MARSDEN MSS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1934, Page 5

MARSDEN MSS.

VALUABLE JOURNALS.

FOR GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S INSPECTION.

EARLY HISTORICAL LINKS. A valuable collection of Marsden MSS for inspection by his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, was brought to Auckland to-day by Mr. Eric Ramsden, a member of the Royal Australian Historical Society, who arrived by the Wanganella from Sydney, en route to the treaty celebrations at

Waitangi. The most important item in the collection entrusted to Mr. Ramsden is the original Journal of the Sixth Voya.sre in 1830, written in the Rev. Samuel Marsden's own hand. The journal, which was compiled during Mr. Marsden's visit to New Zealand in that year, is in perfect condition, and, together with the other documents, has been in the possession or the descendants of the famous missionary for almost a century. Deeds relating to the brig Active, dated June 11, 1812, and February 11, 1814, are of considerable importance,' as they throw light upon her career before she was purchased by Mr. Marsden for his first expedition to New Zealand. The little vessel, which did service among the missionary settlements in the Pacific for many years, originally came from Calcutta.

Another document of historic value are notes on the "Government of New Zealand," compiled in Mr. Marsden's hand, on the return voyage from England to Port Jackson in 1810. After a general description of the Maoris, and a plea for the. protection of that .fine race Mr. Marsden concluded with the significant remark: "However, should opportunity offer, I may have a more perfect knowledge of these people hereafter and of their religion, government and language. I am persuaded the time is at hand now for promoting their civilisation and general improvement if

a little attention is paid to their want* and none but good, industrious characters are allowed to go amongst them." Copy of 1814 Journal.

Other papers of interest include a copy of the journal of the first voyage to New Zealand in 1814. This was probably written by one of Mr. Marsden's daughters, but the corrections are in his own hand. The copy, though in good condition, is not complete. , An interesting fragment is a page written by Mr. Marsden in old age in which he described that first Christinas Day at the Bay of Islands. The note is incomplete, but he concluded, in reference to the famous sermon: "I never felt more happiness and joy than when I viewed the delighted countenances of those poor heathens on the Gospel for the first time being preached to them. Mr. Marsden was most methodical in TSs public affairs. Consequently after his death a large collection of letters was found from people in all parts of the world. A considerable section, principally of Australian interest, was recently acquired by the Mitchell Library in Sydney. These letters included the famous communications from Mrs. Elizabeth Fry, the prison refromer, and from William Wilberforce, the anti-slavery leader, another friend of Mr. Marsden. The New Zealand section, however, included letters from Archdeacon Henry Williams, his lieutenant at the Bay of Islands, Rev George Clark, Rev. Frederick Wilkinson, a New South Wales chaplain on his way to England, who accompanied Mr. Marsden on his last visit to New Zealand in 1837; his companion on his first visit, Mr. J. L. Nicholas, whose book is now eagerly sought after by collectors, Mr. James Kemp, the catechist, whose descendants are still living at Kerikeri; a copy of a communication from the British Resident, Mr. James Busby, which Mr. Clarke sent to Mr. Marsden, and letters from Mr. Joseph Matthews, the pioneer missionary at Kaitaia. Mr. Ramsden has brought over a selection of these letters for the Governor-General's perusal. The Pratt letters, about thirty in number, are now under offer to the Hocken Library in Dunedin, and for that reason, he did not bring them. Several sermons in the famous missionary's handwriting are, however, included in the collection.

"There are two valuable series of Marsden papers still in Sydney," eaid Mr. Ramsden, who has been engaged in Marsden research for some time, "The Pratt letters may possibly find a permanent home in Dunedin. I hope they do. If not they will soon be snapped up in Australia. As they refer particularly to New Zealand, however, it would be unfortunate if they did r.ot come to this country. The other series —the Yate letters—deal with what Mr. Mareden referred to as 'the awful fate of Mr. Yate,' a little known page in missionary history. I hope to publish them, together with new extracts from the journal of Martha Marsden, and a journal of the greatest importance to New Zealand, kept by a Cornish settler named George Hawke, who was wrecked at Hokianga in 1836, in a book I am working on relating to Samuel Marsden's last journey in 1837." The Rev. William Yate was one of the best known and talented missionaries at the Bay of Islands whose dismissal, on his return to Sydney from England in 1830, was the real renson for Mr. Marsden's last visit to the Bay of Island*. He was attended on that occasion hy Martha, his youngest daughter, concerning whom Mr. Ramsden has been able to obtain fresh material. As Mr. Marsden was too old and frail to keep a journal on that occasion, the account kept by the missionary's daughter has enhanced value.

Mitchell Library Purchases. Both the Hawke and Shepherd journal to which Mr. Ramsden drew attention last year in Sydney, have been purchased by the Mitchell Library. "I did what I could to secure them far New Zealand," he said, "but the Mitchell Library was very anxious to have them, and moved more quickly in the matter, and so secured them for all time. As both Messrs. Shepherd and Hawke originally came from Australia, and relatives still reside there, their journals, naturally, have interest in New South Wales. "There are many illustrations and documents in Sydney that well might be copied and obtained for the historical museum to be established in the Treaty House at Waitangi. I feel certain that their owners would gladly co-operate in preserving these unique links with the early history or New Zealand."