very glad? Electors of Omata! I speak for myself and for all of you, Ve want a lesson! Ve want a lesson, and by Heaven before the year is out Mr East will give us a lesson and anoder time ve shall take more care what ve are about.' East showed very wretchedly. He congratulated the electors on the great victory they had obtained over 'Provincial Despotism'. But Blaschke had it all his own way, and whilst the successful candidate sat as red as fire blowing out his freckled cheeks, Blaschke informed them that, 'De reason vy Mr East was so against de Provincial Government vas because he vanted de place of Mr Vatson, de Harbour Master - de man (roaring) who has done more then any man for dis place!' - the audience supporting Blaschke and roaring with laughter. It was anything but an ovation

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for the unfortunate East, who as Blaschke said having become a public character was to him the same as the Duke of Wellington was to Punch and was completely common property 'like de grass under my feet' . . .

The boys amuse themselves with literary pursuits. Charlie's mania started the Axeman, Arthur edits The Aspective. Calvert and Teddo as well as Henry, William Atkinson and Francis Adams are poets. Arthur has written some blank verse if, as there is reason to think, he is the author as well as the reviewer of a publication entitled The Death of Chaos and other Poems by Wm. Smith, which has been noticed in the Aspective. All the Hursthouse girls, even brown Kate contribute.

1855/4


Jane Maria Atkinson to J. C. Richmond - - - 9 Nov 1855

How melancholy and unnatural, my dearest brother, it seems to think of your lonely life in that far-away Scottish island, when a hundred human interests, both public & private, are alive here that would fill (or at any rate partially fill) your heart and occupy your hands and mind . . . What ideas of right you need have apart from making others happy and working for them I cannot imagine. If inward contests & disappointment make you despair of domestic peace for yourself you can still have a higher peace in living out of yourself and ministering to others. I am very anxious you should return to us . . .

14 Nov . . . Our rifle club, volunteers & militia are all the talk. Old Major Lloyd is back per Egmont and is offering to drill the settlers. William is I think properly appreciated in the place and will be of course quite invaluable as a public man. He groans a good deal and longs for retirement but still I believe he cant help having much satisfaction in feeling his real usefulness & in seeing that it is acknowledged . . .

1855/19


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, S 17 Nov 1855

. . . Went home with Bill, then went to Town with a detachment of the Richmond mob to attend a rifle meeting - C.W.R. in the chair. It was a very successful meeting. We agreed to give up making rules for the present & to accept Major Lloyd's offer to drill us.

W 21 Nov ... at 3.30 went to town to be drilled by Major Lloyd - there were about 30 of us. After drilling, the Major came to tea at the Beach House & Maria & I also.

Th 22 Nov . . . Des has brought the sheep that Bill & I ordered. They are in splendid condition - 2 rams and 3 ewes - first rate Leicester, the other ram broke his neck on the voyage.

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Miss M. J. King to J. C. Richmond (England) - - - Taranaki, 17 Nov 1855

... I saw all the literary bushmen at the Beach Cottage one evening about a fortnight ago . . . Julie Horn was quite as merry as ever and quite as ready to dance

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with the bushmen as with the millingtary, though she must find in them less of grace and abandon than in their red-coated rivals. And rivals they are; talks of the dear officers and forthwith starts up all the bristles of all the youths within hearing, bushmen and fernmen; they make common cause against the enemy. Many of the Taranaki young ladies showed symptoms of scarlet fever the day after the red coats landed, and the disease is making steady progress. Miss Alice Reynolds the Misses Hammerton and Mrs Edmonds fell victims at once to such an extent that all their kind sisters found it necessary to keep them at arm's length . . .

Mrs C. Brown is in Auckland, on a visit with Mrs Chesney whose husband Captain Chesney is on a visit with the Superintendent. The Browns open their doors wide to the officers whose society they evidently enjoy. Your friend Captain King of the Artillery is here and is found charming by the young ladies. Close to our garden fence Captain Meylee and the officers of the 65th have their tents and right forninst the school room windows are the soldiers warres. Remember too that we are now on the road, all our lovely geranium and tarata fences are gone . . .

Do you remember the Cuttress girls? One of them Sophy is now Mrs White, married to Dr White of the 65th, a gentleman who had the reputation of being good natured and fast in Whanganui.

1855/20


C. W. Richmond to S. Vickers - - - New Plymouth, 30 Nov 1855

A portion of Merryland Farm held by you under lease ... is in so foul a state from the growth of scotch thistle as to constitute a breach of your covenant for good husbandry. This having been the subject of repeated ineffectual complaint by your lessors they now instruct me to notify to you that in default of your properly cleansing the land . . . within one week from the present date they will both sue you upon the covenant referred to and will also take such steps as they may be advised for determining your tenancy, or setting aside your lease.

v 41


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, S 1 Dec 1855

. . . Char & I got a musket each from the police office & went on to be drilled, chiefly learning the forelock exercise . . . One of the serjeants that drilled us was very interesting in his choice of words ... he was explaining the advantages, when skirmishing, of taking . . . any shelter that was at hand, because if you did so and your comrade did not he would be in danger 'wherein you would be liable to be safe.' 25

T 4 Dec . . . Harry upset his cart & then went home & sold his bullocks . . . for £90.

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H. R. Richmond to J. C. Richmond - - - Slab Cottage, Hurworth, 2 Dec 1855

It is now about ten days since Jane Skinner and Dec arrived . . . Jane has not much to say at present but is pleased with everything . . . Harry seems happy with her, but his bad health has put him back so much that he has not been so gay lately as he used to be. When married and settled in a comfortable house I have little doubt that he will be better, though probably never strong enough for constant hard work . . . We have had a very wet spring and have also had a great deal of interruption and bother with hunting after stray cattle. . . .

My own future is as uncertain as ever. I do not mean as regards my occupation . . . bush farming ... I feel to be very wholesome for me and in many ways congenial, but at present I have scarcely any energy . . . Excessive self consciousness and nervous sensitiveness are the chief bane of my life . . . whether I can be ever happy enough to make another happy I cannot tell. . . .

F 7 Dec . . . Our bush cattle keeping has been on the whole a poor spec, for us. We have not only lost much time in hunting the things, but have also lost several animals. We have just returned the last lot and do not intend to have any running in the bush but our own for the future. The English grasses are shamefully full of weeds, amongst other things docks. The bag marked Festuca pratensis appears to be Ryegrass. T. King advised me against sowing any of it for seed, but W.S.A. sowed some and has a fine patch of almost pure rye grass. The Alopecurus contains about a twentieth of the genuine grass . . . The Timothy has come up well and looks promising . . . Anything interesting in the seed line will always be acceptable. Try different ways of bringing chestnuts, beech mast, horse chestnuts etc. I have much faith in the packing in sugar. Small samples of prime wheat, mangel wurzel, giant rhubarb etc might be brought: above all things almost bring nails - they are at a terrible price here now . . . Wilson Hursthouse and Percy . . . are being made surveyors by Carrington. . . .

I should like another suit of grey or checked clothes ... 6 good white shirts, two or three black and coloured neckerchiefs, a good lot of strong socks and some pocket handkerchiefs - and only think of it, a pair of Albert or other dancing boots, sponges, combs and brushes and toothbrushes. . . . Hitherto whatever I have planted or sown in New Zealand has yielded little but crops of experience. . . .

The orchard is neglected but supplies peaches and gooseberries in tolerable quantities - rhubarb abundant. . . . The English fruit trees are nearly destroyed by cotton blight and cattle - some few grafted from them are free from blight. . . . Dec . . . wishes you bring the musical box and anything you can bag from Frindsbury, a wish in which Harry joins.

1855/5


Maria Richmond to J. C. Richmond - - - Merton, Taranaki, 4 Dec 1855

. . . Major Lloyd has undertaken to drill a volunteer corps twice a week. All our party have enlisted including The Attorney for the Province . . .

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Mrs Maori Carrington is just dead, of consumption, I believe - she was taken by her own request to die at her Pah.

1855/22


Jane Maria Atkinson to Margaret Taylor - - - Taranaki, 5 Dec 1855

Yesterday I had the first hired help in household matters that I have had since we came to New Zealand. A girl who came out as servant to fellow-passengers of ours in the Paget now goes out by the day to wash or scrub and I had four shillings worth of her help yesterday in cleaning the house . . .

v 38, p 298 (t.s.)


A. S. Atkinson, journal - - - New Plymouth, W 19 Dec 1855

Put some slide rails in the new fence & did other small things. After dinner went to town, called at the Court House & got some bayonets & cartridge boxes, then went on and were drilled for hours skirmishing. We had a bugler in attendance to transmit orders.

S 29 Dec . . . bought Bill's share of our five Leicester sheep for £80. Attended drill in the afternoon.

M 31 Dec. In the evening Henry & I 'took' a box of honey i.e. smoked out the bees into another box & then carried off the spoils.

v 29


C. W. Richmond to C. C. Wilson (Darlington) - - - New Plymouth, 23 Dec 1855

... It is further arranged that the boys should have the refusal of 50 acres each of bush adjacent to our own at cost price, allowing for interest and road rates, (say) 25/- per acre if they should decide to settle beside us. Calvert seems likely to remain with Henry. They are much attached. Cal. indeed is beloved and I may say, young as he is, respected by all of us . . . He is a very hard worker and is growing quite a stalwart bushman. His abilities are excellent though he makes so little show. His contributions to our bush publications . . . have surprised us. ...

Our Maori affairs are at a standstill. The presence of the troops has stopped hostilities between the contending native parties, but no lasting peace can be established except by the death or exile of Katatore. The greater part of the detachment of the 58th now stationed here is to be immediately withdrawn . . . but we shall keep 250 of the 65th. and about 50 of the 58th . . . We are attempting to get up a volunteer corps, and all of our boys are undergoing drill. Last drill day Harry Atkinson was my right file and Cal. my rear rank, and it being the first day blank cartridges were served, and also the first day bayonets were fixed I was in some anxiety concerning Hal's evolutions, which, I am happy to say were sufficiently precise for the safety of my person.

... Of course the presence of 5 or 600 troops has not contributed to lower prices though it has not made the difference one might have expected. The truth is we are now fairly in the Australian market which entirely rules us . . . House rent quite

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extravagant . . . Unless a man can at once get to work here at a remunerative employment he is very speedily cleaned out. The expectations of James and Henry as to our expenses here have of course been utterly disappointed since the pound sterling at the antipodes is not worth more than 10/- in the old country.

Should you come out there is I think little doubt that you might obtain employment in the town as an accountant or bookkeeper, which would not interfere with any small mercantile ventures of your own . . . This year there is a sum of £150 on the estimates for clerk to the harbour master and warehousekeeper ... A mere garden certainly would not keep a man . . . Men of middle age . . . are glad to fall back on their old employments as their surest if not their only means of subsistence. . . . Your mainstay I should think would be some kind of clerkly or quill driving labour - as it has proved in my case. Clerks, doctors, pastrycooks, I have known take to the bush with a delight at their escape from the old hated mill round, but in a twelve month we have them back in the town again. . . . Every man here may tell for something if he has it in him.

We are just now beginning to think what we can do to improve our means of discharging and shipping cargo ... If we had the Waitera we should at once have a fine stream easily convertible into a good harbour for coasters ... I believe there is 9 to 12 feet on the bar at springs, and by piling, the channel might I suppose be scoured much deeper.

v 41, p 66


C. W. Richmond to W. Bishop (millwright, Whaingaroa) - - - New Plymouth, 29 Dec 1855

I am instructed by Hapimana and Watikini of Whareroa to commence proceedings against you in the Supreme Court for the sum of two hundred pounds and costs, the said sum being damages sustained by the Whareroa natives in consequence of your non-fulfilment of your contract for the erection of a mill there. Should you within one week after receipt of this letter proceed to Whareroa to complete your work you will please to notify your intention to my agent at Auckland, Mr Thomas Russell, when proceedings will be stayed.

v 41


Jane Maria Atkinson to Mary Smith - - - Taranaki, 31 Dec 1855

Jane takes to the life very well. She is a capital nurse and makes unexceptionable pies and puddings. Hal has been giving her some lessons in ironing shirt collars. Jane was certainly born to a bullock cart and submits to be driven up and down the steepest hills and through ruts where one wheel is about a foot below the level of the other with the greatest calmness. She seems glad to be the possessor of so substantial a conveyance. . .

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I intend to enclose in this letter a list of things which if you can have sent by the earliest opportunity I should esteem a real kindness. The bonnets I wish to be simple and ladylike and not of a very flyaway description.

I propose dear Mary if you are able and willing to give yourself so much trouble for our benefit, to send you yearly about £30 to expend in clothing for myself and our small daughters. This sum judiciously laid out in England would I think get almost all we should require; here £60 a year would scarcely do as much. Imagine my disgust at being asked 5d. a yard for flannel binding ... I should like my dresses made with jacket - plain tight fitting.

1855/23

1   W. S. Atkinson.
2   Walter Bagehot (1826-77), publicist and economist, was at London University College with the Richmonds. For years he was the confidant of statesmen, whom he advised on banking and finance. His publications The English Constitution (1867) and Lombard Street (1873) brought him great reputation. Bagehot and Hutton were associated in the control of The Economist.
3   Marcella Nugent.
4   Provincial solicitor.
5   Superintendent of New Plymouth (then attending the first session of the General Assembly at Auckland).
6   Commissioner of Crown lands.
7   Provincial treasurer.
8   George Sisson Cooper (1825-98) was appointed in 1854 Sub-commissioner in Taranaki for the purchase of native lands.
9   Father of the Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain (1836-19x4), was a well-to-do business man and master of the Cordwainers Company; a Unitarian in religion.
10   A French game played with two light sticks and a wicker ring.
11   Now named Bird's Nest by Lely.
12   Col. R. H. Wynyard, officer administering the government.
13   This last phrase tickled me immensely.
14   l never beard of this road before.
15   This vessel, the Taranaki, a schooner of 100 tons, was designed by G. Cutfield. After trading on the coast for 18 months she was sold to her captain (Clouston) and taken to Australia.
16   He says, 'He has often played with Staunton, who could only give him a knight but not 'the move' as well'. I should say for 'Knight' read 'Queen'.
17   Richmond spent four months at Brodick Bay. (J.C.R. to C.W.R., 18 Oct 1855, v 38/294.)
18   The climbing party on 8 Mar 1855 comprised Arthur and Jane Maria Atkinson, H. A. Atkinson, Decimus Atkinson, H. R. Richmond, E. Patten, F. Calvert Wilson and Charles W. Wilson. An account of the expedition by Charles Wilson was published in the Taranaki Daily News on 20 Oct 1909.
19   A brig of 250 tons.
20   He was sworn in as a special constable.
21   Bill also was sworn in.
22   Parliament was dissolved on 15 Sep 1855.
23   V 40 contains the following numbers of the Aspective Review, v 1, no. i (2 Sep 1855) to v 2, no. 3 (5 Jun 1857).
24   A. S. Atkinson's journal records the publication of the second number of The Axeman on 9 Sep, the third on 16 Sep and the second number of The Aspective Review on 22 Sep.
25   Bill called at Jonas's to offer him . . one of our rams for £75 or the five sheep for £250.

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