BISHOP SELWYN’S MAP

Turnbull Library Record, Volume 9, Issue 2, 1 October 1976, Page 49

BISHOP SELWYN’S MAP

P. L. Barton

The Library recently purchased from James Dally an annotated map formerly owned by George Augustus Selwyn, first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand. The map entitled: The islands of New Zealand, from the Admiralty surveys of the English and French marine, from the observations of the officers of the New Zealand Company and from private surveys and sketches compiled by James Wyld was first published in 1841. As far as is known there are four editions of this map, all held by the Library. The Selwyn map measures 122 x 88 cm, folding to 13 x 23 cm. The scale is circa 1:1,440,000. This map should not be confused with the smaller map issued by James Wyld entitled: To the Right Honourable, The Secretary of State for the Colonies, &c., &c., &c., this chart of New Zealand from original surveys is respectfully dedicated. The latter is based on the McDonnell map published in 1834 by Wyld. There are a number of versions of the third edition of the smaller Wyld map.

The Selwyn map has in the Bishop’s own ink and pencil script lists of place names, small sketches, coastal profiles, small charts, etc. The areas of greatest interest are Port Abercromby, Great Barrier Island, Hauraki district, Akaroa, Otago harbour, Tautuku, The Bluff or Awarua, Aparima and Stewart Island. Lake Te Anau is sketched in with a track leading to it, Lake Hawea is named with a track leading to it and a track is marked beyond the lake suggesting that the Maori route to the West Coast had been mentioned to the Bishop. Further north is an unnamed lake (probably Ohau, Pukaki or Tekapo) with a track leading to it from the ‘Wanganui River’ —the present Ashburton River?

This map is referred to in Selwyn’s letters to his mother. It seems likely that it was kept as a ‘master’ by Selwyn and that information gleaned from overland journeys was recorded on it upon his return home. When he was visiting places on the coast he may have carried the map on the vessel with him, as it would be relatively safe. It is in a good state of preservation which suggests that it was not carried overland and subjected to the wet bush conditions prevailing.

This is a significant map acquisition and complements other Selwyn material held by the Library.