NOTABLE FIGURES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1934, Page 10

NOTABLE FIGURES

NEW ZEALAND HISTORY

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES EDWARD JOHN EYRE (By Guy H. Scholefield, 0.8. E., D.Sc., F.R.Hist.S.) VIII. (Copyright.) One of the most interesting figures in the list of early Governors of New Zealand is that of Edward John Eyre. Explorer in Australia, LieutenantGovernor, in New Zealand, and Administrator in the West Indies—wherever lie went was an atmosphere of controversy and misunderstanding. Eyre was born in Yorkshire in 1815' and educated at Thorp Arch, at Grantham, at Louth, and finally at Sedbe'rgli. As a boy ho was fond of handicraft and fishing, and looked forward to a career in tho army. Disappointed in this, he sailed for Australia at the ago of seventeen with £4OO capital. For some time he was a cadet on a Hunter River station. He farmed a little on his own account, and then began dealing in sheep. Ho conceived the bold idea of driving sheep overland, first to Port Philip, and then to South Australia. His first drive of a thousand sheep and six hundred cattle by way of the Murray Biver to Adelaide in 1836 was hailed with delight in South Australia. Early in 1838 he left Melbourne in the hopo of discovering a shorter route to Adelaide than that of the Murray River, but after following the Wimmera for some distance and discovering Lake Hindmarsh he had eventually to fall back on the Murray River Toute. In the following year he travelled northward from Adelaide to within sight of Lake Torrens. Later in 1839 he made a westward journey from Port Lincoln as

far as the border of South Australia, his only- companion on the last stage being a black boy. Again ho left for Lake Ton-ens, and he returned convinced that it was impracticable to take stock round the Bight to "Western Australia. Then with the help of a public subscription ho proposed a northward exploration. 800 MILES DESERT JOURNEY. Early in 1840 Eyre went by sea to Western Australia and drove stock overland from Albany to Perth. In the middle of the year lie started again from Adelaide northward, hoping that the Flinders Range would lead him into the interior. The names Mount Deception and Mount Hopeless marked his disappointment towards the north, and he then formed a base at Streaky Bay with the intention of working round the Bight to Western Australia. Several attempt were made, first with a black boy only until grass and water failed; then with a dray until he lost three horses; and finally on horseback. Supplies having been brought up by cutter to Fowlers Bay, he resolved to go on alone, and on January 31, 1841, he started on the first stages of an 800 miles journey across the desert with only his overseer and three native boys. When the horses knocked up he abandoned them, and when, six hundred miles from his goal, the native boys shot the overseer and fled with guns, bread, and water, Eyre still persisted, towards the west. He was almost at the end of his resources when he reached Thistle Covo on Juno 2 and found the ship Mississippi at anchor. After recuperating there for ten days he pushed on and reached King George's Sound on July 7. This feat of endurance and intrepidity provoked a good deal of criticism as being unjustified by any possible results. ARRIVAL IN NEW ZEALAND. Eyre was then appointed resident Magistrate on the Murray River, and as Protector of Aborigines was distinguished for his humanity towards the blacks, whom he of ten protected against an overbearing white population. It was in this connection that he came in contact with Captain George Grey, afterwards Governor of New Zealand. In.. 1843 he received the Founder's Medal , of the Royal Geographical Society, in recognition of his explorations. Twice in 1844 he offered to lead an expedition from Moreton Bay (Queensland) to the now settlement at Port Essington on the north coast of Australia, but Gipps considered that Mitchell had a prior claim. Eyre did actually in that year accompany Sturt on tho early part of his journey from the Murray to Lake Victoria. Eyre returned to England in 1845, taking with him two blacks with whom he was introduced to Queen Victoria. Tho Colonial Office had a high opinion of his services, and in 1846 Earl Grey apJ pointed him to be one of the : Lieutena-nt-Governors in New Zealand under tho new Constitution. Eyre arrived in Auckland in July, 1847, and conferred with the Governor in Chief (Sir George Grey) before proceeding to Wellington to take charge of his own province of New Munster. It was not long before there was evidence of coolness between Grey and his lieutenant, originating no doubt in a dispatch which Eyre sent direct to the Colonial Office without reference to his superior. Thereafter Grey allowed Eyre to exercise little real authority, and lost no opportunity of belittling him in public. By residing in Wellington for eighteen months he rendered Eyre's commission dormant and placed him in an absurd position. They were temperaments which could not well work together. Grey was autocratic and overbearing. Eyro was impulsive, fussy, and obstinate, and much too fond of writing. But he was not without ability and energy. When Wellington was shaken by the severe earthquake in 1848 he took prompt measures to cope with tho emergency. In the purchase of Native lands in the South Island has was energetic and judicious. He made many little explorations in both islands. In particular he made a hazardous ascent of Tapuaenuku (1460 feet) in Marlborough, losing one of his Native guides on the frozen slopes. This mishap upIset his plans lot an overland journey

to Port Cooper. In his own province he took a keen interest in education and religious institutions both for the colonists and the Natives. PROSECUTION AND RETIREMENT. Evre was married at Auckland early in 1850 to a sister of the Hon. J. D. Ormond. When the now Constitution was inaugurated early in 1853 he relinquished his post, and after a visit to Australia returned to England to enjoy a year's leave. He was then appointed to the Governo'rchip of St. Vincent, which he administered from 1854-00, during which time he was for a year actin" Governor-in-Chief of the Leeward Isfands. In 1862 Eyre was appointed Acting-Governor of Jamaica, and as •the Governor did not return to his post lie was confirmed in the position in 1804. As a result of the Civil War in the United States, Jamaica suffered severe economic depression. Eyre was soon at loggerheads with the native members of his Legislative Council. I One of these, George AVilliam Gordon, a man of education and standing, was accused of complicity in a riot which broke out at Morant Bay in October, 18C5, and became so serious as to call for tho proclamation of martial law. The suppression of the rising was effected with rigour amounting to ferocity. Many blacks were hanged without trial or even accusations, and many dwellings were burned. Alto-1 gether 354 persons were executed by order of court-martials; 50 were hanged or shot without trial; 25 were shot by Maroons; and 600 wore flogged. Commissioners sent out by the House of Commons found that while Eyre had shown praiseworthy skill, promptitude, and vigour in suppressing the revolt, yet he had condoned acts of punishment and vengeance against persons who were not even proved to be guilty. The death penalty was unnecessarily frequent, the floggings reckless and barbarous, the burnings wanton and cruel. Public opinion in England w*s shocked at the disclosures. John Stuart Mill, VHuxley, and Spencer joined in the public demand for Eyre to be brought to trial. Carlyle, Husking, and Tennyson defended him. Eyre was recalled, and, with General Nelson and other officers, was brought to trial in England. The grand jury threw out the bills, but prosecution from various angles did not :cease until 1869. Meanwhile Eyre went into a dignified retirement. In 1872 Parliament paid the expenses he had incurred in his defence, and two years later he received a pension upon which he lived uneventfully until 1901. | He was ambitious and full of energy, but his abilities were not of a high order. His courage bordered on rashness, but he lacked judgment and obstinately pushed forward to a goal when the fruits of success were not worthy of the effort expended. Lord Olivier in a book recently published remarks: "The trouble with Eyre was that he was a morose introvert, selfcentred, headstrong, unreachable, whose injustices and misdeeds might be absolved on a eontrite plea of invincible ignorance, but could' not possibly be condoned administratively by any statesman responsible for the proper staffing of a system of colonial government. His tragedy is that of Ajax mad, blindly slaughtering cattle and sheep in the conviction that they were malignant enemies."