PRECIOUS RECORDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21733, 23 February 1934, Page 6

PRECIOUS RECORDS

ITCKS WITS THE PAST NEARLY A CENTURY AGO PAPERS W STATE ARCHIVES - / Stored a way in the archives of the General Assembly Library in Wellington is a large collection of old documents .and State papers dating back to the early colonisation days of New Zealand. The acquisition by the library of many of these has been comparatively recent, and as time permits they are being ported oat, indexed and classified. As pointed out by the chief librarian and archivist. Dr. G. H. Seholefield, in his last annual report to Parliament, a considerable expenditure will be necessary to cover the cost of binding. With the present shortage of finance, however, it appears as if this work will have to be delayed until some future date. Included in the collection* are 150 3 volumes of papers of the New Zealand Company. These papers are in the nature of duplicates or drafts, the originals being in tbe British archives at the Public Record Office. In response to representations by those interested in the preservation of the early history of the colony, they were seni to Jiew Zealand about 1909. 2Tew Zealand Company Minutes In these old records of the company 'are minutes of meetings and correspondence that' passed between the principal agent in the colony. Colonel William "Wakefield, and the headquarters of the company in London. W akeneld s brother, Captain Arthur Wakefield, R.N., /was resident agent at Nelson, find there is a letter from the latter written on June 7, 1543, ten days before the Wairau massacre, in which he stated that the natives were offering very little resistance to the survey work then proceeding. Many of the documents are in the handwriting of the secretary, Mr. T. O- Samagton, and ike assistailt—iary. Sir (then Mr.) F. D. Bell, father Gf Sir/ Francis Bell. Mr. Bell joined the company as assistant-secretary in London and later came to New Zealand. Formerly an official oi the colonial service in New south Wales. Mr. Harrington resigned his past and went to England, where he became secretary of the company. / Interesting Documents 'There are also the immigration and shipping books of the company. Several papers deal with the Tory, the first ship thai came to the colony under'the auspices of the company. A memorandum dated December 10, IS3S, and written by Mr. Joseph somes, the owner of the ship, acknowledges the receipt of £'2750 as a deposit on the purchase money of the vessel, the total cost of which was £5250. - In view of the recent celebrations at Waitangi commemorating the siga,ing of the treaty, considerable interest attaches to two letter-books containing letters received by James Busby as British Resident at the Bay of Islands from 1533 to 1840. 3lanuscript minutes of meetings of the old provincial councils are also in the archives, as well as gazettes, proclamations and ordinances they issued. Correspondence that passed between the powers in New Zealand and the authorities at Home has a place in the collection,, these having been presented to New Zealand by the British Government. Many of these letters and despatches are extremely valuable from an historic point of view. The records of the New ~ Zealand Defence Department cover a different but equally interesting period, dating back to the enrolment of the militia, for the first Maori War. ' Plan of Orakan Pa Some fine draftsmanship is to toe seen in the old maps and charts. Many of these look as if they were prepared but yesterday, being as clear and as legible as the day they were drawn. Probably the most interesting is a plan of the Orakau Pa drawn in 1864 smd showing the disposition of the troops. Complete sets of the electoral rolls oi the whole colony from 1865 to 1877 have recently been obtained.

• Documents m the collection of more than passing interest are a number of papers obtained from the old British Consulate in Samoa. long before the years- of German occupation. Some of these papers date hack to the One of the most treasured in this section is a manuscript report- of the trial of • Bnliy Hayes at Apia on a charge of piracy.