STORIES OF THE PENINSULA.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 545, 4 October 1881, Page 2

STORIES OF THE PENINSULA.

No. 3.—Thk First Purchase of Akakoa

In this paper we publish the text of a memorial forwarded in 1 43 by the late Mr Hempleman to George Grey, Esq., then Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony. As will be seen, Mr Hempleman claims to have been the first purchaser of the greater part of Banks Peninsula, including what was then Wangoolou, but is at present knowu as Akaroa. It will of course be apparent that if these claims had been substantiated Captain Langlois's subsequent purchase would have been illegal. Of one thing there can r>e no doubt, and that is, that the Macris sold the land twice over, and no doubt would have done the same thing ten times, if they had had the chance In subseqneit issues we will publish the story of George Hempleman and his claims to Akaroa. The following is the memorial referred to :—

To His Excellency George Grey, Esquire, Lieu tenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of New Zealand, &c. The Memorial of George Hempleman, of Peracke, in the Province of New Munster, Master Whaler and Mariner. HUMBLY SHOWETH

That your memorialist on or about the month of March, in the year 1837, purchased of certain Natives, the occupiers thereof, the tract of land hereinafter described, and in the month of November, 1839, when full and complete payment was made to all the parties interested, and at that time assembled for the purpose, received from them a certificate of such purchase, which certificate is in the words and figures following : — " November 2nd, 1839. This is to certify that Captain liempleman has purchased the extent of land from Bloody Jack as undermentioned . —From Mowry Harbor south to Flea Biy north, including Wangoolou, as agreed by the* undermentioned, viz., by payment of one big bout, by mine :ho Mary Ann, including two sails and jib. Extent of land fifteen miles east, south inland. Sig cd by John Tuhawaikk. Toby X Partrigee. JACKEY X WIUTE. AixoN X Tommy Roundhead. Tyro a X. KIKAUO::EE X. Walkatowueu X Aiiane. Kino John X. Jack i<: y Gay X Bang an a X. And witnessed by Simon Ckawlky. Jack X Miller. Alfred Roberts. James X Creed.' ,

That your memorialist has at times been resident on the land so purchased, and h in also fenced and cultivated a portion thereof and also established and worked a whaling station thereon. That the chiefs of and in that neighborhood have been always, and are now. ready and willing to admit the sale of such lands to your memorialist and his rightful claim thereto. That on or about the month of April, 1840, your memorialist caused to be aildressed a statement to the Colonial Secretary for the Colony of New South Wales, and forwarded the same to Sydney in the same month, in which statement his claim to the said lands was -set forth agreeably with the provisions of a certain Act of the Legislative Council oil New South Wnles, empowering the Governor of that Colony to appoint a Commission to examine and report on claims to grants of land in New Zealand.

That some time afterwards, viz., about November. 1812, your memorialist was informed by the Chief Police Magistrate of Akaroa that your memorialist's claim was not among the gazetted claims to land published at Auckland, whereupon, your memorialist immediately wrote to the Colonial Secretary at Auckland, a letter setting forth his chain, together with a copy of the statement which had been addressed to the Secretary of New South Wales.

That your M.-mc rialist received a reply thereto stating, that the claim had not been received in the Colonial Secretary's office, and inviting him to produce any proof in his power that the letter to the Colonial Secretary of Now South Wales was actually forwarded at the date specified. That your inemoralist with such invita tion obtained a declaration from one Alfred Roberts (the person who wrote the statement to the Colonial .-ecretary of New South Wales setting forth his claim) of the facts before mentioned, a copy of this declaration is annexed hereto.

That in February 1844, when Captain Fitzroy was in Wellington, your memorialist addressed a memorial to his Excellency, wherein, after sating forth the facts hereinbefore referred to, he prayed that he would be pleased to take the ca«e into bis favorable consideration and grant your memorialist permission to prove his claim. That Captain Fitzroy, through his private secretary, replied to your memorialist that the Commission having returned from Banks Peninsula could not then go again, an officer would enquire into the case. That no steps whatever or instructions, as your memorialist has been informed, have been taken or issued for the investigation of his claim, the delaying which is to him a source of great loss and anxiety and

Your memorialist humbly prays your Excellency to permit an investigation to be made into liis claim in order that he may receive a Crown grant upon his establishing a right thereto, or that you will grant to him such relief as under the

cirumsfances may to your Excellency seem meet.

Copy declaration referred to in the foregoing memorial. I, Alfred Roberta, of Wellington, in the province o<! New Ulster, in the colony of New Zealand, boatman, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I did in the month of April, in the year 1840, by the request and at the dictation of George Hem pelman then of Peracke, in New Munster in tho said Colony of New Zenland, master whaler, write a certain letter setting forth the saiii George llempelman's claim to certain lard therein mentioned, and situate in tho district of Penike aforesaid, which lip, the said George Ilempelman had purchased of certain native chiefs who had declared themselves the owners and possessors thereof, and who had conveyed the some lands by deed dated November 2, 1899 ; and farther, that I did direct such aforesaid letter to the Honor able C. Leas Thompson, Colonial Secretary for tho Colony of New South Wales, and did forward the same by Brig" Nimrod " which sailed for Sydney in or about the month of April in the aforesaid 1840, and I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of an Act made and passed in the 6th year of the reign of His late Majesty, entitled an Act for the more effectual abolition of oaths and affirmations taken and made in various departments of the state, and to substitute declarations in lieu thereof, and for the more entire suppression of voluntary and extra-judicial oaths and affidavits, and to make other provisions for the abolition of unnecessary oaths. (Signed) Alfred Roberts. Declared and subscribed at Wellington aforesaid, this 15th day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-three. (Signed) M. Richmond, G.P.M. Examined with the copy memorial and declaration injpossession of the Commisioner, Col. Campbell. December, 1853.