THE SITE OF AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 90, 17 April 1925, Page 7

THE SITE OF AUCKLAND.

_____ — ii » m ■_ . __ _ I HOW IT WAS BOUGHT, j • THE CONSIDERATION GIVEN. FIFTY POUNDS FOR 3000 ACRES. "Our tribe once owned the whole of the land on which Auckland is built," remarked an Orakei native, who was taking kumara from house to house for sale. The contrast of between the position of the descendants of the vendors to what it would have been had the freehold not been parted with, resulted in some old documents being hunted tip regarding the early history of Auckland. Some years ago the Government issued a statement regarding the prices paid to Maoris for their land but, later it was withdrawn. Copies are, however, amongst the Grey Collection in the Auckland Library. As far back as 1826 Captain Dumont De Urville, the French explorer, visited the waters of the Waitemata and recognised the future possibilities of a city founded on the isthmus. In his book he pointed out two sites for settlements. One is now occupied by Auckland and the other by Wellington. De Urville wrote to his Government: "There is no doubt it w-ould be easy to find in these agreeable islands places well suited for settlement." Too Many Colonies. In the same year as De Urville made his visit to New Zealand there was a movement in London to start settlements in these islands, but the project was killed at that time because Lord Melbourne and Lord Glenelg decided on behalf of the Government that England has colonies enough, more than it could protect in case of war. Some time later, however, another company did form settlements, and from that beginning a nation has developed. Capital of New Zealand. Many years after the visit of Captain De Urville, his view regarding the suitability of this isthmus for the site of a settlement was confirmed by Captain Hobson, tho first Governor of the colony. He selected the banks of the Waitemata on which to found the capital, and, strange to say, when the seat of Government was moved to Wellington, it went to the second position pointed out by the French explorer as suitable for settlement. The Maori View. "Most of our land about A uc khind has •passed from us," said the Orakei Maori. "Even Orakei Bay, which our tribe still retains, haß been spoiled by tho concrete sewer built across the front by the Auckland City Council/ It was pointed out that the same sewer ran across both Official Bay and Hobson's Bay, where the land is now owned by the pakeha, and that tin proposed new road would at all events improve the value of the land still retained by the natives at Orakei. "Yes, it would do that," was the reply, "if wo wanted to sell, but the mistake was made in the past by our ancestors of Belling too much land to the pakeha. You know what my people are. The money they receive for land is quickly spent. I have known a Maori to got £4000 for land, and be without money again within six months' time. If only the Maori would hold on to his land he could always have somewhere to live and grow his food." Buying _klul For a City Site. It is interesting to record the price paid the Maoris for some of the hind on which the City of Auckland now stands. Tho purchases were mado on behalf of the British Government. For 3000 acres from Official Bay to Mount Eden, bought in 18-10, the sum of £50 cash was paid, and with it was also given 50 blankets, 20 pairs of trousers, 20 shirts, 10 waistcoats, 10 caps, four casks of tobacco, a box of pipes, 100 yards of gown pieces, 10 iron pots, a bag of sugar, a bap- of flour, and 20 hatchets. This was purchased from the Ngatiwhatua tribe. For Kohimarama block the price was better, £100 being paid, to Which was added one largo boat with sails, 200 blankets, 20 cloaks, 10 frock coats, 100 pairs of trousers, 100 shirts, 40 shawls, three casks of tobacco, a cross-cut saw, and two pit saws. This is an evidence of how soon settlement of Europeans on the banks of the Waitemata caused land values to advance. A block at Orakei was bought for £200 cash, four horses, 30 blankets, 10 cloaks, and a tent. And two blocks of land at Remuera were afterwards purchased for £00. and £1,50 respectively. In the light of subsequent developments, the Maori was quite right when he said:' "Our people made a mistake in selling so much land."