IMMIGRANT SHIPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24399, 8 October 1942, Page 5

IMMIGRANT SHIPS

iaCCKLAND CENTENARY

VOYAGE FROM SCOTLAND

A century ago to-morrow the Duchess of Argyle ancLthe Jane Gifford, AuckJgn d's ■ first two immigrant ships, anchor in the Waitemata. gome four months after leaving the (Jlyde. They brought 535 passengers, pearly all hardy Scots folk whose defendants, numbering many thousands, Jiave contributed much to the building 0 f present-day New Zealand. Auckland had been established as the capital of the colony in Septemkerj 1840, and two years later its population had grown to nearly 2000 by accretions from Great Britain, Australia, Port Nicholson and the Bay of Islands, but it was not until the middle of 1842 that any organised effort to ge nd out settlers was made in the Homeland. I Births and Deaths at Sea On June 10 the ship Duchess of was towed out from the Tail of the Bank at Greenock, and six days later the barque Jane Gifford, 558 tons, Captain Paul, followed. The dimensions of both vessels are on record, and they make a good gauge of the discomforts which emigrants in those days took as a matter of course. The Duchess of Argyle, 132 ft. long and 34ft, beam, carried 90 men, 90 women and 11" children under 14. The Jane Gifford, with a length of 120 ft. and beam of 30ft., had a complement of S2 men, 81 women and 75 children Those were the figures at the end of the voyage, for on each vessel there •were, by a coincidence, 17 births and eight deaths. The latter were nearly all of children, and due to measles. Incidents on" Arrival Mr. Kobert Graham, who later made his mark in Auckland as superintendent of the province and in many other ways, has left a lively journal of the tovage in the Jane Gifford. It was mainly uneventful, except that a sailor ■was lost overboard at night, and an Irish passenger had two fist-fights with the ship's doctor. The Duchess of Argyle was first to enter the Hauraki Gulf, but lost some hours on a sandbank, with the result that the other vessel anchored first. The weather was bad, with a high sen and much rain. There was no propw landing-place, and it was not until the next day that a few passengers got ashore, to be welcomed on the beach b.v friendly and talkative Maoris. Scotsmen's Brides Single women were few in Auckland at that time, and two enterprising Scots bachelors put out to one of the ships in a dinghy with the deliberate purpose of finding wives.- They succeeded before the passengers went ashore, and both marriages turned out excellently. To meet the sudden influx, the Go\eminent gave the male immigrants work in regrading Shortland Street and putting a stockade around the gaol, paying married men 2s 6d and single men Is 6d a'day. However, this was not for long, as most of the new arrivals soon found work at their trades or took up land outside the town They made excellent colonists, and at a jubilee reunion of nearly 70 of them in 1892 it was found that one couple had descendants of the fifth generation, while a number of others were great-grandparents. Among well-known Auckland surnames which go back to the two ships are Tudehope. Dingwali Laurie. Craig and Culpan. A thanksgiving service for descend ants is to be held in St. Andrew''; Church on October 25, tinder the auspices of the Old Colonists' Association

RUGBY FOOTBALL

FINAL MATCH OF SEASON The Auckland Rugby Union's 1942 season will be brought to a close on Saturday afternoon with a return match at Eden Park between the Third New Zealand Division team and the Auckland representative sideWhen the teams met nearly three weeks ago they provided the public with the finest exhibition of Rugb.v seen for a long time past, and there is every reason to anticipate an equally brilliant display on this occasion. The Army side contains a number of the best-known provincial representatives in vari ous parts of the Dominion. The five-eighth* D. Brady (Auckland) and F. Allen (Canter bury), proved themselves a first-class combination when their team brought about Auckland's first downfall of the season, while the pack played splendid all-round football The Auckland team will be without the services of its captain and first five-eighths, N. Pearman, while it is doubtful if D Ryan will be available to take his placo in the scrum. The Aucklanders are keen to avenge their former defeat and it should be a keo< and closely-contested match The Auckland team, selected by Mr t \\ Lucas, i 9 as follows:—Fullback, R. Sorensop ularist); threequarters. E. Boggs (C.R o.'. T Gregory (M.T.P.) L Schubert (GraftonPonsonby); five-e'ghths, B Riley (M.T.P.) T. Rae (A.S.C.); halfback. P. Tetzlaff (Graf ton-Ponsonby); hack row, C Peterson (M.T.P.), second row, D. Ryan (Technical) or M. Smith (Garrison), J. Gunning (Garri--8«n), 0. Mitchell (M T.P ). W Smith (Manukftu); front row, J. Gilmour (Grammar). D Pike (Technical), T. H. Pearce (GraftonPonsonby). Reserves: Backs. G. Sellers (Graf-tpn-Ponsonby). R. Scott (M.T.P.): forwards. (Graffon-Ponsonby) M Clearv (C.R.0.1. J. Vazey (Manukati) THE LEAGUE CODE Proposed game cancelled , In connection with the match advertised to M Played at Carlaw Park on Saturday next "Mer the control of the Auckland Rugb\ between Richmond, winner of the »ipope Rooster competition, and M.T.P winnerof the Auckland Rugby Union's chan.f!m B 'j | P' Captain ,1. Todd, president of the n Rugbv Club, states that his club rm"!. * onl(l not be taking part in the pro game Owing to unforeseen circutn®lanfes the match had been cancelled last Monday, and he had communicated this fact yP the chairman of the Auckland Rugby ft ag ije, Mr. .T w. Watson, and had reiterated ij® decision again on Tuesday. For such he was at a loss to understand why ~JJWtch had been advertised as being on. »rA- P r °Posed match was discussed at lasl _ ening's meeting of the Auckland Rugby ♦hat S c e ' chairman, Mr. Watson, stated nf ill 't- v would be reached to-day. in suite d'fncnlties which had arisen UDIES' GOLF MATCHES Maungakiekie,— I.G.Ul.G.U medal handicap:A n rs ;, ilrs R Manning, 00, 15—75; Mrs pi 7 —75; Miss M. Hasletl T. 77 Mrs Manning won on a recount Juniors M rs G pnrock 03, 20—73; Mrs Pf; <io evin 03 -0—73; Miss M. Parkinson C _."'j "3. Mrs I'ocock won on a recount W»i, e: Mrs R Hay nin„?u• ma,a —Second round af club cham mon*hi- : Rill bMt Mrs Fjwarth, Mrs Mrs Wallace; Miss Rlnckburn Mn, Red ley, Mrs Mch>nzie beat Mrs jji, Third round: Mrs. Hill beat Miss Nn..lI rn ' frs McKenzie beat Mrs. Ogden. riiviJ! Shore.—L G.U piedal:--Silvei E m? n: Mrs K. Cockayne, PS.I-1-S1; Mrs PR o as - HO. 17—S3: Miss M. Stevens 32*1 m " Bronze division: Mrs. J. Diipin ffif Mrs. P Denby, 117. 10- r^ "• <•>■ Knisht, 121, 23—OS.