FRENCH EXPLORATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 71, 19 March 1912, Page 6

FRENCH EXPLORATION.

IN THE EARLY DAYS IN NEW ZEALAND. It is not generally known that between 1769, the date of Captain Cook’s discovery of New Zealand, and 1810, there were no less than ten expeditions of exploration sent to New Zealand, with various objects, the first of them arriving in December, 1769, shortly after Captain Cook. The commander of this expedition, Captain D’Urville, made himself unpopular with the natives in the North, who took their revenge on the next French exploring party, which arrived at the site of Russell in 1772. This was a party who voyaged in two ships—the Marquis de Costries, under the command of Captain Marion, the chief of the expedition, and the Marcarin, under Captain Can set. The first act of the natives was to massacre a boat’s crew, which was effecting a landing at Oraukaua Bay, only one man escaping and swimming hack to the ship. Captain Marion was murdered a few days later at what is now Olendon Cove, in the Manawar Bay. After these discouragements the expedition returned under Captain Causct. Captain de Fleurieu, who is at present touring the world, is taking a special interest in records of early French exploration in Australia and Now Zealand. Ho has been collecting much local information from various sources, and has only yesterday returned from a visit to the scene of the massacre. He was assisted in his researches by Messrs Williams and Martin, of Russell, and a specially interesting feature was the fact that he was entertained with a Maori song, supposed to commemorate the slaying of the boat’s crew. The Compte’s desire is to commemorate the work of the various expeditions wherever possible, preferably by the erection of a monument at their first landing places, or where any notable event occurred. While in Wellington he will interview the Minister in charge of the Tourist Department in regard to the erection of a suitable monument at Houi Bay, called by the Marion expedition the Bay de Tra'hison. When speaking to an Auckland “Star” representative the,other morning he referred to the fact that the first surveys round the Auckland district were supposed to have been made by an exploring party, under Captain D’Urville, a fact which is not generally known.

When he returns to his own coun•tvy the Gonipte intends to write an article on early French exploration in New Zealand, to he put before the Geographical Society.