A ROMANTIC HISTORY

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23001, 22 April 1940, Page 11

A ROMANTIC HISTORY

“AKAROA AND BANKS PENINSULA ” NEW EDITION OF POPULAR BOOK (By C.R.S.) No place in Canterbury has a more romantic history than Akaroa, where the National South Island Centennial celebrations are being held. The focal points of the celebrations are the assertion of British sovereignty at Akaroa and the arrival of the French colonising expedition in August, 1840, but the whaling story of Banks Peninsula preceding these events, and the sawmilling, cocksfootiiig, dairying, and sheepfarming which have followed them, are almost as important parts of an unusually interesting history. The newly published "Akaroa and -Banks Peninsula. 1840-1940” (Akaroa Mail Co., Ltdr 396 pp.. 10s'net), which relates the story of the French colonising venture and early whaling activities, presents in a new and amplified form the material of one of the bestknown books about early Canterbury, H. C. Jacobson’s “Tales of Banks Peninsula,” which. was first published in 1883, being based on a reries of articles about the early days which had appeared in the “Akaroa Mail.-’ “Akaroa and Banks Peninsula” is really the fourth edition of this book. Had the enterprise which produced “Tales of Banks Peninsula” more than 50 years ago been paralleled in other parts of Canterbury, the work of present day historians of the province would, have been greatly simplified. Traders and Whalers What prompted that early publication, however, was the special nature of Banks Peninsula history. The peninsula was the first part of Canterbury to have contacts with Europeans, with the visits of flax traders from early as 1830. Then cape the whalers, from 1835, and their story (notably that of George Hempleman, the founder of the first permaneni settlement in Canterbury, at Peraki in March, 1837), which -was one of the main features of the earlier “Tales.” is rightly given equal prominence in this new publication. At the same time there has been preserved the mass of 'interesting personal reminiscence, apart altogether from the Teem'd of historical- fact, which gave the earlier book its special value. What is given is no dull record of first-comers, but a lively picture of the times when these early whal jTS were the only inhabitants of the’r isolated bays. The story, of Hempleman “heading up” a recaltritant Maori in a cask tells a great deal about the way of life of these men and their character. Most important is : the account of the French colonisation of Akaroa. The idea of that colony arose in August. 1838, when Captain Langlois began the purchase of Banks Peninsula from the Maoris. The plan was- carried out by the Nanto-Bordelaise company with help from the French Government. But for a series of delays in getting the expedition ready, and dispatching the emigrant ship from' France, the French ’might have been in possession at Akaroa before Captain Hobson landed at the Bay of As it was. the expedition did not leave France until after Hobson’s arrival in New Zealand, and did not reach Akaroa until .three months after Akaroa chiefs had signed the Treaty of Waiigi- . # A French Colonist’s Story This stoiy, together with that of the hasty sending of Captain Stanley in the Britomart to forestall the French at Akaroa, is given colour in “Akaroa and Banks Peninsula” by reminiscences of men who took part in these events of 100 years ago. The French colonists’ story is told by M. Waecherle, one of their original band of 30 men, 20 women, and 11 children. It is a story of unusual hardship and endurance, for the colonists were provided with no cattle or beasts of burden, and all their implements and even their clothing had to be obtained from the company, which appears to have been more disposed to make money out of them than to help colonisation.’ In the first few years the- musual position existed of a French settlement in a British colony, where the British flag was not hoisted, and where the administration was mainly in the hands of the Freix"’; commandant of the Pacific naval station, although he worked in close collaboration with a British resident magistrate Although much of the book is necessarily devoted to the early days at Akaroa. he development of the rest of the peninsula is fully treated. ■ The story of each of the bays, together wi*h that of the pioneer residents is rounded out with a description of the growth if the oioneer sawmilling industry, and the introduction oi cocksfoot, which was for so long a main source of wealth on the peninsula. Apart from 1 additions in the earlier sections, the new material in “Akaroa and Banks Peninsula” is mainly in the’ chapters on local government and the growth of various institutions and t services. A number of striking drawings and photographs of the early days have been added as illustrations. The book. Tike its predecessors, makes very interesting reading, but it could have been made more valuable as historical material if contradictions of fact between one pace and another, which marred the earlier editions, had not been repeated in this one. LARGE VOLUME QF TRAFFIC % DELAYS PREVENTED BY EFFICIENT CONTROL - The smoothness with which the great volume -of traffic to Akaroa for the centennial celebrations during - the week-end .was handled refuted expectations of trouble on the difficult hill roads. The entire-, lack of .accidents or serious hold-ups was a tribute to the efficiency and . care of the drivers of private cars and’ the many large motorbuses which were on the road, and to the efficient handling of the traffic by officers of the Transport Department and the Automobile Association. During three' and a half hours on Saturday morning 252 cars and 21 large motor-buses passed over the Hilltop road from Little River to Barry’s Bay, the peak hour being from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.- Yesterday, between 9 a.m. and 12 a.m., 162 cats and 26 buses traversed the road. Complimentary reference to the conduct . of motorists on both days was made yesterday afternoon by Mr E. W, Wilson, chief traffic inspector of the Transport Department. In spite of .the difficult roads and bad-weather there were no accidents and no serious dedays, and up to the afternoon, no charges to be laid. Bus drivers showed every courtesy to other road users, and in spite of the size of their vehicles in no way tended to upset other traffic. . A continuous -patrol was maintained between Little River and Akaroa by two officers of the denartment, assisted by three patrols- of the: Automobile Association (Canterbury), for whose help the’department was very grateful. Parking in . Akaroa was controlled by three traffic inspectors. Motorists remarked that the Hilltop road was In good condition,. but the uncompleted work on the hills between Duvauchelle and Akaroa produced very difficult conditions after the rain on Saturday and again yesterday. By yesterday afternoon, when a large volume of traffic was due to come back, the surface on this section was Very bad indeed.