NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST CAPITAL
Sir-The reference to Russell on Page 33 of The Listener of September 26 as the first capital of New Zealand is very wrong. Actually the first capital was known as Russell when the present town was called Kororareka, Briefly the story is this: Hobson arranged to buy about 300 acres at Okiato, opposite Opua, with the intention of establishing his capital there. But the deal fell through. Later, when Auckland was decided on, the name Russell was shifted to Kororareka. We still hear Okiato referred to as Old Russell or Russelltown. The mistake I refer to is, of course, quite pardonable as many people even here in the Bay, and in Russell itself, do not know the true story. Any reader interested will find details in a booklet published by the Internal Affairs Department and written by Mrs. Ruth Ross. It is interesting to know that the price agreed on for that sale was £15,000, of which £13,000 was for the buildings-£1000 was to be paid on possession, another £1000 five
months later, and the balance. was to be on mortgage at 10 per cent. Who wouldn’t like to be a Government mortgacee with interest at 10° per cent; ~*~
N. W.
GILLING
(Opua).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 435, 24 October 1947, Page 5
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207NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST CAPITAL New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 435, 24 October 1947, Page 5
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