ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Few Intimates.

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 109, 14 November 1938, Page 4

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

Few Intimates.

Exploration! of Kaipara.

JEWISH TRADER IN EAR'LY N.Z.

FRIEND ANJ> CONFIDENT OF

MAORI TRIBES

ARTIST AND TRAVELLER’S IMPR ESSIONS

One hundred years ago there was walking the London streets with a holiday air and lodging in Fiend illy a handsome, thin-faced Jew. This was Joel Samuel Folaek of Paramatta, Bay of Islands, for so he had called his estate at Korornrcka. In 1838 he wag visiting, England—his home town was London—after a Now Zealand l residence of more than seven years. Early in April,' he had given evidence* in favour of colonising New Zealand before the Select Committee ‘of the House of Lords. He had profited by bis presence in England to see a twovolume book through the press. This book, “New Zealand, being a Narrative of Travels and Adventures 18311837,” he adorned with his own sketches, for Pdilaclc was by way of being an artist. A Flowery Style. If Polack was an artist- with his pencil, he was not quite so perfect a master of the cavorting,s of his pen. Mis excellent and' observant book is

enriched by many turns of phrase that would rout the competition of Mrs. M'alaprop. He describes the Maoris as "the most determined sarcophagi in existence.” No doubt he was groping for the word “anthropliagi”, a fair description of their cannibal propensities. But his style at its best is florid to our jaded taste. He thus describes a poor Jitle native dog—“his sudatibus nose reclining on his ioropaws, a position pandemic to his race”, and writes of “small creeks intertilling the high banks of mud” which, “were covered; with juncuoiis productions”* However, he occasionally forgets to look up farfetched words in the dictionary at his elbow, and then he is quite engrossing to the modern reader. In 1.840 lie published a second book, “Manners and Customs of the New Zealanders, and Remarks to Intending Emigrants”. In this ho abandoned' his attempts to enrich the language, though lie, or some good friends, gave a tone to this new work by dragging in Latin tags now and then, fis well as quotations from Pope and Any faults of style in either book are amply redeemed by his many exact and intelligent drawings of Maori houses and artifacts, and his copious 'and understanding remarks on every phase of Maori life. A Wandering Jew. J. S. Polack was in the most literal sense a man of the world' before ever he reached New Zealand. He had followed the careers of an artist- in Europe, a ship’s chandler in Australia, an official in the Commissariat and Ordnance Departments in British Africa

and a traveller in America, j. Thus lie had a wide knowledge of the machinery of Empire before ever he sailed from Sydney to Hokianga in 1831 to trade in timber and flax and : to indulge his hobby, drawing the Maoris. Perhaps it was this creative streak in him, given full expression in his two books, which made him such an appreciative listener to the prolix discourses of Maori chiefs. Mo writer of his time, except perhaps E. E. Manning, author of “Old New Zealand,” ever put himself so completely inside the Maori mind- -Polaek had early hit on the correct formula to disarm the most horrific actions and threats of his Maori; acquaintances. He simply laughed at them, Thus when he retrieved a pilferedi article from a chief of savage temperament and at the ,same time gave him a backward push, he was able to anticipate the man’s rising temper by laughing at him, everyone present following suit. He treated the demands of the chiefs with a mixture of easy-going banter and acquiescence which proved by fur the most effective way of dealing with men who would meet resistance with violence and insults to tlveir ticklish sense of honour with blows. Polaek soon acquired a. fluent command of Maori and put it to good use.

Polaek lived at Hokianga for about twelve months and 1832, trading ill timber and exploring the possibilities of new markets. "With this end in view ho .made an interesting journey south -to the Kaipara district.- with 'the assistance of native guides. He found the- natives unspoiled, except that they had suffered by the guns the white men bad introduced to their country. The chiefs believed that working for the white men’s goods would keep their people too busy to brood on. the ancient wrongs that might at any moment be fanned, into the flame- of war. But at that time the- Kaipara bar had not been crossed by Thomas McDonnell's schooner “TOOI”. Polaek, however, went' hoar tin* liar in a canoe. He detected possible channels that might, open the port to the wealth-bringing ships of- the pakeha, though the bad surf and maze of sandpits showed that the passage was bound to be tricky. This was Polack’s most considerable personal exploration.

In 1833 Polaek decided that the Bay of islands would be a better base for bis operations, and bought land at Kororareka. He was by no means a fixed star. He wandered all round the coasts on trading voyages, and in. his book, gives a painstaking account of tin' principal harbours and settlements throughout the two islands. He records always rough sailing directions for the benefit of sea captains. This topographical information, like his accurate accounts of Maori life and manners, bespeaks his alert intelligence and wide curiosity.

Thori' was, however, another cause which, one infers, made him keep himself to himself, whether at Hokianga or Kororareka. He was a Jew. Ho mentions in a quite matter of fact- tone in his own. evidence before the House of Lords Committee that lie had only two intimates in the country—Montefiore, another Jew, and a Captain Po.wditch. He could hardly he intimate with the missionaries, who did not make fine distinctions between one. trader and another, though he mentions their uniform courtesy to him. His religion separated him from some of the few other respectable traders in residence at the rather too Arcadian port of call of whaling shipping. This man of alert intelligence and artistic leaning must have fallen back on his Maori friendships for distraction and pleasure. Besides intimacy with the Maori tribes was a business necessity.

That aggressive puritan, the Rev. John Duumore Lang, of New South Wales, east some stones at Polack in a virulent pamphlet be wrote in 1839. He accused him of being one of the chief landsharks, the possessor of an immense acreage, 'this conflicts directly with l’olack’s own statements that lie bad' owned only 3 ,100 acres, for seme of which lie bad paid as much as £0 Ids an acre, lie bad bought not to have land, but to own the water-front-age, essential to trade and often giving access to valuable timber. .. Lang, further stated that Polack had been prevented Irani opening a grog-shop merely because the owners of the existing taverns at Kororareka had combined to prevent him. Lang was, however, a prejudiced observer, since be added to the very valid strictures lie passed on the CALS. missionaries the palpable inaccuracy that they bad made practically no converts. Folack must stand as finblackcned by this over-shrill denigration.

Off to California. 'I :' yI h i ; s Polaek returned to New Zealand after it had been colonised and lived in the brand-new Clity of Auckland. But evidently life had not exorcised his wandering demon, since in 1849 liy left for the Californian gold-fields, where he died.'*Ho had.played a strenuous part in the development of trade in the early days. His, knowledge of the Miaoi’i, which, he passed on soi extensively to, the world 1 at, large in his two excellent,, books, would have been of very great use to the young colony if the relations between the two had. not so tragically, degenerated. Polaek was the best type of commercial adventurer. He , could write With liveliness and humour. Ho was able toi appreciate bis novel experiences to the full. 'With a knowledge of the native races, of many continents and climates he had a strong predilection for- the Maori. An unusual figure} he j should be remembered forhis enterprise, his informativeness and his unusual tact in handling a difficult' race.