EARLY AUCKLAND

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 164, 14 July 1941, Page 5

EARLY AUCKLAND

jATKIN FAMILY'S PART

MEMORIAL UNVEILED

Little known facts connected with the early settlement of the- Kohimarama district were recalled yesterday by Canon P. S. Smallfield in unveiling in St. Andrew's Church] Hall, Kohimarama, a tablet to the memory of Miss Mary Atkin, whose death occurred recently at the age of 93 years. One of the first settlers of the district, said Canon Smallfield, was William Atkin, father of Mary Atkin. who came to New Zealand in 1842 at the age of 28 years. That was at the same time as Bishop Selwyn arrived here. He landed in a boat from a sailing ship on the Kohimarama beach, and shortly afterwards bought a large tract of land which he farmed until 1881. He then retained a small part of his property, selling .the remainder, and the area in the vicinity of the church hall had belonged to the Atkin family for nearly a hundred years. Besides being an energetic farmer, William Atkin was a keen worker for the Church. As a member of the (first General Synod in New Zealand, he went to Wellington in 1859, and took part in the meeting when the constitution of the Church was laid down. This constitution, drawn up by Bishop Selwyn and his advisers, was later copied by several other parts of the Empire. William Atkin was also a member of the Auckland Diocesan Synod, of the St. John's College Trust and Board of Governors, and a close friend of Bishop Cowie. His son, Joseph, who' died a martyr's death when Bishop (Patterson was murdered at the island

• if Nukapu in the Melanesian group [ n 1871, received his missionar\ > aining at St. John's College, i Closely associated with the Maoris. ! vVilliam Atkin was on the most : friendly terms with a chief and the imembers of the tribe in the Tamaki 'area. The church, which was" now •'known as St. Thomas' ruins, wa? ; opened in 1847 by Bishop Selwyn Mr. Atkin being one of the congre

gation. He was also a churchwarden there for many years. He gave much time to education and social service, and was a highly respected citizen. In all his work he was greatly helped by his wife, whose death occurred in 1890, 10 years before the end of his life.

Miss Mary Atkin was a life-long! supporter of the Church and a keeni worker in the interests of the Mela- 1 nesian Mission, said Canon Smallfield, and she had made provision in her will by leaving £1000 to the mission and by giving her home and surroundings to be used as a rest home by those connected with the mission. She also gave an area to be developed as a children's playground, and left money to provide a bursary for the training of students of St. John's College for mission work. Other bequests were made for the benefit of the Church at Kohimarama.