A DIRECT LINK

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 153, 26 December 1936, Page 12

A DIRECT LINK

EARLY HISTORY OF N.Z.

TWO SISTERS ARRIVE

SOME PERSONAL RECORDS

Two personalities who provide a I direct link with some of the outstand- | ing events of New Zealand's early history arrived by the Orford this morning for a brief visit to the Dominion. They are Miss C. Nias, a daughter of Admiral Nias, who participated in the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and Mrs. I. Baynes, widow of Admiral Baynes, who commanded the Mildura when it took the Governor, Lord Ranfurly, to annex the Cook Islands. They are sisters. Commenting on the coincidence in an interview with a "Post" reporter today, Mr. T. D. H. Hall, Clerk of the House of Representatives, who also arrived by the Orford, gave an interesting outline of the career of Admiral Nias. "In writing history," ,he said, "it is very easy to slip into error through drawing a hasty conclusion. There was some friction between Lieutenant-Governor Hobson, himself a naval ■ officer, and Captain Joseph Nias, who commanded H.M.S. Herald, in which Hobson was brought to New Zealand. Mr. Lindsay Buick, in his j book 'The Treaty of Waitangi,' describes Captain Nias as a 'hot-headed Irishman.' This conclusion from an unusual name serves to uncover an I interesting piece of personal history." Mr. Hall said that the Nias family was of Dutch origin. It was first heard of in England in 1653, when a John Nias was among those captured in a naval engagement between the English and the Dutch —in the days when Blake and others were re-establishing Britain's naval tradition. The prisoners of war were interned at Newbury and Donnington Castles. The supply of food proved a burden at Newbury, and on petition from the townsfolk some of the prisoners were transferred to Littlecote, in which old manor house they decorated a room with murals. This room, called the Dutch Room, said Mr. Hall, was still preserved in this beautiful house, now owned by a member of the Wills family. After peace was declared Nias remained in England and married an English girl. THE LOST BOTTLE. "In direct line," continued Mr. Hall, "Joseph Nias was born in 1793, when the family had moved to London. He joined the Navy at the age of 13, and after an exciting and distinguished career as a junior officer was appointed to command H.M.S. Herald. He brought Hobson, to New Zealand, and was one of the signatories to the Treaty of Waitangi. Later, ho took Major Bunbury to the South Island and formally annexed Stewart Island by right of discovery by Captain Cook. The original declaration of sovereignty was placed in a bottle and buried. Recently search was made for this bottle, but without success. The old records containing Major Bunbury's report were searched in London, and it appears that the bottle was buried on a small island near the anchorage in Zephyr Bay, which at low tide becomes a peninsula. This may aid in discovering the bottle. "On this trip, too, the Middle Island, or South Island, was formally declared under the sovereignty of her Majesty, signatures to the .Treaty of Waitangi having been obtained from the leading chiefs. It is. a coincidence that the discoverer of New Zealand, Abel Tasman, should have been a Dutchman, and that the descendant of a Dutch seaman almost contemporary with Tasman should have had a part in its acquisition by the British Crown. The subsequent career of Captain Nias was a distinguished one. He became an admiral, and was given the honour of X.C.8." Mr. Hall added that these particulars had been given to him by Miss Nias herself.