EIGHTY YEARS AGO

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 203, 22 May 1920, Page 8

EIGHTY YEARS AGO

YESTERDAY'S ANNIVERSARY

THE PROCLAMATION OF SOVEREIGNTY

Yesterday was the anniversary of theproclamation of British sovereignty in New Zealand by Captain Hobson on May 21, 1810. The date has been officially accepted, but it appears that Hobson himself had some doubt whether his first proclamation was effective over the South Island as well- as the North Island. He issued a second proclamation on June 17, 1810, declaring that tho South Island having been "ceded _in sovereignty by different independent chiefs to Her Majesty, we have taken solemn possession thereof." Then ho was not sure if the South Island included Stewart Island, so' he sent H.M.S. Herald south to take formal possession of • Stewart Island.

The important event of eighty years ago was not regarded with favour by all circles in Britain. The London "Times," for example, was still protesting against the nlans cf the New Zealand Company, which had set about tho founding of Wellington. "We warn the humbler classes of British society to receive all the accounts of emigration with caution and distrust," said "Tho Times" a few months earlier. "liet them weigh well and make many inquiries before they quit the places of their birth, even deformed as they now are with prisons, workhouses, etc. New Zealand is an infinitely greater distance than Upper Canada, and to this more remote region we see vast temptations held out to tho sons and daughters of labour in this country. Aro there no miseries of the middle class in this -case? We know that those who tempt emigration have just as great an interest, in the work as those wdio took their victims from the. warmer climate of Africa. Our motive in these remarks is to instruct our countrymen at Home also, not to be deceived by snecious pretences and pompous narratives. There is nothing said in favour of this expedition which we do not recollect to have been said in recommendation of those the issue of which Lord Durham has described. The object of the New Zealand expedition is the acquisition of wealth to a few at the expense of life and health to the many." A month before the proclamation or sovereignty by Captain Hobson, Mr. John I'earce wrote from Wellington:— "This place, which is Port Nicholson, is 12 miles from the mouth of the harbour to the beach, which is three-miles. Out of this runs a river through a rich valley 50 miles up country. To-day wo go to Thermion. Thorndon Bay is a delightful place. It is eight miles across' 1 the harbour, and • forms a complete amphitheatre, bounded on three sides by the sea, good anchorage, and safe shelter for 'any number of ships; excellent water, good clay,' and, it is said, plenty of coal, iron, and Jimestone. Vegetation seems constantly going on. In our garden parsley grows in abundance down nearly to low-water mark. The natives never think about seasons. They never dig. but take a piece of wood and root up the ground and turn over tho soil, and if there are eight potatoes they take -up seven, and just cover the'ono over and leave it to grow. We finally left the ship on the Oth March, Colonel Wakefield lending me a tent for a 6hed. On Saturday I gave three yards of calico for a pig 401b. weight. The part which I sold brought me 12s.' On Saturday night it rained tremendously, and wo were as badly off as if we were in tho open air. I sat three hours with an umbrella over Mrs. Pearce, after which we rolled ourselves up in our blankets and slept soundly. The next morning was as gay as possible, and we felt no cold. People here do not take cold as in England. ' "I commenced business on Monday, the 3tli. The Glenbervie and Adelaide arrived in port at night. I have now the wooden .honsa up, and am very comfortable. It is the first house in town.' The bank is to open on' Thursday. The land is going up very much. One town acre sold this morning at, ,£3OO, and all seems going on well. Prices arc hardly yet settled. Flour. Gd. per lb. I had the_. first bullock consigned to me, and sold him at Is. per lb." Sugar, Gd.: tea, 5d.! coffee, 2s. Wine.chean. spirits chenpj ale and porter, 2s. per bottle. Clothes and shoes will be very dear, but there is hardly any saying what will be the settled price, as there is not a day passes but that some one or two ships arrive from Sydney with general cargoes. Saturday the first horses were h>"ded, which had a prodigious effect on Hie natives. There is likely to be abundance of labour. Capital seems flowing in from all parts. Already we have one ship from Port rhilip. one from Launceston, one. from Hobart .Town, and one from Adelaide, and eight or ten from Sydney, and schooners and coasters in lots. There are no reptiles or venomous thing of any kind. There is abundance of the finest, fish in the world, so that anyone may live as cheaply as he wishes. There is no corroding care,. Tho natives are pleased. I could fill ten sheets if time al-' lowed me." '