Kororareka

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 3 (Supplement)

Kororareka

From records of the early days of settlement in New Zealand we are able to gain some idea of the great amount of business carried on in the town of Kororareka, where whalers found • a convenient place for refitting and provisioning. It was the largest settlement in the colony in 1837; and its nearness to the whaling areas of the southern seas attracted many vessels. No other port in the South Sea Islands had such attractions for the captains of whalers, who found there all that was required in the way of timber, food and gear. Dr. A. S. Thomson, in "The Story of New Zealand,” tells us that about 1838 the town possessed a “church, five hotels, and numberless grog shops. For six successive years 100 whale ships were anchored in the bay.” He states that on one occasion, as many as 36 large whaling vessels rode at anchor. American ships visited the port, and 56 flying the Stars and Stripes anchored there in IS3B. In the same year, 23 English, 21 French, one German, and 24 from New South Wales called there. There were whalers from around the coast, which made frequent calls also. 2316 first white man to land on the beach at Kororareka was Captain Stewart, after whom Stewart Island was named. He was Well known on the New Zealand coasts as a skilled skipper, and was chosen as pilot to H.M.S. Herald, when that vessel carried officials who were getting signatures to the Treaty of 'Waitangi. Captain Stewart died in 1852 at the age of 85.— H. Maynard (Wellington.

I • Incidents of the Early ’Sixties In the late ’fifties of the last century, among the earliest settlers of Paraparaumu were two young Scotsmen, the younger bringing his young wife and tiny baby to a. small habitation (still standing- on a large block of land, Wharemauka. There the young wife planted willow trees and clumps of arum lilies, and they are still there. She was often left all day with no adult within many miles while the men were away at work at the back of the run. There was great unrest among Maoris at that period. One day she saw Maori after Maori warrior enter her shrubbery and steal round to the back of her home. Clasping her child she waited for she knew not what horror might befall them. Grind, grind, grind, she beard them one after the other sharpen their hatchets at her grindstone and then, O joy! saw them one by one file out of the gate; they had bigger game in view, and were thinking of war. A grandson of five years of age, taken to see that home by his ancestors over 60 years afterward, took little interest in the old buildings and trees, but said ‘And where is that grindstone?” His grandparents moved to Wairarapa about 1862; little coasting vessels on the East Coast regularly carried goods and belongings and landed them as best they could on the open shore, and in stormy weather much was lost. The Maoris became more disaffected. All settlers were called up to join the Mounted Militia, drilled regularly with long breech-load-ing guns; the tall, broad, fair young Scotsman was a noted figure among them. However, the Maori trouble broke out farther north and others had 1 to bear the brunt.— -M.H.VV. <

Queen Victoria’s Godson In 1862, the year of the great exhibition in London, some Maoris were sent over from New Zealand. These Maoris, belonged to the Ngapuhi tribe. Among them was a Maori named George Pomare, whose wife gave birth to a son while in London. There were great celebrations, and Queen Victoria stood godmother for the babe, who later became the late Sir Maui Pomare.— A. McK. (Petone).