WITH THE PIONEERS

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 102, 30 April 1921, Page 9

WITH THE PIONEERS

NOTABLE ANNIVERSARIES

NEW ZEALAND'S INDEPENDENCE

INCIDENTS OF THE "FORTIES."

(By W. A. Edwards, Early Settlers' Association.) «

We have recently passed by two interesting anniversaries of events of interest in tbo earlier settlement of this country. On Saturday, 18th April, 184-0, there was published the first newspaper printed in Port Nioholson—The Now Zealand Gazette. It was a small weekly paper of iour pages, with more advertising than other matter; but it was the beginning, snd, with the oxoeption of the time taken in removing the printing press from the j Petono Bide, where it was first establish- I ed, to To Aro (near to Winder's Corner), when three weeks lapsed between the two issues, we have had the press continuously—first weekly, then bi-weekly, and gradually increasing in size and circulation; in fact, growing with the colony. This anniversary wag oelebrated by the press men of Wellington for years, but to-day it is forgotten. Anothor event ofinterest, and little knova^ was the granting of the independence of New Zealand. It might not be generally known, but under "Letters Patent," dated 15th June, 1839, the boundaries of the Colony of New South Wales wero so extended as to comprehend "any part of New Zealand that is or may be acquired in sovereignty," etc., etc. By this, it must be understood, New Zealand cam© under all statutes, etc:', enacted and in force for the Government of New South . Wales, at that time a, penal settlement. Many of our early settlors expressed great indignation at this, and we. find many references to tho matter. One" reference I oame across is this: Our settlers of those days kept pigs, as they do to-day, but they had no fences round their sections, and some settlers cultivated gardens. The pigs wandered anywhere and everywhere; they could not always be tied up (as many wero), consequently tho damage done was considerable and complaints many. Now, it was a difficult matter to oatch a pig, especially a half-wild one, but to kill a wandoring pig—the easiest way out of the difficulty—no. The settler wa3 liable to seven years' transportation. The independence of New Zealand dates-officially, however, from. 20th November 1840, when the first intimation -was made in tho London Gazette; but it was not until April, 1841, that the news came to Wellington. Eta Excellency the Governor and Commander-m-Chief was, as such, installed on 4th May, 1841. By some error he was described as John, instead of WilHam, Hobson. Oiv the afternoon of the same day tho first service in New Zealand was held at Auokla step 9 were immediately taken to celehrato thie important event in a fitopg manner. On the 15th April, a public dinner Was held at Barrettf. Hotel to oommomorate the Islands of New ZeaW ,bom ? rendered independent of New South AVata*. Colonel Wakefield, J.P., officiated as president and R. D. Hanson Esq., J.P., and George Hunter, Em., J.P., as vice-presidento. Colonel Wakefield was supported on his right by the /Rev. olx. Davy, Dr. Evana, J.P., »nd W. Gayton, Esq.; on the left, K*v. J. M'Fariane, —. M'Donald, Esq., and James Smith, Esq. (Union Bank); in the. body of the hall woro observed Captain W. M-sSmith, ■R.A., H. St. Hill, Esq., J.P., G. Duppa, E-q., W. Johnston, Esq., M.D., etc., eto. (in fact, tho prominent men of the day were all present). As was to be expected on an oooasion like this, the toa^a and 6poccbes were many and of considerable interest, commencing with tho loyaltoaste by tho president; "Her Majesty the Qjucen," given with "three tunes three, and one cheer more;" "The Princess Royal," "H.R.H. Prince Albert," and "TheQueen^Dowager and the Best of the Hoyal Family," each with "three tunes three." Thus were the loyal toasts of our oarly settlers given. After these, the president could not do better, supported as he was, than give "The Churoh. The Rev. Mr. MTarfane rose to return thanks in a neat littlo speech, and the Rev. Mr. Davy also responded. Next came the toasts of "Lord John Bueeell and Her ; Majesty's Ministers," then "His Excellency Captain Hcbeon and the Independent Islands of New Zealand," by George Hunter, Esq. Then the Rev. Mr. Davy (riivo "The Health of Mrs. Hobson and the Ladies of New Zealand," and so the evening went on. Representatives of all interests were present and duly toasted, one of tho finest speeches of th© evening being made by Dr. Evans in proposing "The Liberty of the Press." Tho toast of Mr. R. D. Hanson is of interest, and prophetic: "The Prosperity, of Wellington, and may it soon become,in law- what it is in fact, the Capital of New Zealand." (It took a quarter of a century for a. fact to become a law.) The last toast was "The Settlers from the Neighbouring Colonies," acknowledged by Captain Rhodes (N.S.W.) and Mi. R. Brown (V.D.L.). Tho president then vacated his seat, and tho party broke up at 12 o'clock. # On the day previous to this dinner, a public meeting had been convened by Colonel Wakefield, in compliance with a requisition from tho principal citizens. This meeting was called to address the Queen, and the outcome of this meeting was the 6©nding of an address of congratulation and a humble petition from the inhabitants of the town of Wellington at. Port Nicholson in Now Zealand. The occasion of this was, firstly, the birth of the Princess Royal; and secondly, the granting of the independence of_ this colony from Now South Wales. This was signed by the principal inhabitants of the town and duly forwarded to Her Majesty by the Brongham, in May, 1841. About the same time an address was forwarded to; His Excellency Captain Hobson by certain of the magistrates of Wellington, offering their congratulations to His Excellency upon the independent position in which the colony entrusted to his Government was then placed-; at the same time they took the liberty of offering some suggestions with rogard .to the\ future government of the colony, which appeared to them to be of the utmost importance. This was signed by W. Wake Sold, R. D. Hanson, G. S. Evans, H. St. Hill, G. Hunter, and E. Daniel!. It must be borne in mind that tho advising the then Governor of New Zealand oannot be held as presumptuous or out of place. Captain Hobson had not thought it worth while to visit Wellington up to that timo, a-nd had no idoa. of tho; real wants of the settlers, and those six signatories knew only too wall what was wanted. Wo notice some complaint early in 1841 from those interested or connected with tho overseas shipping. Many of the yesDels then arriving from England had a clause in their bills of lading requiring the consignees to land the goods at their own cost. Tho press, of the day, commenting on this innovation, pointed out that this was attended with great inconvenienco and expense to merchant;*, while there was no reason ,why the usual custom in most colonies should be sot aside here. "Tho facilities for landing are abundant and unusually good, considering the early stato of the colony's existence, and we urgo upon shippers at Home to roßist tho attempt to saddle U3 with espouses, by refusing to chip by vessels imposing such an unreasonable condition." On Sunday, 20fci June, 1841, divine eervico was performed in the Gaelic languigo by tho Rev. John M'Farlane, of tho Scotch Church. The occasion was peculiarly interesting, as being the first iirno. in iN^w Zealand when tho Gospol Y/a3 proclaimed in that tonguo, dear to the •heart of overy Scottish Highlander. It was also important as affording assur»r:cc to futu'o emigrants from tho glens and mountain!! of tho North Britain, that • on t'noir arrival here; they would enjoy tho privilege, so precious in their estimation, of worshipping in thai language T.HK HOTT VALLEY IN 1842. We find that many poraora wishing to dci>roci»l« Port Nicholson wero accustomed to describe the land in its vicinity a<, "bravily wooded," and having said that much imagined that intending emigrants, with littlo or no capital, would bo deterred from settling in the colony.

Experience soon proved the superiority of tho thickly-timbered land to every other description of soil, also that the price of sawn timber would go far in paying the expense of clearing. Knowing this; settlers became sawyers as well as cultivators. They became tenants of farms of twpnty or thirty acre:?, and commenced foiling, lopping, and burning, and potatogrowing, with the certainty of a respectable independence in the course of a few years. The landlord assisted by demanding only a peppercorn rent for the first two, three, ,or four years. Thus each did his sharo towards tho cost of the taming of the forest-. Leases wer* granted for periods of ten, fifteen, and twenty-one years. Wo note (March, 1842) that "Mr. Molesworth is now digging up his kidney potatoes, and that the yield is np less than eighteen tons, per acre. Tho produce of other descriptions of potatoes must yield at least nino tons to the acre, which at £6 per ton (current price) will refund the capital employed and leave an ample profit on oxpe.iditure."