No Convicts

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 154, 26 March 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

No Convicts

It was only through the determination of the early settlers that convicts did not play their part in the development of New Zealand, a part which might, but probably would not, have been for the ultimate good of the community. In 1843 a number of crimin-ally-minded boys did reach the colony, having been sent out from the Reformatory at Parkhurst, on the ship Mandarin, which left London for Auckland via Hobart Town. The arrival of these boys was strongly resented by Auckland settlers who saw in it but the thin end of a wedge. Tree acceptance of these boys, it seemed to them, would only pave the way for the sending out from England of more confirmed convicts, so emphatic protects were lodged. Five years later, in 1848, Earl Grey offered to ship convicts to the colony, pointing out that as there was a big shortage of cheap labour in the country, due mainly to the number of men who had hastened to the gold rushes in California and in Australia, and that these convicts would provide all the cheap labour necessary. But the settlers were adamant and the offer was heatedly declined. It may be wondered why New Zealand was not used as a penal settlement from the beginning as was New South Wales. The colony escaped the evil because of the savage reputation credited to the Maori.— C.H.F. (Dunedin).