ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 10, 12 May 1939, Page 7

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

o tory sails for new zealand cc:».paxy\s determined I ACTION HRITI'JH GOYKIINAEENT DEFIID Oiie hundi'.d years ago on i2LII 'May, iS;-;;; the New Zealand Company's advance ship Tory finally sailed from Plymouth. The Tory had left Gravesdd on .")lh May after its chief passengers had dined comfortably at the Falcon Inn in the company of Messrs Somes, Edward Gi ,, - bon Wakefield and Ilintoul of ibe -Spectator," and alter the firing of a salute of its eight guns in Immunol, the enterprise, ft had had trouble oil" Cawsand Bay on Bth, anchoring to recover from the emotion of a narrowly escaped collision in which the Tory carried away a schooner's bow. sprit. Plymouth Sound was reached in the afternoon, where Charle.> Ileaphy, the artist, joined the ship. Two days later the Tory sailed, the rumoured prohibition of the voyage by the British Government, which had brought Wakefkld hurrying down to Plymouth not having come to anything. Government's Hand Forced It was only after prolonged at. tempts to coax the Government into supporting the New Zealand Company's schemes had failed that the directors had decided to take tin: bull by the horns and send their expedition Avithout its approval. Effectively this decision meant that 'he Company was prepared to commit, its settlers to residence in Xtw Zealand without any assurance that tney would make their homes in a British eounitry. This bold act did actually force the Government's hand. Since the first step had been taken to colonise New 7 Zealand, it Avas felt that the circumstances, in Lord Xormanby's Avords, "fraught with calamity to a numerous ami inoffensive people," Ithe Maoris, compelled the Government to intervene. The sailing of the Tory is, therefore, an event of great significance in, the history of the Dominion. A Distinguished Company The personnel of the Tory expedition Ava s varied and distinguished.. Edward Gibbon's brother, Colonel William Wakefield, Avas In command of the expedition though not, of course, of the ship. He Avas-a silent, reserved man, of great practical and organising ability Avho Avas to give good service to the company and to New Zealand before his early death in Wellington in 1818.• The Tory's captain, Edmund Mein Chaffers, had served in the Navy and had been sailing master on boa-:d H.M.S. Beagle, during its long exploring voyage from 1830 to 1906, in the course of Avhich he had called at Xew Zealand. Charles Hcaphy sailed as the company's draughtsman. His pictures of early Xcav Zealand and the V.C. he won in the Maori War are equally famous., Dr. Dorset, who Avas to be the coinpan vis surgeon in Xew Zealand, Avas on board, but George F. Robinson was the ship's surgeon. The expedition's naturalist, Dr Ernst DiefYeubach, a young German political exile, Avas also a qualified surgeon, Dieffenhach published an interesting two volume book on his experiences which included the first ascent of Mount Egmont. Edward Jerningham Wakefield, only son of Edward Gibbon, sailing as secretary to his uncle Colonel Wakefield, Avas also to puolish a lively account of his Xew Zealand experiences. The chief mat.?, Richard Lowry, gave his name to Lowry Bay. There was also on board a Maori, Xaytj, who had been A'isiting England and France r-nd had lived for some time in Wakefield's house in London. He was the expedition's interpreter. Robert Doddery, engaged as the company's storekeeper, was assistant interpreter. Me had visited Xew Zealand from Tasmania on a trading voyage. Xayti was not the only Polynesian on board, as there Avas another Maori and a native of the Marquesas Islands among tin* crew. The Avhole complement of the 384 ton Tory, including the company's own party, numbered 30. The Voyage Out Colonel Wakefield's diary, now in the Alexander Turnbull Libraiv, tells us hOAV they Avhiled away the tedious voyage. They held debates they fished for sharks; they kept » keen look-out for other ships or such wonders of the deep as finback whales, porpoises, flying fish and the zoophytes fished up for examination by Dr Dieffenbaeh. Colonel, Wakefield was a laconic diarist-, and as the boredom of the long voyage overcame him, his entries became more and more terse. But he recorded some interesting opinions. He (Continued at foot previous column)