EARLY HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 1866, 26 August 1887, Page 16

EARLY HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND.

THE OTAGO SETTLEMENT

DR HOCKEN'S LECTURE (Continued).

Whatever the merits of the Wakefield theory of colonisation, it is certain that the first attempts to carry them into practice were made as if by 'prentice hands — iv. deed, the most fixed _and reliable feature of the arrangements seemed to be the price charged for the land — namely, £1 per acre at Welling, ton and New Plymouth and 30s at Nelson. The first settlers left their native shores with light hearts and blind faith, but without the remotest idea as to where they would be finally located. This information was not gained until their vessels bad reached the place of rendezvous in Cook Strait, whence, in obedi. ence to the instructions there awaiting them, they would again sail for the spot selected. And though this plan had about it an air of romance and holiday-making, it lacked the elements of comfort and preparation. Thus it happened that people dwelt for months under tents and in the fern awaiting the survey of the lands which they were to occupy. Now in his letter to the directors Mr Rennie, who wrote as the mouthpiece of a body of gentlemen desirous of founding a settlement somewhere on the East Coast of the Middle Island, proposed to cure these and other defects, which had previously been such an impediment to progress. Though this plan was afterwards considerably modified, it may prove interesting to give a sketoh of its original form, especially as this was so marked a departure from that in vogue. A preliminary expedition was to be sent out consisting of surveyors, engineers, mechanics, and labourers. These were to lay out the town and connect it with a wharf or landing place, where commodious sheds and accommodation were to be erected for the new comers and their goods. A church and schoolhouse might perhaps be built. An extensive suburban farm was also to be laid out and well stocked with the best breeds of sheep and cattle, procured from the adjoining Australian colony. When all was completed the settlers, consisting of a due proportion of capitalists and labourers, were to be dispatched. Thus from the first they would start as a civilised community comparatively free from hardship and privation, and enabled without needless waste of tjme to enter on the business of making their desert blossom as the rose. Tho extent of land in this Utopia was 100,600 acres. The odd 600 acres were allotted to the town; 200 of them for streets, wharves, and public reserves, whilst the remaining 400, cut up into quarter-acre sections, were to be sold for £25 each. The 100,000 acres were dealt with as follows : — To provide for the future crowded population of the city, and for those who preferred to dwell in the suburbs, 20,000 acres were laid off into 1000 suburban sections of 20 acres each. The remaining 80,000 acres were to be cut up into 1000 rural or small-farm sections of 80 acres each. So that each person owning what was afterwards known as an entire property would possess an estate of 80 acres rural land, 20 acres suburban, and quarter of an acre in the town, for which he would pay £125» equal to 25s per acre. An easy calculation shows that the sum total raised by this sale would amount to £140,000. Of this the company would retain £40,000 for their own expenses in the original native purchase and for commission ; whilst the £100,000 would be devoted to the preliminary outlay and to the immigration of labourers. Though somewhat anticipating, and though at the risk of overloading this part of the subject with the dry details of acres and prices, I cannot abstain from placing in jnxtaposition these proposals with some of the arrangements actually in operation in 1849. Then an entire property consisted of 60J acres-quarter-acre town section, 10 acres suburban, and 50 acres rural land, — the price of which was £120 10s, equal to 40s per acre. But of this sum £45 was allowed as a rebate applied to the purchaser's passage, thus curiously enough reducing the price to 255, as with Mr Renuio. This letter evoked a great deal of criticism— chiefly adverse. It was contended that there was no necessity whatever for a new settlement. The earlier ones had but recently been formed, and were by no means populated. But a more weighty, if selfish, objection was raised on the score of the proposed reduction in the price of the land. Many of the original purchasers contended that a manifest injustice would be ctane them if the lands in the new settlement, carefully selected and partly improved, were sold at a lower price than they without such advantages had been called on to pay; One predicted result was the abandonment and ruin of the older settlements, and cessation in them of all speculation in property. The Colonial Gazette and New Zealand Journal endorsed these views, and a somewhat bitter controversy ensued, in which Mr Rennie asserted that neither he nor his friends would think of emigrating unless some such provisions as he had indicated were made. But after all it was with the directors of tho New Zealand Company that the main business of the correspondence lay. Their reply, dated August 12, 1842, gave a general approval to Mr Rennie's scheme, but withheld an expression of opinion upon its details until the enterprise should be more matured, a matter of vital moment, until the approbation and assistance of the Government could be secured by Mr Ren-, nie's own efforts and influence. It is at this juncture that a gentleman appears upon the scene whose assistance to the projector was invaluable, who without doubt gare to the movement its distinctly special character of a class settlement) and who was destined later on to assume the leadership. It is needless to say that I refer to Captain William Cargill, who was at this time in his 59th year. Captain Cargill had retired from the army— the 74th Highlanders— 2o years before, and had devoted himself to secular pursuits — chiefly those of banking. In the earlier years of this century he had seen much service during the Peninsular war, where he had the misfortune to be severely wounded; receiving, however, the grateful solatium of the Peninsular medal with seven clasps. His predilections had always tended greatly towards emigration) and twice had he seriously contemplated seeking » new home in Canada. No wonder, then, that the correspondence published in the Colonial Gazette should excite the old desires and induce him jo seek an interview with Mr Rennie on the subject. The result was that the two became closely associated in the common project, M f Rennie continuing to be the recognised leader, and chiefly conducting the communications with the Government and the company. Captain Cargill brought his "influence to bear upon hi* friends in Scotland and in India. At the end of September Mr Rennie addressed another long letter to the directors, from which it appeared that he had received numerous application 8 from persons who were desirous of joining the undertaking — some as settlers, and others ot obtaining situations in the preliminary expe** tion. He thought it inadvisable to press tne scheme further upon the notice of the pi» b {"j until the attitude of the Government should W

known. But the interesting parfc of the letter contains suggestions as to suitable locality for the settlement. You may remember that in a former lecture some account was given of the search made for a suitable site whereon to found the settlement of Nelson. With this view Colonel Wakefield, the company's agent in New Zealand, despatched Captain Daniell and Mr Duppa in the schooner Bally down the east coast of the Middle Island. Their report gave a most favourable account of the Kaikouras, or Jjookers-ou district, and of Port Cooper, where there was abundant pasturage and excellent protection for shipping. At this time about as much was known of the topography of the Middle Island as is now known of the interior of New Guinea. Judging from this report and from the imperfect map of the day — a specimen of which is here shown — Mr Renuie suggested the selection of the Lookers-on neighbourhood. It appeared to him that overland communication with Nelson would be comparatively short and easy — a matter of much moment in the infant condition of the colony. There was also, jf not the excellent harbour of Port Cooper, a good roadstead formed by a natural breakwater — at least so it was said. This, then, was the first Ideality suggested for this settlement. The next step was the delicate and difficult one of approaching the Government and of gaining its sanction and assistance to the enterprise. The Colonial Office now no longer knew the friendly Lord John Russell. It was occupied by a formidable opponent — Lord Stanley, the Colonial Secretary — and by two still more formidable opponents, his permanent undersecretaries—Messrs James Stephen and G, W. Hope. As previously stated, the directors had with much consideration generously remitted to Mr Rennie the agreeable task of treating with these gentlemen. Their own relations with the Government were of the most strained and precarious kind, and they were thus fully conscious that fresh importunity on their part would not only be considered aggressive but might further jeopardise the favourable settlement of questions then pending. A pretty full reference to these difficulties has been given in a former lecture, but towards aduevmderstandingof much of thesequel it teems advisable to make some repetition here. The New Zealand Company had not been able to make good or legalise their claim to the lands, amounting to some millions of acres, which they professed to have purchased from the Natives. So far, in other words, they had failed to procure the Crown title. The Government contended that the company had in the first instance no right as British subjects to make such a purchase, which further was invalid inasmuch as no sufficient consideration had been given and that the bargin had not been made with all the owners of the soil, many tenth and twentieth tribal cousius yet remaining unpaid ; hence the Native title must be con&idered as unextinguished. On their part the company urged that full explanation and a fair value had been given to those who, after most careful inquiry, appeared to bo the legitimate owners; and they showed how great was the hardship and injustice done to those who, emigrating iv good faith under their auspices, found themselves unable to obtain a title to land upon which ifc appeared they were held as no better than intruders. Eventually the Government consented that a grant of land should be ma le to the company, consisting of one acre for every 5s proved to have been expended by them upon the purchase of land, surveys, roadmaking, the conveyance of emigrants, and other similar outlays, and that for the future any purchase of land was to be effected directly with the Government and not with the Natives An accountant, Mr Pennington, was accordingly appointed to make the necessary calculations. As tho result of his award the company became entitled to nearly a million acres. This was conditional on the validity of the original purchase and the consequent extinction of the Maori title being proved. To investigate such claims effectually a special commissioner, Mr Spain, was sent outjby the Government to Wellington. His investigation, naturally a protracted one, commenced in 1842 — the year with which we are at present concerned — and it thus became apparent why the company, whilst quite willing to become agents for Mr Rennie and his scheme, adroitly insisted that anything diplomatic should be transacted by himself. About this time, too, a correspondence on certain side issues was proceeding between the Colonial Office and the court of directors in a manner as studiously polite as it was bitterlj acrimonious. Mr Renuie accordingly forwarded to Lord Stanley (^the Secretary for the Colonies) a copy of his correspondence with the company, and asked for favourable consideration of his scheme and for an interview. It will excite no surprise *o learn that the reply was unfavourable as well as curt. Lord Stanley considered that such a proposal should have proceeded from the New Zealand Company. At the same time he held out no encouragement to further .settlement in the Middle Island. The fact was that apart from the feeling entertained towards the company the Government viewed the colonies with something like abhorrence; they were troublesome, cumbrous, expensive outgrowths, and every obstacle was thrown in the *ay of fresh settlement. What a different aspect do they wear now ! Not merely are they bright gems in the Crown, but they are recogflised as being important sources of Britain's wealth, greatness, and solid extension of empire, and they may even prove to be »n important element in her future safety. " would be tiresome to refer otherwise than in general terms to the fruitless negotiations that followed. Lord Stanley finally suggested that Mr Rennie should lay his views before th« volouial Land and Emigration Commissioners and seek their co-operation. Upon this advice he acted, but with little better result. The commissioners sought to impose conditions quite unacceptable to him. The financial arrangements proposed were embarrassing, and the settlement was to be located in the neighbourflood of Auckland. To these Mr Rennie aud ms party would not consent. They believed tflat the attractions of a new site for a town and Port were absolutely needful to draw the neces6«y number of people to make the venture successful, and the Middle Island with its more suitable climate and grain-producing soil was 'tie one upon which their hearts were firmly |aed. And so closes the first act of this interesting piece of history. Well might those *flo took part in it be weary and dispirited. In * short time indeed they ceased the struggle. But dawn follows the darkest night.

(2b be continued.)