HISTORICAL REPORT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 16 July 1938, Page 9

HISTORICAL REPORT

FIRST WORK AT RIWAKA SURVEYORS AND THEIR ASSISTANTS Mr Robert Pattie has kindly handed us the appended report of the first survey work at Rlwaka. The first survey party arrived at Riwaka on 2nd May 1842. It comprised Samuel Stephins, surveyor, Thos. Brunner, C. Pelichet and C. Torlesse, improvers, Bernard MacMahon, Joseph Patten, Joseph Duncan, Joseph Logree, James Graham, William Bryden, David White, Henry Lunn, James Cook, William Dent, Bob. Flowers, John Wendybank and Brooks. They proceeded with the erection of houses and the construction of a sawpit which occupied their time to the end of the month. By the beginning of June survey operations were in progress. Mr Brunner with Pelichet and six men were working in Motueka and the main party at Riwaka. On 13th June 1842, Patten injured himself in a gun accident. On 23rd June Mr Stevens agreed with Messrs Mickle and Fry to saw 2000 ft of timber for stations at the Maitu at 19/- per hundred. On 27th June the party was visited by Captain Wakefield, Captain Wilson and Messrs Cantley and Tytler, who returned to Nelson on the following day. On 17th September Mr Torlesse left Stephens party to join Mr Barnicoat in the Waimea survey. On the same date Brydon, Logree and Wendybank were paid off and returned to Nelson. On 10th October 1842, Messrs Tuckettr (Chief Surveyor for the New Zealand Company) and Brunner, accompanied by Henry England (Maori) started on an exploring expedition up the Motueka River. On 25th November Mr Stephens who had been in Nelson for the past week arrived at Riwaka with his family and goods. During December Mr Stephens’ party was working in Sandy Bay and on one occasion his party left him and Lodder there without means of- returning owing to the state of the tide. On 9th January David White was seized with illness from eating tutu berWednesday, Ist February 1843 being the first anniversary was kept as a holiday but Flowers, Graham and Dent worked to make up lost time. On 13th February 1943, Mr Stephens with Lodder, Graham and Dent went by boat to Waimea West to explore the head of the Moutere. This occupied a week, Mr Stephens returning overland. On 29th June news was received of the Wairau massacre. Mr Stephens,