NAMING THE BULLER RIVER

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 6, 7 July 1923, Page 9

NAMING THE BULLER RIVER

TO THE EDITOR. . Sir,—Some doubt and misconception exists as to the naming of the Buller River, natively named the Kawatiri, and described as the largest and second largest river in New Zealand. It extendsfrom the West Coast to half-way across the country, and with the Wairau River makes almost an island of the northern part of the South Island, the St. Arnaud mountains intervening, .with the Old Caso, and Tophouse on their eastern aspect. It has been stated, and incorrectly so, that the river was named after Sir Walter Buller. An interesting recent conjecture was that it was named from the Scotch word "buller," meaning a roaring or seething turmoil of water, and I understand that in a havy fresh, where the river runs between rocky gorges and perpendicular cliffs, this condition is presented to the beholder. Another statement, which, however,- is approximately correct, is that at a meeting of thfl London board of directors of the New Zealand Company, a report had been received of the discovery of a new and large river on the West Coast, whereat the chairman turned to Mr. Charles Buller, saying, "Buller, we'll call it after you." Incidents similar to this are familiar in regard to other nomenclature. However, the' Buller River was. so named by Messrs. Thomas. Brunner, Charles Heaphy, and William Fox during their exploration of the district in February, 1846/ when they fell in with it at..Lake Rotoroa, or Howick. In the ! next month ' Messrs. . Bruuner and Heaphy again set out from Nelson with the intention of finding its mouth, and after many thrilling adventures attained their object, when they proceeded further south to the Mawhera River, which they named the Grey River, after the Governor, Captain George Grey, and so we have the name- for the town of Greymouth.

'The Kawatiri or Buller River was first made known to Europeans by Major Charles Heaphy, V.C.,' and Mr. James Swinton Spooner, J.P., on the 15th November, 1943, when they were exploring in the vicinity of its source, Lake Rotoiti, or Arthur, and they followed its course for some miles. In the next year Captain Joseph Thorns, otherwise known as "Geordie Bolts," took his 50-ton schooner across the bar, anchored at five fathoms, 'and pulled his whale-boat- four or five miles up the river. He has the distinction-of being the first to cross the bar in a coasting vessel and enter the river. At this time Thorns was in command' of that old Wellington trader, "The Three Brothers." In "Gales of the Golden Coast" and "Rambles on the Golden Coast" the authors state that the cutter "Supply" was the first vessel to cross the bar, but that was I believe so late as 1859, and is apparently incorrect-. W. 11. Greshaw in his spirited account of life and adventure on the West Coast, entitled "Banking Under Difficulties," records that the first steamer to enter the river was the "Tasmanian Maid," on the 29th January, 1862, in command of Captain Whitwell.

I have' no' record why Messrs. Brun-nei-j Heaphy, and Fox gave the Kawatiri the name it now bears, but soon after 1946 the district was mapped with such names as Ingestre, Mangles, Aslionby, and Baring, all prominent members of the New Zealand Company, while a tributary of the Buller was named the Howard River, after Mr. James Howard, an official of the New Zealand Company, killed in tlio Wairau Massacre, so it is more than likely it was named after Mr. Charles Buller. Further the threo explorers were officials of the company, and their report of exploration would be forwarded to their London hoard and would perhaps convey: they had given the name Buller to the river, and from this very likely arose the incident stated to have occurred at; the board meeting'that has been described. / Charles Buller, Esq., M.P. for Lisleeard, Radical politician, 'English' lawyer, and a director of the New Zealand Company, was a distinguished man in his day, with a career that embraced both Canada and 'England. He was decp.ly interested in colonisation, and with New Zealand in particular. His brilliant public life was cut short by his early death in. 184Q, at the a^e of fortytwo. General Sir Rcdvcrs Buller was a kinsman. Charles Buller . coined the witty designation, "Mr. Mother Country" as applying to the three permanent heads of the office of the Tjndcr-Secrc-tary of Slalc. for these officials were not represented .in Parliament, were "the power behind the throne." and scnrcely known to the public by name. I nisi fortunate in 'possessing 's. steel-engrav*. ing of BuTler, from n-purtru.il painted by B. JK. Duppn,, Esq., a self-taught artist. The portrait is now hanging in the home of the ' Mblesworth's, • "Pencarrow," Bodwin. Cornwall. A charming black and white sketch of him is in the "Life of Lord Durham," and he is pidnriscd twice in the "Life of Sir William Molesworth, Bart.," the sketch being drawn by Thackeray, and here it i>> interesting to note that the Inangahua, a tributary of the Buller, was once known as the Thackeray River. In concluding, it should be stated that the explorer' Fox became the Hon. Sir William Fox, K.C.M.G., while justice can not be done here to Brunnev for his subsequent exploration, 1946-7-8, extending over sixteen months, the story of which has

been written by Mr. P. J. O'Rsgan, who aßked, "need we go for exploring feats to Darkest Africa, while we have such records to read in our own country ?"~I am, etc., H. FILDES. 4th July.