Readers Write

Northern Advocate, 22 July 1939, Page 6

Readers Write

In his interview with the “Advocate,"’ as reported In your paper, Mr Williams has made several mistakes in his statements. It

EARLY NEW ZEALANDERS

was not the London Mission Society that

his great-grandfather came out under, but the Church Mission Society, known as the C.M.S. With regards to preaching the first sermon, Mr Kendall, in his journal, states; “Sunday morning, June 19, I read upon deck the prayers of the church.’' There was no mention of preaching, but, on June 12 he writes: “On the Sunday after our arrival at the Bay of Islands, Mr Hall, upon the deck, read prayers of the church.” So, if either, it is Mr Hall who holds the laurel.

Mr Williams is quite right about the ; first marriage. Rev. Kendall did solemnise it, on June 23, 1823, at Matahue (Oihi), in Bay of Islands, between Philip Tapsell and Maria Dinga (Rina), a Maori; but he did not baptise the first child. The Rev. S. Marsden, on February 24, 1815, baptised Thomas Holloway King, born on February 20, 1815, and died in 1818, aged 2i years. Mr Kendall was New Zealand's first magistrate. . The first land purchased in New Zealand was at Rangihoua. Mr Marsden bought, on behalf of the C.M.S., 200 acres on February 24, 1815. Mr Kendall did buy 50 acres at Waitangi in 1816 for the C.M.S.

In regard to Mr Williams's clipping reprinted by you, I am sorry, but all that appears in the ‘‘Auckland Weekly News” is not always quite correct. According to Mr Kendall’s own statement, when he arrived in Sydney, he had five children and a sixth was born shortly after landing, in October, 1813, but it only lived a few hours. When he sailed for the Bay with Marsden, in 1814, he brought with him three children —Thomas, Henry and William. He must have left his two daughters in Sydney. From 1815 to 1819, no ordained minister came to New Zealand. In the latter year, the Rev. John Butler came, and he baptised no fewer than ten on one day, but unfortunately did not enter the date of birth. So we have no exact guide there. They are as follows (date, October 31, 1819): Dinah Hall, Samuel Kendall, John Wheeler King, Hannad King Hansen, Jane Holloway King, John Kendall, Thomas Hansen, Henry Hall, Ann Gordon, Lawrence Kendall. Mr Kendall was ordained in 1820.

Later, the Rev. Kendall states that he had eight children. Lawrence then would be the youngest, as five came with him from England and three were baptised in 1819, if all grew up. Messrs Kendall and Hall came over early in 1814, remained in the Bay for several weeks, and returned as the Governor of New South Wales would not allow the Rev. S. Marsden to leave unless this precaution had first been taken.

The first child born in New Zealand was Thomas Hollow&y King, baptised by the Rev. S. Marsden on February 24, 1815. (See register, Waimate North Church.) Mr Robert McNab, in his book, “From Tasman to Harsden,” says: “On May 28 the second

child—and first girl—of European parentage was born to Mrs Hall” (page 188). I cannot say if she grew up, but she was alive in 1819. —W. E, BEDGGOOD.