EARLY AUCKLAND DAYS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 7 August 1928, Page 8

EARLY AUCKLAND DAYS

MRS SELWYN'S NARRATIVE

THE p.MLY 1)111 OF PORE

BISHOP AS A DBIu^MAKER' In hor autobiography, a copy of which is in tli-.'. J'urnbull Library, Wellington, Mrs Selwyn, wil'o of BislTop George Augustus Selwyn, describes life in New Zealand during her 25 years' residonco from 1842 to 1857.' The settlors had to rough it in those days, especially when travel was necessary. Some of Mrs' Selwyn's stories, relating pi-incUj pally to life in the Auckland district, contain ;i considerable element. of humour. Some, extracts' are published by the Wellington "Post." .Mrs Selwynwrites : When the time came for George (Bishop Selwyn) to start on another long bush joilrney, he look nu: to Auckland from the Bay of Islands, with Willie (their son), to stay, with the Martins (Judge Martin), at Taurarua (Judge's Bay, Parnell). It was my first visit to that hospitable place, and the coining. there was my first introduction to the charms of a fore-and-aft schooner ! Both' Auckland and the life at Taurariia seemed highly civilised after ouj l community life as to meals at the Waimate; also, ladies and gentlemen coming to call; a papered room and a return to,old familiar habits impressed me strongly. George went round to/laranaki by (he Govenime it brig, thence, down the coast to Wellington, crossing over to Nelson. This was years before the Canterbury settlement and Christchurch were thought of. I think lie touched (he lowest depth in some of the fort and afte s iie had (o sail in, but ho always made merry over his experiences. . . , LIFE AT JUDGE'S BAY Meanwhile 1, with littlo Willie and Mary Crump, remained at Taurarua. The Judge—afforwards Sir William Martin— "• was an old "college friend of the bishop, a delicate man as to health, a regular student iii his tastes, very learned in languages and li'teraturoj never' ' kb a fault when you asked for information, on any subject, like-minded with. George in the welfare of the 'Maoris, quite us ready to ilo battle ../or them as he was, and entering into all (ho bishop's farsighted plans for thorn, and for. laying the foundations of the Government and of the .Church in New Zealand on a sound basis. In after days, ho entered as heartily into (ho Melaiicsian Mission, especially the philological part, and was a, warm -ally of Bishop Falteson, who' by nature was a student. Ho heartily ontered into the fun also', and when the day's work was over used to read pleasant books to Lady Martin and me in the evening over (ho \\;ood fire. . . . The Attorney-General, Mr Swainson, lived closo by Sir W. Martin, also in the littlo bay of Taurarua, his house being divided 'from that of the Judge by the little raviuo that led to the bay. Taurarua is just at the beginning of the Waileinata, a long wide inlet, a few hays up which the town of Auckland was built—in (hoso days of wood. Opposite to Tauiarua was the North Shore, ending, at the entrance of the harbour, in a long piece of low land with a hill on it; where was the flagstaff overlooking the opgn sea, whence incoming vessels wore signalled. How I used to watch that flagstaff; and when George was coming back—in the Undine at first then the Border Maid, and lastly the Southern Cross Jfrom. Melanesia,; and also Tor any vessels from England likely to bring letters! . . . BISHOP CARRYING A BABY ' In" September, 1844, the Martins paid us a visit, and soon after them arrived the members of a translating committee —a syndicate, as George called it—to revise translations already made —a syndicate of the best Maori scholars to be had. First, Archdeacon (afterwards Bishop) Williams, the brother of Archdeacon Henry of Paihia. He was an Oxford man.* and the two were looked tipon as the heads of the C.M.S. New Zealand Mission. Next, the Rev. R. Maunsell, a much later member of it, a racy'lrishman, a very able man, and with a rare knowledge of "Maori." The last'was a layman, Mr Puckcy, aeatechist, who had been brought up in New Zealand from early days. Wo were admitted sometimes to hear them. ■ It was highly interesting and sometimes amusing. Mr Maunsell would give such colloquial definitions of a word, generally supported by the excellent' Puckey. George had not in those early days such intimate knowledge of (ho language as enabled him to cope with these philologists, but he could, supported by Mr Williams, put his veto on anything too familiar for Bible or Prayer Mrs Maunsell and her little baby Eliza (afterwards Mrs Bice) wero also with us, George (Bishop Solwyn), having carried tho said baby all the way from the Kerikcri. Slio was wrapped in bis maud, and strung round his neck. Qur Waimate borne was broken up at thoUiid of tho year, in October. Wo went with tho Martins to Auckland, where George rented a house pending the huikhng going on at St. John's College,, our future home. '■''.. j EATING'- A TEAM' OF OXEN r ' , j After we went lb tafto Ui">;our abode ,'afc St. John's College, for tho next year tor two, wo regularly ate hot pork three days in (ho week and cold pork four days; only in towns 'was the luxury of mutton available) in those early days, and wo had no poultry then. But I think the pork added to our glory p£ Home, being erected into a- kind of hardship; Tho New Zealand pigs wero clean-feeding animals, living much on roots-and any vegetable food, and so jess' rich than in England. » •', Our next change was to beef—this is anticipating, however; wc v/ero in the poj'k period now. When tho land about us. was brought into cultivation, the grass laid down, and horses camo into play instead of oxen, then we ate tho team ; it was a tough job, and took some time. We could turn the beef to raoro account than the pork. 1 liked to go into the kitchen and instruct tho Maori cook in tho art of making stew—poor stows, however, for lack of vegetables of flavouring. . . .

BISHOP MAKES A DUESS But; to go back to (lie arrival of (lie Boirlcr Maid (from (ho New Hebrides and other island groups), on 31st October, .1852, at Koliimarama. The parly at St. John's College was then intact, and thero was always great, excitement at tho return of tho ship. Mafly went down to meet the voyagers. 1 always waited for "the quiet in tiio house? but wc coukf watch them coming—(,jlo croWcl of Maoris and English ; then tho train of Melanesians, new and old ; then the bishop. There was much speculation (his time as to tho quaint figures on either side of him, coining gravely along as if dressed in the height of the* fashion. These two girls, for such ihey wore, had very skimpy petticoats, made, as \vc soon learned, by the bishop himself out of a coloured counterpane, together with while Russia duck tippets—Cana-

zeno tiJedrgO called thfcrn—-vtfllictl he, after deep reflection, recalled to mind bavin" seen his sister wear, though not made of duck. 1 doubt, if they were an exact copy, but not that they were a great work of art elaborated by him and his sailing master, Champion. They cut them out upon the deck with a knife in the approved fashion; and the garments answered their purpose; but they were funnv,