EARLY WAIRARAPA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11305, 2 September 1922, Page 10

EARLY WAIRARAPA

Story of its Settlement

{Special io the New Zealand Times)

No story of early New Zealand settlement would seem complete without at least some reference, however brief, to these English gentlemen of good family—the Wakefield brothers, and others of equal renown—who first conceived and carried into effect the brilliant idea of peopling Australia" and New Zealand with suoh of their race as cared, and were only too willing, to take advantage of their scheme of settlement. in these southern 6eas of ours trherein to-day suoh “Outposts of Empire” are a‘source of pride to that Motherland whose' legislators, at the time, ’did all they politically could to binder and frustrate so bold a scheme. Briefly outlined, the agitation of 1839 ended in the Ministry refusing to grant**the “New Zealand Company’’ a charter, whereupon it dissolved; and, upon Lord Glenelg’s advice, became modified in form, and, appearing under jin new title, the “New Zealand Colonisation Society,” was again actively isngaged in securing the necessary fitiUtnmal and political support to enable it to,'proceed with the business in hand,' when another halt came, wherein it finally designated Itself the “New Zealand Land Company,” and—on May 2nd, 3839—issued a prospectus upon a capital basis of 6100,000 to be derived from the selling of 4,000 shares at £looper share, which later was whittled down to £25 per share, and a capital basis of proportionate amount, namefy, £IOO,OOO. Having appointed tiie Earl of Durham as Governor of the company, and Mr Joseph Somes Deputy-Governor thereof, prospects seemed so well assured that, despite opposition on the part of the Minis-, try in general, and the Colonial Office in particular, the “Tory” was secretly fitted out, and, under the command of - Captain Chaffers, R.N. (who, as master of the .Admiralty survey ship Bea- ' gle under Captain Fitzroy’a command) sailed cm May 12th, 1839,. for “an un- I known land in the Southern Hemi-

sphere 1” Sighting New Zealand on August sooth, of Cape Farewell, and ' finally anohqred'avKEip’a Cove, where thej remained until August 30th, and upon which date they weighed anchor, and —standing off land in the vicimty ol Cape- Terawhiti —sent a party (including Dr. -Ernest Diffebach, F.R.S., CJhas. Heaphy and others) to explore the country, meanwhile, and at daybreak; of September 20th, the Tory once jmore weighed anchor and, by 3 p.m. that day, this little vessel of 382 tons . burden-—with Colonel 'William Wakqfield (the company’s agent), Edward Jerningham "Wakefield (his nephew and secretary and- eon of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, chief factor of tiie scheme itself), and those several other including: the DepntyGovernor thereof, and the two personages already mentioned as part comprising the exploration party which landed at Terawhiti—anohored (in Port Nicholson) adjacent to there Ji so widely known- aa Somes.ls 1 land,-named after the paid DeputyGovernor of the New Zealand Company gun aboard of this now historic vessel. Of .that historic incident, the raising of the company’s flag on September SOEh to eignalme the taking possession of, in rbsname,the port ana-surround-ing districts, mnA of recent date has already been said and written in Colonel Wakefield’s memory; but, of this illustrious gentleman's efforts further north—and in the same direction —less is known or said. The Tory started, but once more, and this time for tho north, weighing anchor on Monday, November 18th, and bidding adieu to Part Nicholson encountered such stress of weather in the straits as caused it to shelter in the leq of Kapiti Island before proceeding on that ninedays* tedious journey to Mbturoa, where “Dicky” Barrett met its com- . pany and in sorfboats belonging to (hot section of Taranaki natives with whom he was then so popular as the chief defender of them in' the attack mode upon their pah by Waikato warriors from the north. It was during fkla stay on land that Diffebach and Dorset scaled Mount Egmont, whilst Colonel Wakefield and Barrett were re oaiving 'sigoabtnes from Native chiefs as to the parting of their sovereignty over Taranaki lands. On November 28th the Tory again anchored off Taranaki a littlei ndrih of Paritutu whilst farther negotiations between Colonel Wakefield, Barrett and the Natives took place, the colonel having meanwhile aitfeq. as jap as Kaipara. upon a similar expedition, the Tony ' sailing for England on February 2nd, 1840, and leaving: the mdumt colonel and New Zealand to fight it out between them. Of his success in inducing the Taranaki and Kaipara Natives to disposo of to the company vast tracts of territory little heed was taken until after tiie arrival —aboard the Herald—of Captain Bobean, R.N., at the Bay of Islands (on January 29th, 1840), and his declaring (next day) that all com. pany titles to the land of the Natives, wheresoever given.- were. invalid, the Treaty of Waitangi—vesting all sovereignty to New Zealand from the Natives to the Queen of England—being signed some eight days later February 7th, 1840), the seoond phase of the New Zealand Company’s struggles with authoritative farces soon began. That Wakefield came upon the soene no whit too soon, Hobson was soon to discover, , as about the middle of August he was busy frustrating the French Nanto-Bordelaise Company’s scheme of occupying South Island territory with emigrants from France, New Zealand’s first Governor and Commander-in-Cbief awaiting their ships’ arrival at Akaaroa where, in floating in the breeze —and for. the second time in the Queen of England’s name—that “meteor” flag, which only Hongi Heke even cm these island shores of out’s ever—farther north—attempted to dispute the meaning of its sign, and with results—though epio in their way—few would dare repeat. To the Wakefields, therefore, New Zealand settlement by vigorous-hearted men of British race is so richly indebted, that any particular branch of set-tlement-such as Wairarapa’s in part •—associated With their name and personality in any way, has lent to it mndr added fame. To Edward Gibbon as member for the Hutb and to Colonel William Wakefield, as the one who first voiced abroad “Wydrop’s” fair fame as a suitable area of country in which to extend the Benefits of colonisation, Wairarapa is as much indebted . now as then; whilst, to Sir George Grey, above all, it owes much of its present fame, who, in his evep-courteous, honest way—as with,natives generally—secured it first from'them. Whilst on, and before departing from )he subject of Wairarapa settlement, it

might be said of nearly one and all of its leading landed gentry, that the more vast acreages over which their family names may still ho!3 sway, came not their way by easy holding. As to the getting possession thereof, originsome may hold decided opinions hgaihs't the laxity" of those who alone could then have stayed their hand in thus robbing closer settlement of such rich domains as they have in every instance become; but those who know the country best .will give them credit, too, for the manner in which their personal labours upon them—as apart from ebanoe instances of hard-accumu-lated wealth in later years—will entitle suoh settlers, too, as these, to the praise extended in these columns, broadcast, to the one word “pioneer.’’ The names of Barton, Beetham, Bidwill, Buchanan—and numerous names less-olosely alphabetical than these—such as Matthews, of "Waiorongomai, and many of their kind, have spent “laborious days and nights” upon the plains, ere fortune came -assured to them. One of their number, for instance—and his wealthy brother, too —, began his first connection with Wairarapa by breaking stones upon its summit when its Rimutaka roadway was first being formed. Each and every one ef them has -had to face “hard times,” and have seen some few “go under’’ who were unequal the strain rof pastoral life in Wairarapa in its strenuous and hard-struggling days—when it-took six months alone for one of them to bring a mob of cattle from Wellington to his father’s home upon the Lower Valley plains, and, by whom was out a traok around via Palliser Bay. Mr George Pain, J.P., the “Father of. Martinborough,” first arrived there, as a lad, on October 13th, 1865 (as he is not ashamed to state), having “swagged if” there from Johiisonville, -and “settled down” to menial toil before “Admiral Run” and other hard-won and harder-held ''sheep and cattle stations came, into hia later possession. The Martins, Riddiferds, and other “sheep and cattle kings,” have doubtless also known their days, if not of privation, then of hard toil; and makes them kin, one and all, with those who—in any way—Rave helped to tame the land.