Report on Whangarei as Capital Site

Northern Advocate, 26 January 1939, Page 3

Report on Whangarei as Capital Site

Yesterday, the “Northern Advocate” gave extracts from the journal kept by Mrs Felton Mathew, when her husband, the Surveyor-General, visited Whangarei Harbour, exploring possible sites for establishing the capital of New Zealand.

The Surveyor-General’s report to Lieut.-Governor Hobson (dated June 15, 1840) is, as might be expected, a more stiff and formal document. Here are his comments on Whangarei:—

“I, in the first place, put into the Harbour of ‘Wangare,’ which is one point to which my attention was drawn by the Governor’s instructions.

“The entrance to this affords excellent shelter and fine anchorage for a very considerable number of large vessels, there being a great depth of water close in with the rocks on the northern shore. “After rounding the second headland inside the heads, the water shoals rapidly, and although there is a deep channel as far as the mouth of the river ,it is very intricate, and could be available only for small craft. Many Shoals in Harbour. “With the exception of this channel, in which there, is an average depth of about five fathoms, the whole of the extensive bay into which the harbour opens is shoal, and indeed, dry at low water.

“The northern shore is bold and rugged, thickly wooded, and broken into lofty volcanic peaks at and near the Heads, every little ravine affording a never-failing supply of fresh water. “Under this shore lies the deep water, and good anchorage. The southern shore is much less elevated, rising gradually from the water, and being wooded only on the summits of the hills; but, unfortunately, it is quite unapproachable within a great distance excepting at high water, and then only for boats. Uninviting Southern Shore. “At the entrance of the Bay, the southern shore is low, varying from ten to thirty feet above the level of the water, and presenting a vast tract of nearly level land of many thousand acres; occasionally rising into sandy ridges, intersected with swamps, mangrove flats, and lagoons. “There are a few patches, of fine land on this spot, which extends for many miles along the coast to the southward; but the greater portion of it appears to be barren and quite unavailable for any purpose.

“The shore for a considerable distance along this side of the Bay is composed of sandstone, but it is so soft as to crumble beneath the touch. “I have been informed that a fine freestone, well adapted for building, is found in this harbour, but I could trace no indications whatever of it, and from the careful examination of the shores which I made, I am inclined to doubt its existence. Extensive Mangrove Flats. “From the head of the Bay I traced the river ‘Wangare’ upwards. The northern bank is bold and thicklywooded, the southern is of moderate elevation, but unapproachable on account of extensive mangrove flats which skirt its base.

“The proportion, of available land is very small indeed, for ,a distance of about eight miles from the head of the harbour. At that point, however, there is a very extensive tract of land of the richest description, free from trees, but thickly covered with brush, fern and flax, and requiring only cultivation and ,a little drainage to render it highly valuable. “Here is a Pa inhabited by a considerable number of natives; and two Europeans, recently from Sydney, are also settled here. “The river .at this point is narrow, having a depth of about six feet only, and half a mile higher up is no longer navigable even for boats, and degenerates into a mere mountain stream which issues from .a narrow'and very rugged gorge, appearing to defy all further progress in that direction.

Little Level Land. “On the whole, the harbour of ‘Wangare’ may be considered a fine one, and would afford the best shelter for a large number of vessels; but there is no extent of even tolerably level land at all calculated for a town, excepting perhaps on the southern shore, which as I have before observed is almost unapproachable. “There is, however, at the entrance of the river ~on the north side, and between the river and the head of the bay, a fine tongue of land, with four, five and six fathoms of water close inshore, which would appear to be a very desirable spot for a small settlement; and which I would beg to re■commend should be borne in mind, as available for that purpose. “It is, however, of too limited extent for the formation of a town, even if its geographical position and its proximity to the Bay of Islands, did not render it ineligible for the principal settlement and seat of Government, unless in the case of no more desirable spot being met with.” (Note: As shown by a sketch map, marked by Felton Mathew, the site which he recommended as suitable for a "small settlement” must have been quite near the present Whangarei— on the promontory where Onerahi, in all probability, now stands).