THE EARLY DAYS OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9271, 5 August 1893, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE EARLY DAYS OF AUCKLAND.

[l:V P. O. MONTROSE.]

CHAPTER V. Immigration—The first Immigrant Ship—Tim Paisley i'miiiirxt Society The Ship Deborah— The French Too l.ate for the l'.iir—The lirilliatit Arrives in the Maimkaii—Convict Hoys—Protest Against Ticketof-I.eave Settlers—'['lie Pensioner Settlements—'Tricks 011 Immigrants—Champagne ami ltcil Herrings.

As already stated in a former chapter, the first immigrant ship that came to New Zealand was tho Tory, which arrived in Queon Charlotte's Sound on March 11, ISM, after a passage of 90 days, described in the New Zealand Journal, just started in London, " to be exclusively devoted to the interests of New Zealand," as "the shortest passage ever known." The Tory proceeded to i'ort Nicholson, where the New Zealand Company had selected a site for their first settlement. The suitability of the colony as a field for emigration had begun to be recognised in England ; and in the Colonial Gazette, published at the office of the Spectator, London, January I, 1840, we find several advertisements relative to the subject. John Ward, Esq., secretary to the New Zealand Land Company, announced a book or pamphlet, compiled by himself, containing information for the use of colonists, similar information being supplied at the Subscription Rooms, 62, (iracechurch-street. in subsequent issues of the Colonial Gazette, New Zealand

Journal, and other early newspapers, we find many advertisements of the .same character.

At a meeting of the Paisley New Zealand Emigration Society, held at the end of 18.'!!), it was resolved "to petition Her Majesty's Government and the directors of the New Zealand Company, on behalf of the society, for free passages for the members and their families to the new colony of New Zealand." About the beginning of 1810 several ships were advertised as on the berth tor Australia and New Zealand. In the Colonial Gazette of March 4, the Deborah, '221) tons, Thomas Wing commander, was advertised to sail shortly for the Bay of Inlands, Hokianga, and the company's settlements. In the same journal of February 1!) there is ft paragraph copied from the London Times as' follows " It, has transpired that the ship Comte de Paris, with a number of colonists, is sailing for Arai l'oenamoo (South Island of New Zealand), Banks' Peninsula. The whole Southern Island is probably a British colony by this time. The French would, therefore, be too late for the fair." The French had attempted to establish a colony at Akaroa, but had been forestalled in their design of planting the tricolour over the islands of New Zealand. The earliest ship with immigrants for Auckland was the Brilliant, which arrived in the Manukau in IS4I with 21 settlers from Glasgow. . Among the early immigrants landed in Auckland were a few lads from the English penitentiaries or reformatories, who were designated " Convict Boys." But by this period the large influx of traders and free immigrants had greatly changed the character of the population, the respectable and industrious classes forming an overwhelming majority over the criminals and fugitives who first sought refuge on these shores. Consequently when it transpired that the authorities-in England, through the private emigration agencies, were making New Zealand a dumping ground for the juvenile criminals of the mother country, the colonists immediately rose against, the injustice. The Auckland Chronicle appealed to the people of all classes to appeal against the further intro- | action of convict boys, pointing oat that there was real danger in New Zealand making " the least approach to a convict colony.'' Tho colonists had begun to resent the idea, supposed in some degree to have been encouraged by a few of the missionaries, that the population was at this period entirely or even mainly composed of escaped convicts. As early as October 8, IS4I, a public meeting was held at Coromandel, at which a resolution was passed "protesting against and repudiating the charge that the majority of the colonists consisted of old convicts or runaway sailors," and affirming that "the majority of the settlers consisted of respectable immigrants from England and New South Wales." It would seem, however, that ticket of leave men continued to arrive in New Zealand from the neighbouring colonies, for in April, 1549, a public meeting was held at the Exchange Hotel, Auckland, ab which resolutions were passed protesting against the importation of convicts holding tickets-of-leave, the meeting having been convened by Frederick Whitaker, W. S. Grahame, Tlios. Lewis, .lolin Woodhouse, Thomas S. Forsaith, James Macky, John Salmon, John Kout, John S. Montefiori, David Nathan, W. Hart, and J. Dilworth. The meeting resulted in the adoption of a petition to the Governor-in-Chief. At this distance of time one cannot but admire the sturdy independence of those pioneer colonists, the patriotism they displayed in their anxiety to preserve the land of their adoption from criminal pollution, and to hand down to their descendants an unspotted reputation. We first; hear of the New Zealand Fencibies in IS Hi. On the 124 th November in that year Earl Grey, in a despatch to Governor Grey, intimated that the British Government had "determined upon raising tor service in New Zealand a corps which will receive the designation of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles, composed of men discharged from the army." Five hundred men were to be first enrolled, sent to New Zealand without delay, arid settled in villages such as Panmure, Howick, Oneliunga, fee. in later years a few of these military pensioners were reported to have been somewhat addicted to intemperance and insubordination ; but they ultimately settled down to habits of industry, and the settlements proved successful. They formed a useful outer lino of defence for Auckland; and in the time of war the presence erf a trained body of men rendered available for service in the field a considerable number of younger men, who would otherwise have been engaged in garrison duty. The immigrants by the Jane Giflford and tho Duchess of Argyle Mere a hardy, industrious, thrifty class, judiciously selected. They speedily found employ-

merit. The set. of emigration to the colonies afforded fnnilitie.s for swindling, of which some unscrupulous adventurers in London were not slow to taUo advantage. Bogus emigration otlices were opened, and cunningly-devised advertisements to entrap and fleece the unwary appeared in the English journals. Certain tricksters, among whom was a certain " Chevalier ' Dillon, opened oflices in London, and held out promises of free land to emigrants on their arrival in New Zealand, in consideration of certain payments'for passages, but these bogus agencies wore promptly exposed before any serious mischief had been done. , Mr. 11. S. Chapman, barrister-at-law, in his "NewZoaland Portfolio, a very excellent work, published in 1*43, humorously describes some of the hardships endured by passengers to New Zealand in the early days. "in the ship lie came in they were short of tea, and ultimately of fresh wat er. Bub they were regaled on champagne twice a week. When he complained of the short supply of potatoes he was silenced with the crushing remark that he must be a hard person to please, inasmuch as champagne was served out in the cabin twice .1 week. The last Sunday he spent on board the dinner consisted of champagne and red herrings, and still he was dissatisfied. He sighed for potatoes and more fresh water ! Was he an Irishman ? [To be continued.]