NEW ZEALAND IN 1840

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1939, Page 21 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND IN 1840

CAPTAIN FREDERICK GEORGE MOORE’S BOOKLET Colourful Pictures of Life in Early Days RELATIONS OF THE COLONISTS AND MAORIS BEGINNINGS OF ORGANISED STTTLEMENT A time-worn copy of Captain Frederick George Moore’s famous booklet, “Early Pioneer Days in New Zealand,” is in the possession of Mr C. P. Moore, manager of the Masterton branch of the State Fire Insurance office. The writings of this seafaring man of a century ago paint a colourful picture of New Zealand as it was in 1840, the first year of organised settlement in this country; and are particularly appropriate in view of the Nev/ Zealand centennial celebrations in 1940. Captain Moore describes the Maoris of 1840 as being very friendly, and it was not until later years that continual friction developed into open warfare.

Excerpts from Captain Moore’s account are as follow: — I was introduced to "Mr” Edward Jerningham Wakefield and other active gentlemen interested in the New Zealand Company—the fathers and earliest promoters of the new colony,

that was destined to become one of the most attractive, healthy and fertile countries of the southern side of the earth. Through my knowledge of the object and interests of the leading promoters of the New Zealand Company. and from my children having a love of adventure. I determined to be among the first settlers of New Zealand. In October, 1839, I sailed from London in a good old Indian-built ship, the Bengal Merchant, one of the four pioneer ships chartered by the New Zealand Company, whose plucky passengers were to form the first settlement and lay the foundation of a future great colony. After a prosperous voyage we arrived in Port Nicholson early in February, 1840, and were most friendly welcomF ed by the crews and passengers of the other three ships that had left London on the same day with us, but had sailed direct for New Zealand, while the Bengal Merchant called at Glasgow for her passengers. We found the new settlers mostly housed in tents and thatched huts, or under cover of spare blankets, etc, about Petone Beach, and that the primitive colony had been named by many "New ■ Brittania." Potatoes, fish, pigs, and wild birds were plentiful, and well supplied by the very friendly natives who seemed to give a hearty welcome to the strange pakeha, and exchanged their food for such articles as the settlers had to spare. Confusion Over Land Sections.

A number of us early settlers had purchased in London from the New Zealand Company land at 20s an acre in the latest El Dorado, but on arrival in New Zealand it was impossible to find one allotment or section from another, because the surveys were not made for a long time after.

A description follows of an exploration trip in the vessel, the Jewess, along the west coast of the North Island. of the finding of coal seams in Wanganui harbour and the rounding of Farewell Spit and the landing at Massacre Bay. At the last-named place the ship’s crews were welcomed hospitably by the Maoris. Massacre Bay. so named by the great navigator, Tasman, in IGGO. was not so hostile as in his days. It was found that the Maoris had a tradition that Tasman's boat crew that were slain by the natives were the first transgressors, having endeavoured to capture some of their chiefs' wives and daughters before first captivating them.

From Blind Bay the vessel rounded D'Urville Island, and kept the coast along to Queen Charlotte Sound, entering for Ship Cove, which was the favourite little sheltered bay for Captain Cook to refit his exploring expedition in. 70 years before. Here the brigantine Jewess dropped her anchor, androde safe in that, pretty romantic and convenient bay, just one of those lovely spots on earth, where purified spirits might rest awhile before taking their final flight to Heaven. Captain Cook's Teachings. In Ship Cove the vessel was boarded by a family of natives who lived there. The old chief said he was about 90 years of age. though still vigorous. When he was a boy he was taken ou

board Cook's ship an’d given papa or biscuit, and some other presents, by Captain Cook, who on his visits to Ship Cove had commenced to stock the hills and forests of that bay with pigs, goats and some fowls. Well have the Maoris kept their promise with Cook, not to destroy any of the live stock until they had greatly increased in a natural manner. Also. Cook made them promise to preserve, the seeds- of the vegetables and fruits, which he had taught them to cultivate and preserve. A smart fetch across Cook Strait, and a rather wearisome beat to windward up from Port Nicholson Heads to Petone. and we came safe to anchor, pretty full of useful and payable produce, and we were the bearers of the first show of New Zealand coal to the pioneers of Wellington. As soon as possible I started off on a second voyage of discovery. The first | harbour we entered was North Wanganui. then inhabited only by numerous natives. We got safely over the bar and moored near a native village or pa, on the banks of a fine river, with good land, much of which was vigorousb' cultivated by the Maoris, who were friendly to me. Here, after a little, young Edward Wakefield came overland. His object was to examine the country and report to his uncle, Colonel Wakefield, at Wellington. Together Wakefield and I went up the Wanganui River for somedistance with a party of kind Maoris, and saw all we could in a week's tour, enjoying the trip and making friends en route with the natives. From Wanganui we kept the coast line, as we safely could, on to Taranaki, but we found that place, at the Sugarloaved roadstead,- too rough, to trade with the friendly natives, so we proceeded further north and safely entered. Mokau, where I observed many natives on the coast. Here again I soon gained the confidence and friendship of the numerous Maoris. A Lapse into Philosophy.

Altogether I shall never forget that great feast which the Maoris prepared for us preceded by most unmistakeable speeches of dignity and hearty welcome to the pakeha. Nor shall I easily forget how I contrasted this natural abundance with the fact and piteous picture of more civilised savages in Europe, who, through the selfishness of the few. are born to want, and all its attendant sorrows and evils, with no opening, no comfort, no hope beyond the long day’s grinding work for the unfair pay, barely sufficient to purchase bread enough to keep body and soul together of those dependent upon them. No aid, no hope, no redemption but the merciful grave, and the hereafter of promised rewards in Heaven, by those wolves in sheep’s clothing who fatten on the white slaves’ daily increasing toil —whom the wolves address as men and brethren and coworkers for eternal bliss!

God! Spare these Maoris, from such fates, and the New Zealand colonists from the iniquity of grasping all the land from their brotherhood, whoso natural heritage is a whole-life tenure. The unjust seizure of the land by the privileged few is the source —beginning and ending—of all human poverty, misery and crime, over the surface of God’s Garden of Eden, which the Almighty Landlord never intended for monopoly by legalised robbers, but for a natural and free-as-air life heritage to all present and coming peoples while time lasts, the well-ordered seasons come and go, and fertilise the earth from which all living creatures should claim their free and bountiful supplies of food, shelter and every comfort, under heaven.

Some day all the peoples of the earth, being inspired by angels, will rise as one man and claim their righteous use of their heritage from generation to generation. An Officious Governor.

Leaving Wellington again for further exploration of the north-west coasts, we entered over a rough and dangerous bar, into Manakau, afterwards better known as Onehunga. Here we found but few natives, and little cultivation. At the Bay of Islands I found an English missionary, the Rev Mr Williams, who had formerly been in the British Navy. At Wellington we lived in amity with each other and with the natives for the most part until the arrival of the first Lieutenant-Governor. Captain Hobson, from Sydney, with his futile attempt to plant the seat of Government at the Bay of Islands in the far north, as distant from the first body of real settlers as he could get. Soon after Captain Hobson's advent he commissioned his deputy, Mr Shortland, to interview the Wellingtonians. and to tell them that henceforth they might consider themselves as a sort of pioneer intruders, who had dared to leave England and settle in New Zealand without the permit and approval of the then British Government, and so on. which justly roused the ire of the pioneers. He received by no means a flattering reception.