OLD IDENTITIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10019, 4 January 1896, Page 1 (Supplement)

OLD IDENTITIES.

DR. ARTHUR GUTON PURCHAS. The other day Dr. Purchas celebrated his golden wedding, and ib scorns a fitting timo at which to give a biographical sketch of a colonisb.who for half a century has been associated with tho history of Auckland as a clergyman, a medical man, and a settler interested in the general wolfaro of the community, and taking his share in the duties of citizenship. Dr. P A urchas was born in 1821, at St. Arvans, "in the valley of tho Wye, Monmouthshire, and was tho oldest son of Mr. R. W. Purchas, by his marriage with Miss G uyon. Mr. Purchas was a farmer and was j instrumental in introducing a great many , agricultural improvements into tho county, and had a good deal of natural engineering talent, having constructed the first iron bridge over.thb Wye—the first in England of a singlo span at Biggsweir. Dr. Purchas j wont to Guy's Hospital at tho ago of 18, and thoro became clinical clerk to Dr. Addison and a pupil of tho celebrated Dr. Bright, who discovered the disease known by his name, and was there for three years, when ho became a momber of the Royal College of Surgeons, and L.S.A. In 1843 ho went to Livorpool to take ohargo as one of the resident surgeons of tho Southern and Toxteth Hospital, now known as tho Royal Southern Hospital. Ho had previously arranged to come to New Zealand to St. John's College, Auckland, bub nob hearing, as he expected, from Bishop Selwyn, he left in October, 1844, for New Zealand in the barque Stains Castlo, Captain Dawson, of which Captain Andrew, now living in Auckland, was chief officer, Dr. Purchas being in medical charge Among the passongers wore Mr. and Mm. James Mackay and family, who settled at Wakapuaka, Nelson. Thore were also a number of flaxdressers from the North of» Ireland, who wore brought out bysomoof tho early settlers, with a view of applying their knowledge to the preparation of tho New Zealand flax. The Slains Caatlo arrived at Nelson on 26th January, 1845, "Sleepy Hollow" nob having had any communication with tho outside world for three months. Hero Dr. Purchas handed over despatches to Mr. Win. Pox, who was then agent for the New Zealand Company ab that port. Tho Slains Castle went on to Wellington, Taranaki, and Auckland, leaving passengers at each, port, arriving in Auckland the day after tho sacking of Korotareka. On tho arrival of the disastrous tidings from the Bay of Islands the Government chartered tho Slains Castle to go to Sydney to fetch troops, and tho opportunity was taken by 80 Auckland and Bay of Islands poople to clear out of the colony. Dr. Purchas left the Slains Castle at Sydney, and had to wait threo months for a vessel to sail for England. Ho sailed in tho Parktield, which lost two men on the passage Home, one washed overboard and another killed by the falling of tho foretopmasb, when tho vessel became partly dismasted.

On arrival in England Mr. Gladstone, who was then Secretary for (ho Colonics, sent for him to Downing-stroot in order to giro him all the information in his power concerning the Hoke war and the condition of things in the colony. While ir England Dr. Purchas got married at Liverpool (colebrating his golden wedding last week), and shortly aftorwards, with Mrs. l'nrchas, left again for Now Zealand by way of Sydnoy in the barque Ponyard Parle, and whilo there an opportunity occurred which onabled him to got improved plan? adopted [or the Sydney Cathedral, and he induced Mr. Blacketb, the archil ect, to remain in Sydney to carry out tho scheme. On arrival in Auckland by tho brig M:iiikiii in October, 1846, they found no other vessel in port. Dr. I'urchas went out to St. John's Collego, whore a hospital was built, of which he took charge, for two or threo years, after which ha went to Onohunga. M roddont clergyman, where ho had nob only to do clerical, but also medical and engineering work. At Sir George Grey's request bo undertook to sco to the location of the natives of the Ngatimahuta tribe, under their old chief Te Whcrowhoro, afterwards known as Potatau, tho King, on tho land allotted to them by the Government).

In 1860, when a Maori was killed at Patumahoe, a party of 400 U'aikatos came down under William Thompson believing he had been murdered by the pikehrw, and intended making a taua for utu. Dr. Purchas having ascertained, through nativo sources, that if tho war party were loft unmolested, thore was no danger, succeedod in obtaining from tho Government authority to induce tho sottlers who were leaving for Auckland to return to their homostoads. In 18G3, Dr. Purchas, after tho Kingitos had seized tho Government press at To Awamucu, wont up there at tho joino request of Sir George Grey, Sir William Martin, and Bishop Selwyn, with a view of assisting Mr. Gorst in preventing the Waikato tribes from becoming involved in the goneral war which was then threatning. The step was taken too late, and all that could bo done was to watch ovonts and report for the information of the Government. Dr. Purchas warned Sir George Groy that the natives contemplated opening hostilities again in Taranaki, with a series of murders, according to native custom. A fortnight afterwards the evont referred to took placo. On leaving To Awamutu, after sending away Mrs. Gorsb and her children, Dr. Purchas left for Auckland, having with him To Paea, tho king's sister. On tho way down ho called at Wahi, on tho opposite side of the river from Huntly, where ho had a talk with Tawhiao over tho impending war. In passing through Rangiriri ho noticed that the rifle pits were already dug, and tho fortifications manned. The scowling faces of tho natives showed him thab bub for the presence of To Paea he would probably not have been allowod to pass through un- j scathed. Tho night before tho natives retired from Mangoro, on tho ovo of the Waikato war, a nurabor of tho party canto to Bay good-byo to Dr. Purchas, and admitted that they knew what would bo tho issuo of a struggle with tho pakoha, bub that they must go, and, as Tamati Ngapora said, "die with their people." Dr. Purchas took an active interest in procuring a wator supply for Auckland, and submitted a plan to Dr. Hoebstettor in 1858 for gobbing ib from the Onohunga Springs by pumping the water to a reservoir on Ono-treo Hill, thus supplying both »ido3 of the isthmus with a water supply. The scheme, he state?, would have been carried out but for the opposition of a member of tho Provincial Council to tho Superintendent of tho day, and £160,000 worth of property destroyod by fire would have been spared, as woll as a number of lives, especially thoso of children, sacrificed through a defectivo water supply, and the insanitary condition thus origitmtad. Ho sent the first samples of coal from the colony—Waikato' coal from Wahi to the Great Exhibition of 185 L In conjunction with Captain Ninnis, ho patented a process for dressing flax, and built a mill at Waitangi, near VVaiuku, destroyed by the natives during the s Waikato war. For many years, whilo at Onohunga, ha taught i a singipg class at Mr. KsiDPthoruo'a build*

ings, Parnoll, gratuitously, on the German figure system, in order to promote a love of music among the people. In 1875 Dr. Purchas lefb Onehunga for Auckland, resigned active ministerial work, and resumed his medical practice, which he has continued ever since. Ho has had 14 children, of whom five sons and six daughters nro living. Though in his 74th year, Dr. Purchas is still vigorous in mind and body, and his many friends can only hope that he may bo long spsired to pursue a career of activo usefulness.