FOUNDING OF NELSON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19550, 1 February 1927, Page 14

FOUNDING OF NELSON.

EJQIHTY-FIFTH BIRTHDAY. THE EARLY DAYS RECALLED. TRAGEDY OF THE SHIP LLOYDS. To-day is the 85th anniversary of the founding of Nelson. The first settlers arrived there in the ship Fifeshire on February 1, 1842, and the founding of the settlement has been reckoned from that date, although Captain Arthur Wakefield had entered Nelson Haven in the brig Arrow on' November 1, 1841, and chosen it as the sito of the settlement. This ®was the second and in some respects the most' successful of the New Zealand Company's attempts at colonisation. The settlement at Wellington had been hurriedly pushed on in an endeavour to force the hand of the British Government of ! the time, but in establishing Nelson the company had the benefit of two years of experience and had more time to carry out its plans. It had been decided, chiefly owing to troubles with, the Maoris over land purchases at Wellington, to form a settlement in the South Island, and Captain Wakefield, with three ships, was despatched to select a site and prepare for the reception of the colonists. These vessels carried a number of labourers to effect preliminary public works and among their cargo were houses brought out from England in sections.

Early on February 1, 1842, the men of the ships detected a distant sail slowly coming down the bay. A boat "was eagerly manned and pulled out to meet the newcomer. The vessel was confidently expected to be the ship Lloyds, bringing the wives and children of the men. To their disappointment it was soon revealed that the vessel was the Fifeshire. When the Lloyds arrived some time later she had a terrible tale to tell. The well-intended plan of sending out a ship full of women alone was evidently not a wise one. There -were 110 fewer than 65 deaths among the children and the generally ill-regulated state of things during the voyage gave rise to bitter coinplaints. Compensation was eventually allowed the relatives of those who had died, but during the interval which elapsed before this was done some of the claimants had disappeared. The unclaimed money was later used in the erection of the Wairau massacre monument in Marlborough., The Fifeshire was followed in quick succession by the Mary Ann, Lord Auckland, Bolton, Hope, Brougham, Martha Ridgeway, Clifford and London. Between November, 1841, and the following July 67 vessels reached Nelson and seven months after the arrival of the first immigrant ship there were 2000 people in the district. After playing such an important part in the history of the Nelson Province the Fifeshire came to an untimely end. While leaving the harbour she was carried by the wind on to the rocks and wrecked.