EARLY DOMINION IMIGRANTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 84, 24 September 1947, Page 6

EARLY DOMINION IMIGRANTS

HARDSHIPS FACED BY SETTLERS ACCOUNT IN DIARY OF ’SEVENTIES Hardships and dangers which faced immigrants to New Zealand in the ’seventies are recounted in a diary kept by Mr C. T. Perrin, who died in Wellington in 1923, aged 96. The various present immigration schemes recall to our minds the deeds of the early pioneers, who carved this country from the native bush.

The diary, which passed into the possession of one of Mr Perrin’s grandchildren, relates in unusual style events on the voyage which he and his wife and seven children made from England in 1874. Many of the days were typical of this one, the account of which is reproduced with the original errors and abbreviations of spelling. “Wednesday, October 28: Turned out 12.30 A.M. & on deck. Wind blowing a gale. Ship Pitching and Roling too much to be comfortable in births. On deck the Waters appeared boling but look grand in the moonlight. .4 A.M.: Wind easier & Sea calmer. Ship more steady. Turned in for a couple of hours. Child With “Meesles” “Out again 6 A.M. Wind dro’d almost to a calm—one of the Pigs died and givtn to King Neptune—one child removed from Married people hospital recovered from Scarlet feevr and another put in with meesles very bad. “Midday, dead calm. Fishing Music Dancing Cards Drafts 1 Dominoes etc. very brisk. Candensing engine break down consequently water very bad. “Publick Meeting call’d to deside what class and meetings should be formed—Resolved that a Prayer Meeting be held on Sunday & Wednesday evening, in addition to the Sunday Morning Service and a Discussion Class be held on Monday evening. Turned in 9 P.M., fair Breeze.”

Mr Perrin, a London jeweller, boarded the sailing ship Berar in October, 1874, along with ’ many other families bound for New Zealand. After a stormy start, during which most of the family were stricken with seasickness and entries in his diary are brief, the weather moderated, and he gives a detailed account of happenings on board. With shrewd humour he describes incidents which made the trip pleasant and unpleasant, such as the meriment caused through seasickness, singing, and the antics of the children, without dwelling on the privations caused through the shortage of water, an epidemic of scarlet fever, and poor food. As the voyage progressed Mr Perrin relates how the passengers combated boredom by fishing, harpooning porpoises, and catching, albatrosses, as well as organising concerts and holding religious services. Unfortunately, the diary is incomplete, ending five weeks before the completion of the voyage, while the ship was in the Indian Ocean. Food was ever a problem with the emigrants—rations were issued to the families once a week, and they ate them •as they chose, taking the provisions to the ship’s gallery to be prepared. Mr Perrin refers to the food being fairly good, but the stores for a week do not seem appetising by present-day standards. They were: Tea, coffee, sugar, pepper, salt, pickles, mustard, raisins, currants, flour, suet and an allowance of meat and biscuits every day. Up to the date the diary ceases, Sunday, December 20, there had been 13 deaths through scarlet fever on board.' Mr Perrin’s family were the only ones not stricken, and he attributes this to thp fresh mustard and cress he was able to give them. For sentimental reasons he brought on the voyage a box of English soil. In it he planted mustard and cress seeds, and was able to supply himself and his party with fresh greens daily. Escape From Death Mr Perrin and his family had a narow escape from death, but not on board the Berar. When they decided to migrate to New Zealand he secured passages on the ill-fated Cospatrick, which burnt on that voyage. Through a death in the family, Mr Perrin remained in England a week longer than intended and missed the Cospatrick, although nearly all their luggage, furniture,' and a piano were lost with the. ship. He actually saw the Cospatrick^burp a few weeks after leaving England, out the disaster occurred after Ids

diary ends. Of the 475 people on board the Cospatrick only three survived. On arrival in New Zealand the Perrins settled in Nelson, where two more children were born. One of the sons who made the voyage, Mr Alfred Perrin, still resides in the Wellington district, while another, born in New Zealand, lives in Masterton." All the children married, and there are large third and fourth generations.