NELSON IN 1846.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13939, 19 November 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

NELSON IN 1846.

.The late Mr. M. Campbell, who. was for many years .the-superintendent .>of' .tho first Sunday school established in' •Nelson, in connection with the Nelson School Society, durrng the year 1846 wrote an extended diary dealing with !the then comparatively new Nelson set. tlement, from which the. following has "been collated:— SHIPPING. The number of vessel i- which arrived at Nelson were as follows: —lii 1841, .seven vessels, total tonnage 732; in 1842, 125 vessels, tonnage 18,136; in 1843, 121. vessels, tonnage 17,036; in 1844, 11G vessels, tonnage 14,127; and in 1845, eighty-five vessels, tonnage 6 y 594. During 1846 no less than twenty -vessels chartered by the New Zealand Company brought immigrants to Nelson. That year (1846) the only regular trader between Nelson and Auntralia was the brigantine Star of China. In tho first five years of the settlement ten small craft were built. They were: Erin, a schooner; Hydrus, A lugger; Carbon, a schooner: Moon■raker, a aloop; Mary Ann,, a. cutter; Ann and Sarah, a cutter; Sarah Berry, .& cutter; Enterprise, a cutter; Phoenix, a schooner; 311& Karoriua. a schooner. The Sarah Berry and-the Enterprise'had. short careers, both being wrecked. WAGES AND PROVISIONS. In 1846, labourers were paid 2s to 2s 6d per day; mechanics 3s to 4s per day; cutting shingles 6s 6d per 100; hurdles, 15s P<? r cwzen ;. posts and rails, 10s per 100: firewood, 8s per cord; boards, 4s 6d per 100 feet, ploughing, £1 per acre. The retail prices of provisions were:—Bread, 3d per lb; beef, 6d per lb; mutton, 7d per lb; pork. 5d per lb;' bacon, 7d per lb; tarn, 8d per lb; butter, lOd per lb ;• cheese, lOd per lb; oggs, 6d per dozen; flour, 20s per cwt; milk, Id to 2d per pint; poultry, Is 6d per pair; potatoes, 60s per tcm; coffee."lOd per lb; ten, 3s 6d r>er ib; cugai\ 5d per H) ;• salt, 2d per lb; and Fo"ap, GJ-d per lb. MAORIS. The Natives had pns and •cultivations at Motueka, Wakmniaka, and Massacre Bay. At Motueka the Natives numbered 194, at Wakapuaka SO, and on the shores of Massacre Bay j at'Motupipi and the Aorere 325. Ai yiso'sreerrsent arose with' the Natives j at Wakapuaka concerning a small yal- j lev in that district. An armed party | was- sent from Nelson. The- Maoris) refused to attend a conference, so the; armed part}- of settlers made a clear j line cf~ demarcation, and the Maori! chief (Paramata) was given- to understand that his people must not trespass beyond the line, a.ud must cease giving insults to the settlers. The trouble ceased in a short tiifto.' A considerable number of pigs and potatoes used to bo sent f romth© Maori pas into the town of Nelson,, and not int'reqnently these supplies tided over limes of shortage of provisions. By 1846 any prejudice that existed -aasiost tlie Maoris-on srootiut of the ■Wairau massacre had died away. Considering they were untutored, they were a fine race of people.. They gra- j dually approached tec* European liabits, j .and started cultivating the land, like the Europeans.