AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3861, 13 March 1928, Page 29

AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS.

LONDON, January 25. Mr Hal Williams (who signs himself as the chairman of the New Zealand Association, London) has been correcting a few statements made by a certain lecturer on New Zealand The interest of his letter, however, which appears in the Hampstead and Highgate Express, is a reference to the early missionaries and to a coincidence which presumably has reference to his own family. A point of interest to Hampstead,” writes Mr Williams. “ is that Henry Williams, who was a lieutenant in tbe Roval Navy, and fought under Nelson, was per suaded to Lake holy orders and become a missionary bv his brother-in-law the Rev Edward Garrard Marsh, who from 1820 to 1838 was in charge of the Chanel of-Ease attached to the Hampstead Parish Church, which was established in the Great Room of the Pump Rooms in Well Walk Before he left for New Zealand, Henry Williams’s s on. Samuel, afterwards Archdeacon of Waiapu, was christened in the Parish Church on May 17, 1822 Bishop Selwyn, who was made Bishop of New Zealand in 1841. and as such ordained Samuel Williams in 1846, was horn in Church Row in 1809, and was christened in tbe same font. Curiously enough, the Rev Henrv Williams’s great-grandson was christened in the same font nearly 100 years later. It was owing to the Influence of the RevHenry Williams with the Maori chiefs that the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 This treaty definitely mad e New Zealand a British colony .After it was signed, the Union -Jack wa s hoisted, and it has flown over New Zealand ever since.”