A HUNDRED YEARS AGO

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 63, 18 September 1939, Page 3

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO

COLONEL WAKEFIELD BUYS WELLINGTON MAORI CHIEFS EAGER TO SELL On 20th September one hundred years ago the New< Zealand Company advance ship "Tory"' glided in to hei anchorage between Somes Island and Petone Beach. The principal chiefs, Te Puni and Wharepouri, had come on board while the ship was moving up the and they spent the night on board, reporting the visit of the Wcslcyan mission ship whic.n had called in July. In 1839 the people of Port Nicholson were, comparatively uncorruptcd by white contacts, except for the few who had been employed in the Cloudy Bav whalers' settlements across the water. They were not used to European trade goods, and were consequently eager to sell their land for useful and ornamental objects. There wsls only one white 'man living with them. They looked forward the inorc .to raise their standard of living. Long Korevos About the Sale of Land® The Port Nicholson chiefs did not agree to sell their lands without r 'ue consideration. The first discussion was held on 21st September. On the same da3 r Colonel William Wakefield and the Dicky Barrett, were paddled up the Hutt River in a Maori canoe, and formed a very good opinion of tho country in the valley. On 23rd September the Tory party rowed down the harbour to Wharcpouri's home at Ngahauranga. where the chicf himself was discovered working at a 60-foot canoe. Two canoes carnc in from the southern, end of the har--hour. A korero was held on the burn ing subject of land sales, for word of Colonel Wakefield's intentions had gone round the harbour as if by invisible telegraph. The vigorous Pua kawa opposed the sale. The aged Matangi supported it. Next day the furious discussion was renewed at Petone, Puakawa still filling the part of devil's advocate. His argument that the whites would come and drive out the -Maoris was countered by a reference to the provision for native reserves, and by the end of the day the chiefs had virtually come to their decision.

Dividing the. Spoil. On 25th September there was a display of the trade goods that would form the price of the sale on the deck of the Tory, but so many natives crowded on board that the ship had to be cleared. Next day the chiefs and their sons came on board alone to inspect the goods. Puakawa took advantage of the occasion to urge again the folly of selling. "What will you say when you find that you have parted with your land from the Rimurapa to the Turakirae, and from the Tararua to the sea?'' he asked. On 27th September however, the chiefs came on board to divide the price among their tribes Wharepouri supervising the whole operation. The goods were j divided into .six main portions. Wi Tako, son of the Pipitea chief, received the share of that hapu. Tar-, ingakuri took charge of the Kaiwharawhara share, while the venerable Te Puni received for Pet one. Wharepouri distributed the Ngahauranga share, and sent a share, purposely made smaller than the rest, to the slave tribe at Te Aro. Puakawa, though he hail so vehemently opposed the sale. condescendcd to take his portion of goods. There were the usual miscellaneous parcel ol trade goods--100 red blankets. 100 muskets, tobacco, 48 iron. pots, gunpowder, cartridges, lead, shirts, trous ers, (JO red nightcaps, lengths of cloth, 2 dozen pocket handkerchiefs 1 dozen hats, 21bs beads, 100' yaids of ribbon, 2 suits of super-fine clo* thes, 1 dozen shaving boxes and urushes, 1 do/en sticks of scaling wax and numerous other useful or ornamental articles. A Dinner and a Feast, Before they went ashore the chiefs signed a deed of sale drawn up on the model of those used by missionaries buying land in the North. Wharepouri and Te Puni came to

dinner on board ratlicx* sclf-coiv ; C ious in their new European suits, rtoth chiefs had been to Sydney aiu' they were anxious to assume the civilisation of the white man at the earliest possible moment. However, they soon shed .some of their European garments. (Continued at foot of next column)

On 30th September the whole j transaction was celebrated by a feast given by the Tory party on Petono beach. The New Zealand flag was hoisted and saluted with 21 guns. A large party of natives obliged with a ferocious pero-pero, or war dance, and then numbers of Maoris oY both sexes gave a halta accompanied by appropriate song. The recently distributed trade goods made an obvious contribution to the colour of the scene. While the Maoris sat down to roast pork, the Avhite gentlemen pledged the chiefs and people of Port Nicholson in "bumpers of cham pagne'' taking formal possession of the land they had bought. The Tory stayed a few days longer. the ship's company fishing in Lowrv Bay or shooting pigeons on the hills behind Petonc. Before thev left they set up some boards here e.nd there inscribed "New Zealand Land Company," an act typical of liie European's sadly particularist attitude towards land, which wa.i still to cause trouble with the com-munal-minded Maori who had so freely welcomed the white man and his attractive trade goods.