SEVENTY YEARS AGO.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 593, 23 August 1909, Page 4

SEVENTY YEARS AGO.

A THREATENED EXODUS. , WELLINGTON V. AUCKLAND. WHAT EMIGRANTS ENDURED. IV Seventy years ago, though tlio narrow ribband of beach, dwarf "shanties," and half do-sen sailing ships lore small resemblance to'the broad city and thronged liaiboiir of to-day, Wellington history'had some curious parallels to events that mark tho present time Tkero was then a'rivalry between Wellington and Auckland, which is still "hoard of in the northern city, and thero were .complaints of undesirable emignnts, who even-then escipod the vigilance of tho authorities w r England, and won unmerited inclusion in tho now glorious company of the pioneers. » - >' Capitalists Look to Chlls. , < The misgivings of the capitalists were caused by an Act giving powei to the Governor' of New South Wales (Sir Goorgo Giprxj} to appoint commissioners to inquire / into land titles in tho colonies Tho Wellington settlers believed it piobable that the rights which they had received in respect to their land from tho Now Zealand Company would not bo recognised by tho commis- , loners, and thero was much dismay on this 'account. Under date September 2, 1840, Colonel Wakefield, founder of the Welling,ton Settlement, v.ntes from "Britannia," to ■the directors of the company setting forth this trouble, and stating tKat a deputation * was leaving for Sydney in tho Cuba to mal s o representations to Sir George Ciipps ,r A , great gloom prevails," be states, "as to the prospects of titles being obtained,, and no ono feels inclined to undertake moro than a partnl qulhvation of the ground, without erecting buildings of any value In sboit, as you may concede, a general stagnatiou exiitfc in the settlement It 'js right that you should know that a strong feeling exists ,amon« the capitalists to remote en masse to Chile m case fho Governor depnves them of their town lands according to tho letter of the Act, and that they pretend to look to mo to take steps for the transport of, all wlio wish to remove As nothing of this sort' can take placo for \ length of time, I mention it so that I may bo instructed how' fai I , am authorised to go to such or similar expense to fulfil the engagements of company and the purchasers of land from thorn " On another occasion he'write3 that* a, "large majority of the capitalists and labourers'" were contemplating exodus to Chile The result of the 'deputation's mission was that Sir George Gipps" agreed to ratify* the titles given by the company, and'tbis cause of alarm was removed Thereupdn tho Eottlers, in Col6nel"W«kefield's wdrds "preoeodod vigorously to lay out their capital in calling into life the city of Wellington " The Saat of 'Covcrnmont. ', 1( Tho rivalry with -Auckland wae inclined in thoso earlv days to-tak'o a bitter foim Apparently there,was somo hope at fiist that Wellington would be made at once the seat of Government for tho colony, and a house and furniture for tho Governor were brought out to this port by (arrangement with tho company Ou, August 6, 1840, Wakefield writes.—"The seat of' Government is to,be fixed at the Waitemata, in tho Thames ,■> The , Governor's ilionso is to go in the Platina to tho , Thames . I have a'rrangoil that at the expiration of fourteen daya from the arnval of tlio P'atma in the Waitemata sho <is to pe discharged front the company's ch'arter unci taken v up by" , tho Government flfeso arrangement? were carried out 'and. (jttos'tioiis of fmanbo adjusted withoutf rfiictionj •\biit leseutmpiit was folt soon afterwards at the arrivil of a vessel from Auckland, the master\ ( of which i was j instructed b> the Lieutenant-Governor (Captain Hobson), as Wakefield T.utes, "to givo f roe to any mechanics or labourers desn'ing to go to that settlement, and to tako up'twenty-ono niechanics hired for , tho Government service ' by tho magistrate hcie, and, the detachment of tho 80th regiment lately quuitcrcd in this tow n I beg to refei yoji, (continues Colonel Wakefield) to tho two accompanying Gazettes for a knowie'dgo of tho feelings of the colonists towards Captajn Hobson on this subject, and of the steps about to 'be 'taken to put a stop to'the evil," Bo > adds that it was not the case,, as mighf'be' supposed, that' laboiirois could not find employment in Wellington at good "wagci "What wojjondonin is tho inducement hold out by tho by tho offer-of a free passage and Government employment which has a charm foi some " The colonol complains of tlio evident disposition of llio Government to "keep down this settlement until that in tho Thames> has b'een cstibhshed" In a subsccment lettei, referring to tho attractions hold out to labourers, ho 6ays "Captain Hobson stiuck a blow v nt tho pjcosperitv, an J even eMstonce, of. Uip settlement, which was as little sanctioned, by tho Goveinor's neighbouring colonies, is, it was consistent with justice and fair dealing " ■\\akcficld bcornfullv refers to "thb s°ttlement now in 'progiess in the Gulf of Shouraka, whitfiei a difficult nivigition, a doubtful haibour, and a bancii district haio deterred any but ''some hungry , nfficitis ird Bay of Islimls land expect-ints from bonding steps " >With such .'vigour wis an "angn feud begun The coloniser of Wellington adds spitefully "Thirty soldiers' sent hither from the Day of Islands havo been suddenly withdrawn to Auckland., much ti the satisfaction of olu sottlers, to whom their drunken and disorderly conduct was a constant annoyance " p Quick Crowth of Wellington. The Wellington settlement, however, had a vitality of its uwn In tho midst of the iirtf land cusis, Wnkoiield was able to write. "Notwithstanding the x nnccrtiiiily as to the intentions of Government, and the proposed soizuro of 100 feet hum lngli-watcr mark m all harbotns, the town progresses rapidlr, and already presents a most striking appeaiauce Numerous Jjrgc stoics and lcsidencis mark tho contemplated centre of trade at the head of the harbour No new settlement has sufreied so little deprivation as thi" Fresh meat has never been wanting at modeiato prices, and potatoes seem inc\haustiblo" In a review of the hist yeir's history of the settlement, dated Fpbnnrv %, 1841, its founder writes "The houses ended nl Wellington have cost at least £18,000, and tlio merchandise and i previsions now in the phce may be safely put down at not less than £200,000 In 1 every direction larcje stores and private dwellings aro springing up }fj J confidence in tho succoss of this settlement jests m no slight degree on the vigour w>th which many gentlemen are now employed In raising stock, and in farming operations 'Even interior land has produced some excellent wheat and barley, whi'st some of' i that giown on the banks of tho Hutt is the i fcnest I ever saw " . Immigration Troubles. , Undesirable immigrants appeared among eomo of tho later shipments of settlers by the coinpanj In one letter AVakefield complains of the inferiority of somo of the immigrants by a certain ship, "which has been etplitnod to me b> that m order to nnke up deficiencies at the last i moment, pome ( of them weie taken out of I the streets oF Gravesend,' and others from i the workhouse " In the case of another vessel, he rebukes the authorities for allow-' ing to bo sent out the following new settlers, amongst others—a woman of 24, under treatment for insanity, a woman who hnd been four jears in hospitals in England, suffering from an lncunble disease, or which she liod a month after her ainval, anotliei incurable piticnt, who died a fortnight after her arrival, two women unhkelj to recover from disefses, a joung man with a wooden he, a and an>id.ob The hardships that wore sometimes suffered bj linmigiants on their voyage to tho aiowred land l'-nc lnppily no parallel in ordin.q morlcrn travelling The passengers b\ tlio Lvlj Nugent, which arrived in Marnh 1841. drow ud a suzned- remonstrance

and list of grievances, wnich led to an inves'tigation being made by Wakefield, who, as a result, generally confirmed their complaints. Hardships of Voyage- • The passengers complained that all lamps between decks were extinguished at 9 p.m., andrfor tlirco lnontlie tliey were lvit.hbut oil .altogether, "having ■'nothing but ■~ slush '(cook's refuse),-which- cojild with much cliliic.iilty, bo so'.socured .as to prevent: accident by lire; , ' ; Tlie nunil»ers put into each berth were very much b(?y6nd' those allow'ed by ,tho .company's 'regulations." Luggago was mixed up with general; cargo, .watei-tankn, and leaking hose, causing -much.'.damage by salt u-ateiv' Many'of the provisions and stores, wore not "calculated, for more than 'two and a half months' consumption, nnil the "water -about three..' "We., .word, finit oii/short allpwaiice after passing; the Cape, .and ■■ when wo providoiitially arrived .at Hobart- Town,Wo had on board only half, a diy's allowance. :It vis thought the-.casks had not been cliarrcd, the water turned out so bad." Weekly, rations were often'.Eervcd ! dut.-'tivo. daj , !! late, and 'during the latter |.part;,bf!■ the; yoyage,many articles 'were withdrawn : wholly !or .jiartl.v; without .any- proVper .sub'stitutfl : bciiig provided, '-'Eiich as, particularly, suet)- February 9, nothing in ite ;pl.iice j.iricQ,-! half allowance from' February ' 22; •r'aisins'l half 'allowance for three weeks from' January 25-27) and one-third after February 15, arid nothing .giveniinctead of thejdeTiciencies; from -January 11 for five; weeks, ,ll?lf ; allowance, of ;sTJgar served:aiid rum sub-." stitiitedi 1 , ./With, the quality tof the bej&f. sorve'd wo had very strong reason to comI plain—somctimos with the;.quantity, of both' ! itand/tho" pork.?'--'. During the seven days the.ship lay. : , l off.;Hobartcflch-adult'r<'C€.ived •only'llbi'-breaci.'.'vlj'lb;','fresh'.meat,", and ljlb. potatoes:..;' Frequently no,' medicine• could_.,bo t procured, even of the .most common kind. 'Jlm-a.nnointed schoolmaster, had oilier;duties, 'and 100 • children ;on ■ board received •no education ■wli'atevCT. : Opposition was made-to the exposing of tedding for ventilation,\hndit was'.sometimes overboard,;. The and',frequently, ndurishmcnVbeyohd more rations.; By such' llhnPcesMrv I 'privations' were some settlers inlireM. .'.hardship,! of: early. ..;.;.!.■.;. . .' '.■'■■■; ■" \