The Real Russell

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 325, 10 April 1928, Page 1

The Real Russell

ffew Zealand’s First Seat of Government i NOT AT KORORAREKA THREE or four miles distant from Russell by water, and about two miles below the junction of the Kawakawa River with the Waikari, there still bloom in profusion the roses that once adorned the first Government House in New Zealand, By the average schoolboy it is generally assumed that Kororareka, or Russell, as it has been called these many years, was the seat of the first Government in New Zealand, and for this entirely erroneous impression, in many instances he would doubtless receive full marks. Interesting information as to the site of the first seat of Government is given by Mr. George E. Smith, a pioneer of the Bay of Islands district, and now residing at Albert Street, Onehunga. Mr. Smith, who is 76 years of age, and who spent a great deal of a sea-faring life in and around the Bay of Islands, is at present the owner of the original land upon which Was erected Governor Hobson’s official township. ORIGINAL RUSSELL It was Governor Hobson's first intention to establish the capital at Kororareka, but sufficient land not being available at the time, he purchased from Captain Clendon his trading station near Pomare’s Pa. He named the new town Russell and taking possession of the house upon it fixed the headquarters of the Government there. This caused some discontent on the part of the Bay of Islands community, and later the official scheme was abandoned and the name of Russell and the headquarters of the Government transferred to Kororareka. Mr. Smith came into possession of the site when he purchased the parcel of land containing approximately 50 acres from the Government in 1890. In 1889 the property was surveyed by Mir. Wheeler, Government surveyor, who in his report stated: “One of my duties was the cutting up into marketable sections of the Government area at the mouth of the Waikare inlet, op-

posite Opua, Bay of Islands, which was bought—with, I understand, some buildings on it—for the seat of the Government, and called Russell, for the sum of £16,000.” From other sources it is ascertained that the Governor, being without funds, afterwards granted Captain Clendon 10,000 acres of land including part of the rich Papatoetoe and Manurewa districts, on account of this purchase. FIRST NEW ZEALAND GAOL Mr. Smith stated that upon the property the foundations of the old Government buildings are still to be seen. There are still remnants of the first New Zealand gaol, even to the bricks with which the floor was paved: and the old stockade which formed part of the defensive scheme can still be traced round. On the top of the hill is a hole about Mt deep and 2ft in diameter where Governor Hobson’s flagstaff formerly ?tood. and at the back of the section are the remains of the Maori Pa, with its very complete system of trenches and_ other excavations and earthworks. When the land was purchased from the Government it gave rise to some protest from residents of the Bay of Inlands that such an historic spot should be allowed to pass into private hands. Although Mr. Smith is proud to own this land, which represents one of the prettiest spots in the Bay, with others he regrets that it was not kept as an historic reserve.