THE AKAROA INCIDENT

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 15

THE AKAROA INCIDENT

*s_ WAS IT A CONSPIRACY? CONCLUSIVE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE. (FfiOM OWN CoTtEESPCNDF.NT.) LONDON, December 10. Some weeks ago I stated that certain documents which I had perused deiinteily settled most of the questions at issue between Mr Johannes Andersen and Mr C. Coleridge F'arr i-th reference- fco the incident of the French occupation' of Akaroa. There wero two main questions unset'led. In the first, place : Was Mr Robinson's "journal " really a diary written at the time of the events'' Secondly, was tho little drama at Akaroa in August, 1840, prearranged between Lieutena.ntgoveraor Hobson .and Commodore Lavaud? One is the contention of Mr Fair, tine, other of Mr Andersen. The answer to both now seems to be a distinct " No." A VITAL DOCUMENT What has been required throughout tho argument to complete the narrative has •been the letter which Captain Hofcora wrote to Captain Stanley, of the Britowart, instructing him to proceed on the historic cruise. That letter is still extant, .and is deposited amongst the archives of the colonies in the Public Record Office. Being of a date pcstei-ior to 1840 it has not been free of access to inquirers, and hence u. has been practically lost lor historical purposes. The text of it is presumptive evidence of the reason that prompted the Colonial Office to withhold it from publication at a time when England and Franco were rivals, running neck and neck, and wasting no love on each other. At tho present day, fortunately such considerations do not weigh, and I have been enabled, by permission of Hie Secretary of State for tho Colonies' (Lord Crewe) to make a copy of the document. Here it is: Government House, Russell, Bav of Tsla;:ids, 22 July, 1840. Sir, —It being of the utmost importance that the authority of Her Majesty should be most unequivocally exercised throughout the remote parts of this colony, and more particularly in the Southern and Middle Islands, where I understand foreiga influence and even interference is to be apprehended, I have tho" honour to request .you to proceed immediately in H.M. sloop under your command to those islands. On the subject of this commission I have to request, tire most inviolable secrecy from all except your immediate superior officers, to whom it .may be your duty to report your proceedings. The ostensible purpose of your cruise may appeal - to be the conveyance of two magistrates to Port Nicholson, to whom I will elsewhere more particularly refer. Tho real objeot to which I wish particularly to call your attention is to defeat the movements.of any foreign ship of war that may be engaged in establishing a Bettlemeirfc in any part of the coast of New Zealand. There are various rumour's current that Captain Lavaud, of the French corvette L'Aube, now at anchor in this port, is employed in the furtherance of designs such as I have before mentioned. From some observations that fell from him I discovered that his intention was to proceed to the southern islands, being under the impression that the land about Akaroa and Banks Peninsula, in the Middle Island, is the property of a French subject. These circumstances, combined with the tone in which Captain Lavaud alluded to Akaroa and Banks Peninsula, excited in my mind a strong presumption that he is charged with some mission in that quarter incompatible with the sovereign right of her Britannic Majesty, and which, as I .have before observed, it will be your study by every means to frustrate. If my suspicions prove correct, L'Aube will no doubt proceed direct to Akaroa and Banks Pen insula, for which place I 'have earnestly to request that you will at once depart with the utmost expedition, as it would be a point of the utmost consideration that on his arrival at that port he may find you in occupation, so that it will be ont of his power to dislodge you without commitlng some direct act of hostility. Captain Lavaud may, however, anticipate you at Akaroa or (should he be defeated in his movements) may endeavour to establish himself at some other point. In the event of either contingency ocuirring, I have to request you will remonstrate and protest in the most decided manner against such proceedings and impress upon him that such interference, must be considered as an act of decided hostile invasion. You will perceive by the enclosed copy of Major Banbury's declaration that 'in-dependie-M of the assumption of the sovereignty -if tho Middle and Southern Island?-, as announced by my proclamation of the 21st May last (a copv of which is also enclosed),, tho principal chiefs have ceded their rights to her Majesty through that officer, who was fully authorised to treat with them for that purpose; it will not therefore be necessary for you to adopt any further proceedings. It. will, however, be advisable that some eet of civil authority should bo exercised t on tba islands, &.nd for that purpose the magistrates who accompany you will be instructed to hold a court oir their arrival at each port, and to have a record of their proceedings registered and transmitted to me. You will by every opportunity which may offer forward intelligence of the French squadron's movements, and should you deem it necessn.i-y. to the Secretary of State for the Colonies through the Admiralty, and to his Excellency Sir George Gripps, Governor of New South Wales. Mr Murphy and Mr Robinson, the magistrates who accompany you. will receive a memorandum of instructions for their future guidance, which you will be pleased to hand to them when you arrive at your destination. As your presence in • these islands will be of the utmost .importance to keep in cheek any aggression on the part of foreign Powers, I have earnestly to request that, should you require any further supply of provisions, the same may be procured if possible at Port Nicholson, or at any of the worts on the coast, without returning to Sydney. I have (he honour to be. Sir, Your most obedient servant, W. HOBSO". To most minds this letter will quite dispose of the suggestion that Captain Hobson and Commodore Lavaud had arranged

the little drama at Akaroa as a means cf saving the latter's fare. When wc are aware, moreover, of the r'ifferences which occurred between tho two during the tinn* that the French frigate lay in the Bay of Islands, we cannot entertain the suggestion for a moment. Hobson was posiI tively anxious about the French claims, I and left not a stone unturned until they ; wero definitely disposed of. ' WHAT DID MR ROBINSON DO? Now for the second rouit. The magistrates referred to, Meesu Murphy and Robinson, were destined for Port Nicholson, with the reservation - that the Akaroa question had to be dealt with on the way. Mr Murphy was the senior of the two, and to him Hobson addressed his instructions, which vera foaled, and remained in possession of Captain Stanley rati! Akaroa was reached. is the original letter: Memo of instructions «tc be attended to by Mr Murphy. P.M., that You will at every port H.M. sloop Britonmrt touches at act in your magisterial capacity, and, ;.. : ; it is requisite that the civil authority should be strictly exercised, should no case be brought under your notice you will adjourn from day lo day and a careful record of your proceedings be registered, a copy of which you will transmit to me. Under any circumstances that Captain Stanley may call upon you for arsista,no3 you will, of course, render it, and co-operate generally with him in the advancement of any measures he may think it expedient to adopt. Dated at Russell, "21 July. 1340. Mr Robinson was apparently merely to e.et, as junior magistrate to Mr Murphy, since there are no separate instructions for him. This letter, read in conjunction : with the report of Captain Stanley, is . slttrely conclusive evidence of the part that j he plavcd in the proceedings. That he assisted at the holding of the courts, and even personally hoisted the flag, is possible, but that be ever took possession in the name cf the Queen would be inconceivable, even if there had been no naval officers present. In any case, the disparity in dates between Mr Robinson's "journal" and the official records cannot be overlooked. It is ouite evident that he commenced writing his diary many years after the event, when his own memory of the incident had become hazy. Mr Murphy afterNvards went on with the Britomart to. Wellington, and Mr Robinson, according to one of the official reports, "decided to remain at Akaroa." It is interesting to note that the instructions to the magistrates are dated the 21st July and those to Captain Stanley the d.tay after. The only document now required to see the controversy to the death is the record of the proceedings of the court, which Hobson ordered to be transmitted to himself. That does not appear to be in existence.