OLD NEW PLYMOUTH

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1935, Page 1 (Supplement)

OLD NEW PLYMOUTH

BIRTH OF THE LIBRARY

(By

S. C. Allen.)

(No. 1.) Primarily the purpose of this article and the series that are to follow is to trace the history of the New Plymouth public library from its origin. For in the minds of the promoters of the New Plymouth settlement, and of the earliest settlers, the establishment of a public library was one of the first civic duties they thought of accomplishing. However, apart from the library question, a wealth of historical incident unearthed by Dr. Allen in the course of his research work will be included, the story thus having an interesting bearing on the early history of New Plymouth and Taranaki.—Editor.

When the first ship dispatched by the Plymouth Company, the “William Bryan,” left Plymouth, it carried a copy of the Encyclopedia Brittanica presented by Mr. Thomas Gill, Mayor of Plymouth, and a director of the Plymouth Company. This book is still well preserved and is one of the treasures of the present library. It bears the 'inscription, “This work was presented to the infant colony of New Plymouth in New Zealand by Thomas Gill Esqre, of Plymouth, 'England, March, 1841.” It is to be noted that the gift was for the colony of New Plymouth, not the town, and for many years the province now known as Taranaki was officially designated New Plymouth.

The history of the library is inseparaable from the history of the town of New Plymouth and the province of Taranaki, and in order to comprehend it, it will be necessary to recount much early history pieced together from the standard works on the subject, such as Wells’ “History of Taranaki,” Charles Hursthouse’s (jnr) “New Plymouth,” F. A. Carrington’s ‘.‘Journal,” Sefferen’s “Taranaki Almanacs,” the minutes of the proceedings of the New Plymouth Borough Council, the minutes of the Taranaki Institute, and the files of the local newspapers, the Taranaki Herald (first published in August, 1852), and the Taranaki Daily News (first published in May, 1857). Every effort has been made to consult original sources, but at times contemporary record is conflicting, and gaps in the story are in some .cases inevitable. Should any error in fact be noticed by our readers, I would welcome correction so that this contribution to history may thereby become more authenticated and reliable. Among the descendents of the earlier settlers may exist memories of actual facts of history, of which there is no written or printed record.

In acknowledging the sources from which these notes have been derived, it must be emphasised that the task could not have been attempted but for the unique collection of early historical documents deposited in the New Plymouth Public Library, a collection that is the most valuable part otf our possessions, and causes our reference section to attract workers in historical subjects from all parts of the Dominion. We will sc- that the progress of the library has been linked with almost every vicissitude;. political, social or economic that has befallen the province since its foundation. At the outset it will be necessary to give - brief recapitulation of some of facts relating to our earliest history. Mr. F. A. Carrington, and by a later ship his brother, Mr. Octavius Carrington, were sent by the Plymouth Company to select a place in the North Island of New Zealand in which to found the settlement. Due to its sheltered position he made his headquarters at the Sugar Loaves at Moturoa where “Dicky” Barrett had established himself among the Maoris. He found the place deserted to a large extent by its native, tribes. The majority had fled to the Wellington province arid Nelson before the victorious' Waikatos, who claimed the land by “right of conquest,” according to Maori custom; Every effort was made by the Plymouth Company to find the owners and pay for the land, and then Carrington proceeded to survey the town site and the surrounding country he had acquired. All the land had been acquired before the Treaty of Waitangi, the Treaty giving the Government pre-emptive right over all purchases of land from the natives. It was Hobson, who first described New Plymouth as the “Garden of New Zealand.” The unfortunate death of Hobson in 1842 had a tragic effect on New Plymouth because his place was taken by that ill-balanced Governor Fitzroy in 1844-45. During the Interregnum there had been disputes with the Maoris in regard to land titles, and everything had apparently been satisfactorily arranged in 1844 when Spain, the Commissioner sent out by the British Government, gave his “Award.” This fixed the land purchased by the Plymouth Company much in accordance with the plans of Carrington. The province, almost from its inception, suffered from the difficulty occasioned by divided control. The first ship, the “William Bryan,” in charge of Mr. George Cutfield with Mr. R. 'Chilman as secretary, arrived at Moturoa on March 30, 1841. But after it had left England the Plymouth Company got into financial difficulties and was merged into the New Zealand Company with headquarters at Wellington in charge of Col. Wakefield. So the second ship, the “Amelia Thompson,” was dispatched by the New Zealand Company, and had in charge the brother-in-law of Mr. Cutfield, Captain Henry King, R.N., in a “temporary” position. He was appointed “temporary chief commissioner” of the Plymouth Company. The New Zealand Company sent out Captain Liardet as permanent commissioner. He arrived at New Plymouth on November 19, 1841, but he met with a severe accident almost as soon as he landed, when trying to clear the vent of a 4-pounder cannon recovered from the wreck of the ’“Regina.” ' He could have done little administrative work because he left finally in February, 1842. It is assumed that Captain Henry King carried on until May 5, 1842, when Col. Wakefield appointed Mr. J. J. Wicksteed as resident agent of the New Zealand Company at. New Plymouth. About the same time Governoi- Hobson appointed Cant. King resident magistrate, and four Js.P.—Messrs. G. Cutfield and W. Haise, Capt. Cooke, and Capt. Liardet. Tire years 1842-43 were lean for the settlement, for in the statement of public accounts the . salaries of the officials absorbed the great bulk of the revenue. Mr. Wicksteed’s first unpleasant duty under the instruction of Wakefield from Wellington was to start retrenching. Mr. Cutfield was given notice that his services as immigration officer and storekeeper would be dispensed with in a month, and Mr. F. A. Carrington was given a year’s notice that his employment as chief surveyor would cease as I from March 31, 1844. (To be Continued.)