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THE
E aks
por Har
EW ZEALAND SETTLER'S GUIDE,
A SKETCH OF THE
PRESENT STATE OF THE SIX PROVINCES ;
WITH A DIGEST OF THE
CONSTITUTION AND LAND REGULATIONS,
AND TWO MAPS.
BY
I. RHODES COOPER,
CAPTAIN 58TH REGT.
Experto credite.
LONDON:
EDWARD STANFORD, 6, CHARING CROSS.
OS
1857.


1


vi
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER X.
WELLINGTON
90
CHAPTER XI.
DIGEST OF WELLINGTON LAND-REGULATIONS
98
CHAPTER XII.
NELSON
101
CHAPTER XIII.
STATISTICS OF NELSON
106
CHAPTER XIV.
DIGEST OF NELSON LAND-REGULATIONS
113
CHAPTER XV.
CANTERBURY
117
CHAPTER XVI.
DIGEST OF CANTERBURY LAND-REGULATIONS
128
CHAPTER XVII.
OTAGO.
130
CHAPTER XVIII.
DIGEST OF OTAGO LAND-REGULATIONS
135
CHAPTER XIX.
THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT CONSIDERED
139
CHAPTER XX.
WANTS OF THE COLONY—THE NEW TARIFF
144
CHAPTER XXI.
CONCLUSION
148
APPENDIX
154


2
INTRODUCTION.
author has frequently conversed on the subject of
colonisation with old residents, and had continual
access to official documents, local papers, and works
published on the Colony, the result of which he pro-
poses to lay before the reader.
The present work offers the further advantage of
giving an impartial account of the progress and relative
capabilities of the various provinces, their military
features, and the several inducements offered to naval
and military men to establish themselves in the
Colony.
Previous to leaving his own country, the intending
emigrant should consider whether he is likely to better
his condition by such a step, whether he is provided
with, or is likely to acquire the means of carrying on
with success, the pursuit on which he proposes to enter.
He should weigh well whether he is prepared, for some
years at least, to bear cheerfully the hardships and
difficulties, with which he is sure to have to contend in
a new country.
Having assured himself on these points, it remains for
him to determine to what colony he will proceed. The
ultimate result desired should in a great measure guide
emigrants on this point. Men should leave their own
land for the colonies for one of three reasons; viz.
either to acquire as speedily as possible a fortune, with
which to return home; for the purpose of gaining an
improved status, and forming a permanent home in the
colony to which they proceed; or for their health's


INTRODUCTION.
sake. Climate, soil, political constitution, and social
condition of a colony will be of little importance to
those who leave home for the first purpose only; but
should weigh much with those who emigrate for the
two other reasons assigned.
As I consider New Zealand better calculated than
any colony for an Englishman's home, I shall dwell in
particular on each of the four points to which I have
i alluded, as matters for consideration by those who
may desire to form a new home in a new country. And
here it will be requisite to offer a few remarks applica-
ble to the colony at large, on the pursuits open to
emigrants, and the capital required for different under-
takings, in which remarks I shall endeavour to de-
scribe the men likely to find themselves in the right
place in a new colony.
For those who land in the colony without previous
knowledge of mercantile transactions, with say from
£2000 to £3000, cattle and sheep will probably be found
the safest and most profitable investment. Cows have
averaged from £12 to £20 a-head, for the last four or
five years. Sheep from 208 to 30s. Cattle, sheep,
and horses were, however, falling in value when I left
the colony in July of the last year (1856). Those who
understand the breeding of horses may profitably
invest part of their money in horse-stock. Horses
bred for the cart or plough pay best.
Those who breed cattle and sheep in the neighbour-
hood of towns, obtain a fair value for the meat, tallow,


4
INTRODUCTION.
and hides, and can also obtain high prices for young
oxen broken for draught. Their prices have ranged
from £25 to £40 a pair in Auckland for the last four
or five years. Cattle imported from Australia frequently
yield a good profit to those who first buy them, and
keep them in good feed. Some risk, however, attends
the purchase of imported cattle, as a plant called the
Tout, or Tupaki, frequently kills cattle unaccustomed
to it.
It is thought that cheese will become an article of
considerable export: New Zealand cheese has already
acquired a name. The cheese made at the River
Tamaki (Province of Auckland), at Taranaki (New
Plymouth), and Port Cooper (Canterbury) is much
thought of, and will readily fetch from 1s 3d to ls 6d
a pound in the colonies, and from owners of whaling
ships.
For information on sheep farming in the Southern
Province and Middle Island, I refer to a work pub-
lished by Mr. Weld, M.C. (Member of Council).
From this work, it appears that the wool alone of
2000 sheep, after the first year, ought to cover the
expenses of the station, leaving the increase as clear
profit; as the flocks increase, of course the wool gives
a greater proportion of profit.
Mr. Weld considers that a flock of from 800 to 1000
ewes is required to commence, on anything like an
adequate scale, a self-supporting station. He further
suggests, that those who cannot afford to purchase at


8
INTRODUOTION.
or five
commands the largest native trade in the colony, and
has the most commodious harbours, and unparalleled
advantages of water communication; it is also well
provided with kauri pine, much prized for first class
ship spars, which have long been, and will continue to
be, valuable exports to England and the colonies.
The timber trade, generally, has for the last four
years been a source of great profit to the pro-
vince; to which I shall further allude when speaking
of Auckland. Wool as well as timber is fast becom.
ing a valuable export in most provinces, and the mer-
cbants who trade in it increase the value of their
transactions, by supplying the various stations with
clothes, provisions, tobacco, &c. Sawn timber has
been fetching from 188 to 258 a hundred feet. The
brick trade is carried on with success in Auckland
and Wellington, where they have been realising front
£4 10s to £7 a thousand for the last four years.
Brickmakers are much wanted. At New Plymouth,
bricks are selling at from £12 to £20 a thousand.
People emigrating to engage in trade, without a pre-
vious knowledge of colonial requirements, should rather
take out money than goods. The markets vary so
much, that it would not be safe to invest largely prior
to leaving home.
It would also be well for people of small capital,
unacquainted with colonial trade, to attach themselves
to some old house, prior to engaging in trade on their
own account.


INTRODUCTION.
E
Ć
Those who arrive in the colony without capital will,
if they enjoy good health, are sober and economical
in their personal expenses, and are able and willing
to work at any one trade, as farm servants, boatmen,
shepherds, or house servants, soon realise a sufficient
capital to invest in land, cattle or sheep, and thus to
render themselves and their children independent.
Carpenters, brick-makers, stone-masons, shinglers!!
and boat builders, have been able to earn for the last
four
years
at from 108 to 158 a day, sawyers at from 12s
to 20s, ploughmen (much wanted) about 108 a day, and
able labourers at from 68 to 10s. Good house and
hotel servants readily obtain from £40 to £60 per
annum; women servants of all sorts are well paid and
many are required.
Those who are least able to earn a comfortable
livelihood in a new colony are clerks, and
young men
who have been brought up in idleness at home. Of-
ficers of the army, who have only served at home,
would in most instances do badly in the colonies.
Officers of the army who have been much abroad,
and officers of the navy frequently make good colonists.
As the prices of different labour often vary, those who
are known as handy men, i.e. those who can knock
up a farm building, who know something of cattle,
the dairy, and sheep, who can turn their hand to
ploughing, ditching, &c. are certain to do well; if an
emigrant does not know a little of all these, the sooner
he learns the better.
1
TA


10
INTRODUCTION.
Having made these general prefatory remarks, I
will proceed to give an account of the climate, constitu-
tion, nature of the soil, and state of society of the
Colony.


12
THE COLONY.
and then the suspicion of a fog, reminds its settlers
of the comforts of such phenomena at home.
From my own observation, I consider the climate
of any part of New Zealand, superior to the most
salubrious parts of Australia. From what I have
gathered from books and personal inquiry, I do not
believe the climate of the Cape, or any part of our
American Colonies, can be compared with that of
New Zealand. Indeed I may venture to say, that the
climate of New Zealand is more suited to animal and
vegetable life than the climate of any colony of the
British Empire, Tasmania perhaps excepted, which
Island, had it never been a penal settlement, would
rank with New Zealand as an Englishman's home.
While considering the effect of the New Zealand
climate on the European constitution, I cannot do
better than quote from Mr. Swainson's “ Auckland,"
the medical returns, made by Dr. Thomson of the
58th Regiment; the results being gathered from two
years careful observation of the effect of the climate
upon the health of two thousand soldiers, quartered
in New Zealand.
As the men were located in all parts of the Northern
Island, these returns and the comparative observations
formed upon them, and similar medical returns kept at
other military stations, will allow a fair estimate to be
formed of the comparative healthfulness of the Islands
in general.
From these tables it appears, that for a similar


THE COLONY.
15
with a native of the Province of Auckland, named
Tanewa, or Hooknose, who remembered Captain Cook.
c Tanewa was accustomed to relate to "his friends, the
Europeans," how that celebrated navigator pleased
him as a child by patting him on the bead, and that
“ his love was very great” for the Pakeha (English)
ever since.
Summer is much longer in New Zealand than in
England, although scarcely ever warmer, the nights
are always cool and refreshing. Spring and autumn
are warmer than in England, and the coldest day in
winter is not colder than an English autumnal day.
The winds in spring and autumn are occasionally dis-
agreeable, and the rain is as plentiful during the year
as in Great Britain.
There is neither snow nor frost to delay agricul-
tural pursuits. Ploughing can be carried on through
the year, and sowing through the greater part of it.
Grain crops are generally got in during autumn
grass may be sown during the autumn and spring
.
quarters; the autumn sowing is thought the safest.
Potatoes are planted in spring, but I believe with
proper care they might be set during the whole year,
and that autumn planting would answer well if the
sets were put in deep enough. I draw this conclu-
sion from what I have seen of the self-sown roots.
The seasons are the reverse of those in England;
ť spring commences in September, summer in Decem.
ber, autumn in April, and winter in June.


16
THE COLONY.
In the summer a calm commonly prevails until about
10 or 11 o'clock in the morning, the heat is then mo-
derated by a sea breeze, which usually dies away at
sunset.
Fruits, flowers, and vegetables thrive well. Figs,
peaches (even as standard trees), grapes, and melons
ripen in the open air. Strawberries, cherries, apples,
plums, peaches, and nectarines do well in most parts
of New Zealand. But gooseberries and currants do
best in the south, and at New Plymouth. The peaches,
when carefully cultivated, are equal in flavour to any
grown in England.
The growth of grass is scarcely ever checked by
winter cold. Geraniums, stocks, verbenas, and other
flowers may
be seen to blow during the coldest seasons.
The change in the weather from month to month is
very gradual. The climate is suited to horses, sheep,
cattle, and poultry. The increase of sheep is reckoned
to average 90 per cent., while the deaths are below
one per cent. Where there is bush for shelter, horses
and cattle will do well through the year without stable
or shed. Horses and cattle imported from Australia
generally thrive well with the change of climate, where
they are sufficiently fed ; and if the breed be judi-
ciously crossed the stock greatly improves. Eventually
New Zealand will compete with Australia in rearing
horses for the Indian market.
Few countries possess a greater variety of soil than
these islands.


18
THE COLONY.
of swamp flag, and unsawn wood. Natives may often
be found to erect a good house of this sort for from
£20 to £30, which, if well thatched with reeds, will
last for seven or eight years.
Emigrants' outfits can be obtained at the shortest
notice at Messrs. Silver's, 3 and 4, Bishopsgate Street
Within. Agricultural implements and machines of
the best description are provided at Twallin and Co.'s,
117, Bishopsgate Street, by whom a most useful wheat-
mill and flour-dressing machine has been introduced
Blackwell, 259, Oxford Street, may be depended on
for supplying saddlery of a superior quality.


.
CHAPTER II.
CONSTITUTION.
I SHALL now proceed to sketch the Constitution, in
doing which I hope to be able to shew the action it
has had, and is likely to have, on the interests of the
colony.
Laws connected with the welfare of the colony at
large are enacted by a General Assembly, which con-
sists of a Governor, appointed by the Queen, a House
of Representatives, elected by the people; and a Legis-
lative Council, nominated by the Governor. The
Governor has the power of calling together, of pro-
roguing, and dissolving the House of Representatives.
The House must be dissolved at least every five years.
The members of the Legislative Council are appointed
by the Governor for life. The House of Representa-
tives is composed of 37 members, and the Legislative
Council of 10 members.
The members are allowed to vote a sum of money
for their expenses ; they have, I believe, as yet received
£1 18 a-day, while assembled. They are usually
assembled at Auckland once a year, for from two to
three months at a sitting.


26
CONSTITUTION.
better than a debating society, kept up at considerable
expense to the country. Once in three years ought to
be often enough for the General Assembly to meet ;
there are few settlers sufficiently independent to allow
its members to meet more frequently.
The native committee might after a time be dis-
pensed with, as the natives would soon understand our
form of government, would generally register for votes,
and elect their own members. As orators and practi-
cal men, the natives are at least equal to the majority
of our own members of Council.
I have said, perhaps, on these points more than
enough for those who are only thinking of emigration;
but all who go to New Zealand will be called upon to
consider, and the sooner they do consider these matters
the better, as by previous unbiassed reflection, many
an one may be taught the value of a vote, and that it is
not to be given as a matter of course to the first friend
who asks it, either for himself or for another.


28
SOCIAL CONDITION.
country, or of the towns in the neighbouring colonies.
The necessaries of life are generally plentiful in the
homes of all, while superfluous luxuries are hardly to
be found in any.
Public amusements are not numerous ; occasionally
a company of players or musicians* will visit the
different settlements, and remain for a few weeks.
Most towns have mechanics' institutes, where lectures
are given and libraries opened to the public. Amateur
musical societies are formed at most settlements.
There is no State-Church, and there are no church
pickerings. It often happens that Christians of all
denominations, as well as Jews, are called upon by
each to subscribe to the other's schools and churches,
while the children of one religion are not unfre-
quently sent to schools presided over by masters of
another persuasion. Religious animosity is not
felt; man is content to let his fellow-man alone in
religious matters. Christian and Jew, Churchman
and Dissenter, English and Irish, meet one another
with mutual good-will and Christian forbearance.
Most of the settlements, originally class settlements,
are throwing off class exclusiveness. For instance,
Canterbury, a settlement organised on Church of
* The musicians are a very varied order. We have had a Turk,
the CELEBRATED Ali Ben Suali, who charmed many of the English
NATIVES with his performance. There are some German brass
bands, and two companies exhibiting equestrian feats have visited
these lands.


AMUSEMENTS.
29
England principles, has since its formation received
upwards of 1000 people of other denominations, and
its Superintendent and many of its Provincial Officers
are Irish.
All the settlements have their own newspapers,
which are generally well conducted, although rival
editors occasionally indulge rather freely in political
abuse of each other.
New Zealand offers little inducement to sportsmen.
There is no hunting, and only wild ducks, curlews,
pigeons, kakas, and pukekos supply the place of game.
In the Middle Island, I understand there are quail, on
which account alone would pointers or setters be
found useful. Pheasants have been introduced, and it
is said, have done well about Monganui, where one
gentleman reckons he ought to have upwards of 1000
birds in his domain, and these birds are spreading
through the bush. Rabbits do not generally thrive
well, when turned, out, owing to hawks and bush-
fires.
Fishing is a useful amusement, and hand-line and
net fishing are much resorted to, chiefly in the sea
and salt water creeks and bays. There are a few fresh
water fish, however : amongst them may be mentioned
eels (tuna), the hoko, somewhat resembling the eel, but
much shorter in proportion to its thickness than the
eel. White bait are numerous in many of the streams,
and lampreys are at times to be taken in great num-
bers.


30
SOCIAL CONDITION.
In the salt water are to be found several sorts of
flat fish, the most common of which, similar to the
English sole in flavour, is named the patiki (pron.
patēky). This fish is taken in nets, or speared on
mud flats, or in shallow sandy bays. The mullet, the
kahawai (rather like mackerel), the tamure (or snap-
per), a large fish not unlike a bream, but superior in
flavour, the moki (or rock cod), and the guard fish, a
fish with a long beak of the smelt kind, are amongst
the fish mostly brought to market.
In some parts of the colony, oysters, pipis, crawfish,
and other shellfish are plentiful.
The Hapuku* is the richest and finest fish taken
about the New Zealand coast ; its head much re-
sembles that of the cod, only it is larger, and far
superior in flavour. The Hapuku is generally found
in deep water near abrupt rocks. I have seen them
taken at the Barrier Island upwards of 100 lbs. in
weight. For more critical information on the birds
and fish of the colony, I refer my readers to a work
published at 24, Paternoster Row, by the Rev.
Richard Taylor, of Wanganui.
The old English game of cricket is kept up with
spirit in New Zealand ; numerous matches are made
through a great part of the year.
Most of the settlements have public billiard tables,
and those who are fond of a rubber, or chess will
generally be able to indulge in either game.
* Pronounced Habooka, or Wabooka,


TRAVELLING.
31
Races produce their excitement at least once a year
in each settlement; tolerable purses are given, and I
believe all the horses run to win. Colonial horses
have less speed, but more truth than their sires at
home.
Those who are fond of change of air have many in-
teresting scenes to visit; noble forests, rivers, lakes,
hot springs and limestone caves offer many induce-
ments to the traveller.
Travelling may perhaps be found tedious to those
who have been accustomed to railroads and grand
hotels, as they will have to move slowly with
native bearers on foot, and canoes, whose living
propellers generally go their own pace, and stop
whenever they like; while in place of the hearty wel-
come at the inn, gentlemen will have generally to put
up with a tent or native hut, in which they will be
heartily welcomed by fleas instead of landlords; the
traveller will be called on by “mine host” to pay
his
bill at night instead of in the morning, when sandflies
usually relieve the fleas and mosquitoes in their
obsequious attention. Strangers should get some
friend acquainted with the language and country to
accompany them on their first wanderings, and ought
to provide themselves with a tomahawk,* tin kettle,
frying-pan, stew-pan, and tin pots; and tent, candles,
matches, blankets, tobacco, pipes, and rice, flour,
* The tomahawk, which somewhat resembles a sbort axe, is re-
quisite for cutting firewood.
tu
S


32
SOCIAL CONDITION.
biscuit, bacon, tea, sugar, &c. according to the pro-
posed length of the journey. The natives should be
engaged for the journey out and home, with a written
agreement that they are only to be paid on their re-
turn. No people in our colonies are more out of
place than ladies, who care for other than home and
rural amusements; the wife must be, as she was ori.
ginally intended to be, the helpmate to the husband.
The nursery, dairy, kitchen and garden will afford suf-
ficient amusement to those wives who desire to make
home such as our English homes ought to be.
Emigrants who can provide themselves with suitable
wives will be more comfortable, and more likely to
succeed than bachelors. Few English ladies, how-
ever, of the present day are formed for colonial life ;
many of them would prove an incumbrance to a man
in a new country rather than a blessing. There are
some few ladies, however, who can enjoy the freedom
of the bush, and who would not change their wild
garden and rough home for all the luxuries of artificial
society. I know one lady, the widow of an officer, who
has for some time managed a large station with suc-
cess in the Canterbury district, and it is said she is
more than contented with her lot. A lady must know
how to be her own housekeeper, and not be above oc-
casionally being her own cook, or she may have now
and then to go without dinner.
Sketching and collecting shells and ferns are
amongst the pursuits open to women in New Zealand.


34
SOCIAL CONDITION.
have been instructed by those who have attended distant
schools. I believe a large proportion of the Maories
are acquainted with the rudiments of reading, writing,
and arithmetic, The Maories soon make skilful
artisans, and trade much with the Europeans, from
whom they readily obtain credit. They are naturally
a sober people, and that they may continue so, a law
has been passed to prohibit publicans from selling
spirits to natives ; this law has not been efficiently
carried out, and has, I believe, induced many to drink,
who would only for the law have grudged spending
their money to their own injury.
At Melbourne, where many of the Maories have
been working at the gold-fields, where no law prohibits
them the enjoyment of spirits, I have heard it stated
that they are generally very sober, at all events, more
so than in New Zealand. Like many of ourselves,
they would perhaps act against their own inclination
to break a law they consider unjust.


CHAPTER IV.
GENERAL SUMMARY OF
SOCIAL CONDITION AND
DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY.
In conclusion to my sketch of the social condition
of the colony, I shall offer a few extracts from an
official letter written in 1849 by His Excellency Sir
B George Grey, one of the most able men by whom the
Government of New Zealand, or of any other colony,
has ever been administered. Some increase has
taken place in the numbers of the Europeans, and
inter-provincial communication has been extended, in
all other respects the statements of this letter apply
to the present condition of the colony :-
“1. The group of colonies comprised in the New
Zealand Islands, are composed at present of what may
be termed nine principal European settlements, be-
sides smaller dependencies. These settlements are
scattered over a distance of about 900 miles of lati-
tude; they are separated from each other by wide
intervals, and communication even for persons on
horseback exists only between three of them. Their
inhabitants are chiefly British subjects, but there are
amongst them many Americans, French, and Germans.


36
SOCIAL CONDITION
The majority of them have never been trained to arms.
The settlers both in the main colonies and the subordi-
nate dependencies bave occupied the country in so
scattered and irregular a manner, that it would be
found impossible to afford them efficient protection;
they are generally without arms, and would probably
be deprived of them by the aboriginal population, if
they possessed them at any remote stations.
“2. The wide intervals between these European
colonies are occupied by a native race, estimated to
consist of one hundred and twenty thousand (120,000)
souls, a very large proportion of whom are males
capable of bearing arms. These natives are generally
armed with rifles or double-barrelled guns; they are
skilled in the use of their weapons, and take great
care of them; they are addicted to war, have re-
peatedly in encounters with our troops been reported
by our own officers to be equal to any European troops,
and are such good tacticians that we have never suc-
ceeded in bringing them to a decisive encounter, they
having always availed themselves of the advantage
afforded by their wilds and fastnesses; their armed
bodies move without any baggage, and are attended
by the women, who carry potatoes on their backs for
the warriors, or subsist them by digging fern root, so
that they are wholly independent of supplies, and can
move and subsist their forces in countries where our
troops cannot live.
“3. In a military point of view there is no analogy


AND DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY.
37
between the North American Indians and the natives
of New Zealand. The Maories, both in weapons and
knowledge of the art of war, a skill in planning and
perseverance in carrying out the operations of a
lengthened campaign, being infinitely superior to the
- American Indians. In fact, there can be no doubt
that they are for warfare in this country even better
equipped than our own troops.
" 4. These natives, from the positions which they
occupy, between all the settlements, can choose their
i
own points of attack, and might even so mislead the
most wary Government as to their intended operations,
as to render it difficult to tell at what point they in-
tended to make a blow. They can move their forcég
with rapidity and secrecy from one point of the
country to another; whilst, from the general absence
of roads, the impassable nature of the country, and
the utter want of supplies, it is impossible (except in
Šthe case of some of the settlements where good roads
have been constructed) to move a European force more
to than a few miles into the interior from any settle-
I ment.
!
" 5. The natives present little to attack. They
have given up building pas or fortifications, and live in
scattered villages, which they would not hesitate to
i abandon. To assist in any national war, there can be
i little doubt that almost every village would pour
forth
its chiefs and its population.
“6. The native interest, however, is too much bound
.


38
SOCIAL CONDITION
up with the Europeans to allow them to desire war,
unless they should be treated with injustice. Nearly
the whole nation has been converted to Christianity.
They are fond of agriculture; take great pleasure in
horses ; form good sailors ; have many coasting vessels
of their own manned with Maori crews; are attached
to Europeans, and admire their customs and manners ;
are extremely ambitious of rising in civilization, and of
becoming skilled in European arts; they are apt at
learning; in many respects extremely conscientious,
and observant of their word, are ambitious of honour,
and are probably the most covetous race in the world.
They are agreeable in manners, and attachments
of a lasting character readily and frequently spring up
between them and the Europeans; many of them have
also now, from their property, a stake in the welfare of
the country; one chief has, besides valuable property
of various kinds, upwards of £500 invested in Govern.
ment securities; several others have also sums of from
£200 to £400 invested in the same securities.
67. A consideration of these circunstances will, I
think, lead to the conclusion, that any attempt to
form, in those portions of these islands which are
densely peopled by the natives, an ordinary European
settlement, the inhabitants of which produced all they
required, and were wholly independent of the native
race, must end in failure. The natives in the vicinity
of such a settlement (finding themselves excluded from
all community of interest with its inhabitants) would


40
SOCIAL CONDITION
1
stated, that the centre of that island is occupied by a
mountain range, the highest point of which is probably
about 10,000 feet above the level of the sea, and is
covered with perpetual snow, having as one of its
peaks a volcano of boiling water. The snows which
cover this range form perpetual springs, from which
rivers of cold and pure water are thrown off in all
directions to the coast; whilst the volcano in the same
range constitutes a fountain of perpetual supply to
two nearly continuous chains of boiling springs, which
run from the mountain range to the north-eastern
coast of the island.
"10. The central mountain range throws off also
spurs or ridges of very difficult mountainous country in
various directions to the coast, the valleys between
these ridges, generally mere gorges at the hills,
become fertile, and extensive plains near the coast,
and form the channels of the Thames, the Waikato, the
Mokau, the Wanganui, the Rangitikei, and other
minor streams. These subsidiary mountain ridges or
spurs thrown from the main range are, for the most
part, where roads have not been constructed across
them, impassable, even for horses ; so that no overland
communication, except for foot passengers, can be
considered as yet existing between the several principal
settlements.
“11. In the plains in the Northern Island through
which the rivers above named flow, and at the points
where the coast-line indents these plains with road-


42
SOCIAL CONDITION
and be by degrees trained to the exercise of simple
municipal duties.
“12. The Middle Island may be said to be traversed
by a mountain range, which, commencing at its north-
east extremity, where it almost abuts on the coast,
runs in nearly an east and west line across the country
to the west coast, along which coast it continues un-
interruptedly, but increasing in elevation, till it reaches
the south-west corner of the island. To the westward
this range falls abruptly into the sea, leaving, gene-
rally, but a narrow strip of fertile land between its
base and the sea coast; whilst, although it falls in the
same abrupt manner on its eastern side, fertile plains
of immense extent intervene on that side between the
base of the mountain range and the sea. Numerous
rivers of considerable width, subject to sudden floods,
flow from these ranges.
“13. In the Middle Island overland communication
is even more difficult on account of its rivers than in
the Northern Island. The inconsiderable native
popu-
lation in the Middle Island is principally located in the
vicinity of the several European settlements.
“14. Each of the chief towns carries on an indepen-
dent trade with the Australian Colonies and with Great
Britain, and hardly any interchange of commerce takes
place between them, since they at present all produce
nearly the same commodities, and require the same
kind of supplies, which they naturally seek at the
cheapest mart ; whilst the cost of transport from &


AND DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY.
43
port in the Australian Colonies does not exceed the
corresponding charges from a port in New Zealand.
“ 15. It must be clear that between colonies so con-
stituted, little of what may be termed community of
interest can be said to exist, and any attempt therefore
to form a general Legislature for such a group of
colonies, which should at present annually, or even
frequently assemble, and which should be so composed
as fairly to represent the various interests of all parts
of this country, must, I think, fail, because there are
as yet no persons in these islands who have the means
or leisure to enable them to abandon their own affairs
every year, for the purpose of resorting to another
colony, there to discharge their senatorial duties.
'16. It may be therefore assumed that a general
Legislature, which should be required frequently to
assemble, should form no part of any plan of institu-
tions to be conferred upon such a group of colonies ;
although for some purposes a general Legislature is
even now necessary, and will hereafter be still more
necessary
if these islands are to form, as is greatly to
be desired, one large and prosperous country."
Since the description thus given was written, the
country has been more opened by roads; but these
roads have only been imperfectly carried out in de-
tached portions. Main roads between Auckland, Ta-
ranaki and Wellington are required, also between
Auckland and the Northern settlements—and the
settlements of the Middle Island still remain imper.
fectly connected by roads.


CHAPTER V.
PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND, EASTERN COAST, HARBOURS
AND RIVERS.
I SHALL endeavour to supply such further particulars
as I deem wanting in the following chapters, on the
geographical description, history and land regulations
of the six provinces.
Auckland, the northern province of the Northern
Island, the most flourishing and advanced of all the
provinces, is bounded on the north by the coast line,
including the islands adjacent thereto-on the east by
the coast line, including the islands adjacent thereto-
on the west by the coast line, including the islands
adjacent thereto-on the south by the river Mokau
to its source, thence by a right line running from the
source of the Mokau to the point where the Ngabuinga
or Tuhua, the principal tributary of the Wanganui
river is intersected by the 39th parallel of south lati-
tude, thence eastward by the 39th parallel of south
latitude to the point where that parallel of latitude cuts
the east coast of the Northern Island of New Zealand.
The province of Auckland returns twelve members
to the General Assembly.
The province is divided into six electoral districts,
viz.—the city of Auckland which returns six members;


EASTERN COAST, HARBOURS AND RIVELS.
45
the suburbs of Auckland which return four mem-
bers; the Pensioner Settlements which return four
members; the northern division which returns four
members; the southern division which returns four
members ; and the Bay of Islands which returns four
members-in all twenty-six members for a Provincial
Council.
The city of Auckland, the capital of New Zealand,
is situated on an isthmus of land about six miles
across, this isthmus divides the Waitemata* harbour
from the Manukao harbour; the Waitemata being
by far the most available harbour on the east coast,
while the Manukao is the safest and most accessible
on the west. Thus Auckland, like Corinth, com-
mands two harbours; and the whole interior of the
province is connected with these harbours by nume-
rous rivers, of which the Thames and Piako connect
the Waitemata with upwards of 100 miles of
country, while the Waikato and Waipa supply the
Manukao with produce received from a distance of
upwards of 120 miles. These noble rivers, running
nearly parallel to each other in a southerly direction,
offer water communication, not to be surpassed, for
the conveyance of agricultural produce and timber.
The land along the banks of these rivers is generally
rich alluvial land, well suited, when laid down in grass,
for the feed of cattle, or for the cultivation of wheat,
potatoes, oats, maize, green crops, and fruit trees.
* Waters of Glass.


EASTERN COAST, HARBOURS AND RIVERS.
49
with timber. Here are saw milis and ship-building
establishments, at which several smart vessels have
been built.
The land on the Waitemata is not generally equal in
: quality to the land on the rivers before-mentioned,
with the exception of the land at the North Head and
up Shoal Bay, much of which is of excellent quality.
About the North Head (generally volcanic), the land
Ć has yielded fine crops, and is from its position of great
value.
The land up Shoal Bay (opposite Auckland), situ-
I ated near the Papuke Lake, is rich in quality, and
admirably suited for the cultivation of wheat. The sec-
tions of land about this lake, from the beauty of its
scenery, are of great value, and are admirably adapted
for homesteads for those who have large farms in the
northern district, or for merchants who may
desire a
country residence.
To the north of the North Head are the rivers
Okura, Weite (pronounced Wade), the Waiwero,
Mahurangi, Matakana, and Wangari, on all of which
1 rivers Government has available land for sale.
The Okura and the Weite rivers which fall into the
same bay, about 16 miles from Auckland, offer a har-
bour at the entrance for ships of 400 or 500 tons, and
ſ either river is navigable for boats of 20 tons for seven
or eight miles. At the head of the Weite is some heavy
flax land, well adapted to the growth of wheat; and a
flourishing timber trade has been carried on here for
13


50
PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND.
some years. Many settlers are located on the river,
and Maurice Kelly, one of the most hospitable men
in the country, is willing to furnish information to
emigrants regarding the land open for selection.
Crossing over Wanga Prowa, a long head land, a
five mile walk along the coast will bring the traveller
to the Waiwero river. On the coast, near this river,
are some natural hot springs, said to be efficacious
for rheumatic pains and other diseases. The river
is beautifully wooded, and the scenery highly pic.
turesque. There are fine kauri forests about this
river, and much other valuable timber. The land on
one bank only belongs to Europeans. About five or
six miles beyond the Waiwero is the Mahurangi, a
river navigable for large ships for some miles; the
banks of this river are thickly wooded and hilly, but
towards the source are situated the Kaipara Flats,
where there is some open available land, mostly
purchased by Europeans. A few miles beyond the
Maburangi, the Matakana offers several good selec-
tions of land for settlers.
Much of the land on all these rivers has been
purchased; but, as is the case elsewhere, the greater
part by speculators, from wbom it may be pro-
cured at a moderately increased price. Opposite and
a few miles from Matakana, is the island of Kawau,
belonging to the Kawau Company. This Company
has for some years been working a copper mine; owing
to the high price of labour, I believe, the Company is


52
PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND.
the land valuable. A large proportion of the land at
the Bay is a stiff clay, hilly, and expensive to work ;
but between the settlement of Victoria and the Wai-
mati is some excellent alluvial land ; this is also the
case at some of the small bays and on the numerous
rivers which fall into the bay.
The country between Monganui and the North
Cape district is little known to Europeans. The bar
bour, however, of Wangaroa, between Monganui and
the North Cape is easy of access, and affords safe
anchorage for ships of any burden.
It may be well here to observe, that the harbours
of Auckland, the Bay of Islands, Wangaroa, and the
Middle Island on the south-west side of the Great
Barrier, are all of them easy of access and egress to
vessels of any size, that they all have safe anchorage,
and are capable of containing any number of ships.
The Great Barrier Island, in a northern line from
Cape Colvill, with a wide passage between the two
lands, offers on its western side more than one safe
harbour, the best of which is, I believe, at Abercrombie
Bay, known as the Middle Harbour, about 20 miles
from the north end of the island.
Between Abercrombie Bay and the north end of the
island is a rich copper mine, which has yielded a high
per centage of copper; it has been worked for some
years by Messrs. Whitaker and Heal. The island
abounds in timber, is well stocked with cattle, and the
waters around it are celebrated for their numerous


EASTERN COAST, HARBOURS AND RIVERS.
53
sorts of fish, amongst which may be mentioned the
habuku, the finest fish found in the New Zealand
waters.
Between Cape Colvill and the south-east boundary
point of the province of Auckland, is a long extent of
coast, on which Mercury Bay, Tauranga harbour,
Maketu, the Bay of Plenty and Poverty Bay, may be
mentioned as all offering fair harbours, for small ves-
sels of from 40 to 50 tons. Of these harbours, I believe
Tauranga is the best, and offers a safe anchorage for
vessels of 300 tons, or even larger ships. There are
inferior stations at Tauranga, and Maketu, and some
Europeans are settled in either neighbourhood; but
the natives own most of the land, along this line
of coast, part of which is exceedingly rich. They also
cultivate lands at all the bays and harbours, and own
numerous coasting vessels, by means of which they
supply Auckland with perhaps more wheat, potatoes,
Indian corn, onions, &c. than is brought from any other
part of New Zealand.
A good road from Maketu to the lake district, which
could easily be made, would open, at small expense, an
available sheep district to the province of Auckland,
and would also throw open the hot springs about the
lakes of Rotorua, Tarawera, Rotomahana, and Taupo.
The scenery about these lakes is curious, and much
of it highly picturesque. Rotorua, Tarawera and Taupo,
are fine lakes, each of which abounds in hot springs, at
which the natives are fond of residing, and consider


EASTERN COAST, HARBOURS AND RIVERS.
55
ness, and gain every information they may require
about the country.
A journey of about 25 miles over grass plains will
take a traveller from Rotomahana to Taupo the largest
lake in the Northern Island, around which and between
it and the Waipa river are several fine grassy valleys,
well suited for sheep walks.
Scarcely any effort has been made to obtain land in
these districts, and unless the Government will allow
individuals to make direct arrangements with the
natives for the purchase or use of land, the fine dis-
tricts I have described
may remain for years almost
unoccupied by Europeans, although sheep runs are
required for Auckland; these lake districts and the
lands between Taupo and the west coast, and some few
islands, are the only lands in the province offering
natural grass pasture for sheep.
I
may
here mention that there has been a con-
siderable quantity of good tobacco grown at Maketu
and Rotorua, which, if properly prepared, could
command a sale at any market. In New Zealand,
where the fern and flax grow thick and high, the
land is generally good, and whenever it is sufficiently
loose, grass can be readily obtained by burning off the
natural growth, and sowing Dutch clover, rye grass,
and cock’s-foot seed. The cock’s-foot does parti-
cularly well in the dry weather, and is a very valuable
grass. Rye grass, and white clover can generally be
procured at Auckland, but the cock's-foot is dear and


1
CHAPTER VI.
WESTERN COAST, HARBOURS AND RIVERS,
I will now turn to the western harbour, the Ma-
nukao, and endeavour to describe the various rivers
with which it communicates.
As I have already observed, the Manukao is by far
the best harbour on the west coast, and although it
has a bar at its mouth, its entrance is easy to vessels
of 400 tons; the channel is strait, and a signal post
is at the heads; the sailing directions are published
by the Admiralty, from the information given by
Captain Drury of the Pandora, to whom the country
is deeply indebted for the diligence and care with
which he has surveyed the coast, and rendered its fine
harbours available.
The harbour of Manukao has been pronounced by
Captain Drury easy of access, particularly for steam-
ers; it is commodious, has numerous bays and creeks,
and connects Onihunga and Auckland with the Wai-
kato and Waipa rivers ; by means of the Waihuku
creek, which creek is only divided from the Awaroa, a
stream which enters the Waikato, by a passage of
about one mile in length; a canal or tramroad could
be easily formed at this portage, while a canal at a
narrow portage, which divides the Manukao from the
Waitemata, would thus bring the Waikato to the east


60
PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND.
are
ment. Much of it is valuable, and several settlers
located there. At Kawia, Government has
also some good land. Both these harbours have
mission stations, and at both of them a native trade
is carried on with Manukao. The chief requirement
of these districts is a direct bridle road to Auckland
on one side of them, and New Plymouth on the other.
Auckland and New Plymouth should have been one
province, as Sir George Grey always intended. The
Mokau district will bear comparison with any part of
the province in the richness of its soil; it abounds in
valuable limestone, is well wooded, well watered, and
abounds in romantic scenery. Its harbour is a bar
harbour, and only suited to small coasting vessels.
Some of its land produces natural grasses, and nearly
all of it may be readily rendered available for pastoral
purposes by burning the fern, scattering grass seed, and
stocking it with sheep. Much of the land is in the
hands of the natives, but little energy has as yet been
shown by Government to acquire it.
In the limestone district, between the Waipa and the
west coast, some curious caves are met with of great in-
terest to the lover of natural history. I visited these
caves in 1852, in the company of Dr. Thomson and Major
Hume, and found several bones of the Moa, the Dinornis,
said to have been the largest bird which ever existed; it
is generally believed that the Moa is now extinct. In
addition to the interest the naturalist would have in
visiting these caves, the general traveller would be


WESTERN COAST.
61
pleased with their beauty, and the scenery around
them. The largest and most curious of the caves is
situated near a small native settlement called Raorao,
on the road from the Waipa to Rotomarama and Mania,
about half a mile to the right of Raorao, and about
two miles on the Waipa side of Rotomarama; it is called
T'e-ana-o-te-atua (the cave of the Deity), is situated
in a wood, and is about a quarter of a mile to the right
of the road. Just before turning off the road to the
caves, the traveller, who has walked through about
three miles of wood from Pahetawa, on leaving the wood
obtains a fine distant view of the mountain Tonga-
riro.
The entrance of Te-ana-o-te-atua, situated in a gully,
is like a grand cathedral porch, and is clad with green
creepers ; in height it is about twenty-five feet; its
length is about sixty feet, and its average width about
eighteen feet; the roof is hung with thousands of
stalactites, which vary in length froin an inch to four
feet; the further end of this porch opens into a passage
of about ten yards extent, the roof and sides of which
are partially clothed with stalactites; a small stream
of water runs through this passage, which leads
to a narrow gallery about one hundred yards long, and
twelve feet bigh, the roof of which is circular, and
overhung with white stalactites. A low entrance at
the end of this gallery, connects it with a beautiful
done fifty or sixty feet high, the roof of which is also
fretted with stalactites, and lighted with phosphorescent
substances, which give it the appearance of a starry


Meteorological Table for Auckland, New Zealand, kept during the Years 1849, 1850, and 1851.
Temperature of
Sular Rays.
Barometer.
Mean
Highest Lowest
Teme. Tempe- Tempe.
rature. rature. rature.
Average
Daily
Range
of Tem.
perature.
Dryness
of Air
No. of
Mean of Rainy
Three and
Observa- Showery
lions Days.
daily.
Quantity
01 Rain
wbich
fell
every
Month.
Highest.
Meau.
Highest. Lowest.
Mean.
83
9
85
January
February.
March
April
78
75
71
May
67
69
64
60
58
53
52
52
54
57
61
16
17
16
15
14
14
14
13
66
50
51
46
45
45
33
36
36
39
39
45
49
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
122
124
107
99
99
88
88
90
97
100
108
112
101
106
92
87
81
74
75
78
85
87
96
100
6.9
7.5
5:1
5:1
3:7
3.2
3.1
3:1
4:0
4.9
5:1
7.0
65
65
in.100ths.
2.64 30.06 29.69 29.87
3:08 | 30 20 29:34 30-05
3:37 30:14 29 41 29.86
2:13 30.25 29 62 30.00
4:00 30.27 29:44 29.86
4.79 30 08 29 32 29.74
5:17 30.24 29 24 29.78
4.37 30:32 29.27 29.79
4:20 | 30·22 29 29 29.80
1.73 30.19 29 60 29.81
3 84 | 30:41 29 57 29 92
3:14 30 14 29.62 29.92
12
10
16
19
18
16
15
11
13
10
•
66
12
73
75
77
14
13
14
64
co
Mean & Extremes
591
85
33
14
124
88
4.8
155
424 in. 30:41 29.24 29.86


66
PROVINCE OF AUCKLAND.
The mean annual temperature of Auckland during
the above years was 5940 Fahrenheit's scale. This
was drawn from four observations daily, and corre-
sponds almost exactly with the mean temperature
given by the late, Dr. Johnson, Colonial Surgeon.
Florence, Naples, Rome, Marseilles, Toulon, and other
places in Europe, have a similar mean annual tempe-
rature to Auckland, but the winter months are colder,
and summer months warmer in those places than in
Auckland.
I cannot bring these remarks to a close without
observing, that while the healthy climate and cheap
land of New Zealand recommend it as one of the finest
fields of emigration, I would not, however, advise any
one to quit a home where he is happy, or a country in
which he is prosperous, even for the numerous and
tempting advantages it holds out.


$
CHAPTER VII.
TOWN OF AUCKLAND AND PROVINCIAL LAND
REGULATIONS.
The town of Auckland was proclaimed the capital
of New Zealand in 1840 by Captain Hobson ; since
which it has been laid out, colonised, and built, by
emigrants from home and the neighbouring colonies,
without the assistance of any Land Company; and,
owing to its natural advantages, has grown in the
number of its inhabitants and houses beyond all other
townships in the colony, notwithstanding the help
afforded them by such companies. Auckland would
have been in a more advanced position had no Land
Company in connection with New Zealand ever existed,
as one-fourth of the Auckland land-fund has been
seized on by Government to pay a Company from
which the province had received no benefit.
The town contains four churches of stone and
brick, belonging to the Roman Catholic, Anglican,
Wesleyan, and Scotch Churches, besides other churches
constructed of wood. Amongst the buildings of
Auckland may be enumerated a large Government
house and gaol, a House of Assembly, two barracks


68
TOWN OF AUCKLAND,
capable of accommodating 600 men, a commissariat
office, government offices, a mechanics' institute,
several hotels, and house accommodation for about
8000 inhabitants. More hotel accommodation is re-
quired : the houses are for the most part too small,
and the number of bedrooms insufficient. I have
known passengers by the William Denny, Auck-
land and Sydney steamer, obliged to remain on
board for want of hotel accommodation. There are
two steam flour-mills, and stores and shops of every
description, where provisions, groceries, wines, build-
ing-materials, boots, shoes, and ironmongery of all
sorts may be procured. Horses, working bullocks,
carts, and most kinds of agricultural implements may
be purchased at Auckland. Wages have ranged as
high at least as the average of wages paid in the
colonies before alluded to. Boots and shoes are dear,
and settlers would do well to take out a supply with
them, (notwithstanding an advertisement of Mr. Kevin,
that he is in the habit of receiving large consignments
from England, from which gentlemen may provide
themselves with articles of either “the very worst or
very best description.'') Firewood has been selling at
from 12s to 16s a ton on the beach, and coals at from
£2 10s to £3 10s for the last four years. There is
an iron-foundry, at which ships can be supplied with
ironwork at a reasonable rate ;-auction marts, where
land, houses, and stock of all sorts are frequently
changing hands ;-two public wharves, one of which,


AND PROVINCIAL LAND REGULATIONS.
69
the Queen's-Wharf, is used for mercantile purposes,
ships of 300 tons burden being capable of being
moored alongside, to discharge or take in cargo: the
other wharf, the Wynyard Pier, is principally used by
persons going to or landing from vessels in boats; it is
also much frequented as a promenade, and before
eight o'clock in the morning by bathers. There are
well-appointed ship and boat-building yards, and a
good rope-walk. A tan-yard is wanted. Energetic
capitalists might, with advantage both to themselves
and the town's-people, form companies for furnishing
the town-houses with supplies of water and gas.
The town is badly drained, and of late has not been
kept as clean as it used to be. The new Constitution
has given Auckland too many Government officers, so
many, indeed, in proportion to its population, that it is
difficult to find out whose duty it is to do anything.
The inhabitants of the town are in general very orderly,
and do not require a large police force. Meat, vege-
tables, and poultry are supplied to the markets from
the neighbourhood, and from the Pensioner villages ;
there is likewise a native market-place where potatoes,
Indian-corn, pigs, and poultry may generally be procured.
Of all the ports of New Zealand, Auckland presents
the most available harbour for provisioning whalers
and other ships, and for the supply of spars. By the
report of the French Commission, it appears that the
kauri-pine spars of Auckland are superior in strength
and flexibility to either the American or Baltic pines.
1


72
TOWN OF AUCKLAND,
many Europeans are enabled to earn a living in the
town. It is nevertheless greatly to be desired that a
larger proportion of emigrants should engage them-
selves in agriculture. By the same return it is shown
that 42,761; acres of land were fenced in, and that
27,1384 were in cultivation, of which 3838 were in
grain, 19,622} in artificial grasses, and the remainder
in potatoes and other crops. A comparison of these
figures, with the returns quoted from Mr. Swainson's
work, will explain how the province has progressed in
agriculture. By the returns of 1855, there were 1999
horses, 19,825 head of cattle, 22,091 sheep, 3465
goats, and 9736 pigs, in the province.
The local newspapers quote the following rates of
wages in 1855 :-Masons, bricklayers, carpenters, and
cabinet-makers at 12s per diem; farm servants, with
rations, at from £35 to £50 per annum ; female ser-
vants, at from 88 to 128 per week, and day labourers
at from 78 to 88 per day.
Board and lodging in
Auckland has been high for the last four years.
It is considered, by a large majority of the inhabi-
tants of the province, that its progress has been
retarded by the experiments made on it in the arts of
Constitution.mongering during the last few years.
The people bad exhibited at the election of their first
Superintendent a practical knowledge of what was best
for the province by selecting Colonel Wynyard, the
officer administering the Government of the colony, to
fill the office. In this election, the people paid the


AND PROVINCIAL LAND REGULATIONS.
73
high and unusual compliment to the Queen's represen-
tative of pronouncing him the most popular man in the
province, while they ensured to themselves a steady
line of Government, such as had been carried out by
Colonel Wynyard for the two preceding years.
Auckland never made such steady progress as under
Colonel Wynyard's government, which will be long
remembered by the people, to most of whom it was a
subject of regret that their choice should have been
virtually set aside by Sir George Grey, her Majesty's
Secretary of State.
The following Digest of the Provincial Land Regula-
tions now in force in Auckland, will give a sufficient
outline to those who are emigrating, on arriving at
Auckland, or any of the provincial towns. Emigrants
desirous of obtaining land, will do well, at once to put
themselves in communication with the Land Commis-
sioners at the various land offices, from whom, if they
sufficiently persevere, they ought to obtain all neces-
sary information.
DIGEST OF THE AUCKLAND LAND REGULATIONS.
1. All country lands shall be sold at a fixed price of
10s an acre, excepting such lands as shall be reserved
by the Superintendent for public purposes, or for sale
by auction, or which shall contain less than 40 acres.
2. Country lands shall be open for selection after
one month’s notice has been published to that effect
by the Superintendent in the Provincial Gazette.


74
TOWN OF AUCKLAND,
3. Persons desirous of becoming purchasers shall
give a written notice at the Land-office to that effect,
either in their own hand or by the hand of their
agent; applications must contain the applicant's name,
together with the area and situation of the allotment
desired, and a description of its boundaries.
4. Allotments not already surveyed must be sur-
veyed in rectangular blocks, having at least two-thirds
of depth to one-third of frontage to any river, wood,
lake, or coast.
An exception to this rule may be made in favour of
applicants who own land adjoining that for which
they may apply.
5. Applications shall be under sealed covers, on
which shall be legibly endorsed the applicant's name
and the number of acres required.
6. Applicants must pay 108 per acre at the Land-
office on applying for land; the production of the
receipt will authorise the waste land commissioner to
register the application.
7. All applications are to be opened on the same
day, viz., on the day appointed by the Superintendent
for the sale of different blocks, on which day no further
applications are to be received.
8. When only one application is made, and the
money paid previous to the day on which applications
are opened, the land applied for shall be deemed the
property of the applicant.
9. Land applied for by two or more persons shall be


CHAPTER VIII.
NEW PLYMOUTH, OR TARANAKI.
j
New Plymouth, the central province of the Northern
Island, is bounded on the north by the river Mokau
on the east by a right line running from the source of
the Mokau to the point where the Ngahuinga or
Tuhua, is intersected by the 39th parallel of south
latitude, thence by the river Wanganui to the point
where it is met by the Taumatamahoe path, leading
from the river Waitera ; thence by a right line run-
ning from the above described point on the Wanganui
river to the mouth of the river Patea; on the west by
the coast line, including the islands adjacent thereto;
on the south by the coast line, including the islands
adjacent thereto.
The province of New Plymouth returns three mem-
bers for the General Assembly, viz. one for the town
of New Plymouth, one for the Grey and Bell districts,
and one for the Omata district. The Provincial
Council consists of nine members, of whom two are
returned by the town, four by the Grey and Bell dis-
tricts, and three by the Omata district.
New Plymouth comprises the site of New Ply-
mouth; the Grey and Bell district comprises the
Grey, Bell and Waiwakaio blocks, and all that other
part of the province which lies north of the Paritutu


78
NEW PLYMOUTH.
line, excepting the town of New Plymouth. The
Omata district comprises the Omata and Tataraimaka
blocks, and all that other part of the province which
lies south of the Paritutu line.
The Council, which has legislated for the province
a most economical manner, assembles about once a
week throughout the year. The Superintendent re-
ceives a salary of £350. With this small salary the
present Superintendent, Mr. Brown, contrives to en-
tertain strangers most hospitably, and has made him.
self generally popular in the province. Emigrants
may obtain information either of the Superintendent,
or of Mr. Halse, at the Land Office, regarding Crown
lands for sale.
The climate of New Plymouth is perhaps more in.
vigorating than that of Auckland ; Mount Egmont, * or
“the Mountain," as New Plymouth settlers proudly
designate their favourite object, not unfrequently sends
cold winds to the surrounding country from its snow-
The summer, winter, and autumn of New
Plymouth are very enjoyable, and agree well with
animal life: spring is not so agreeable, on account of
high winds. Few parts of the world can boast of as
fine children, and I never have seen cattle or sheep
thrive so well anywhere as at New Plymouth. The
district has often been called, and is considered by
most people who have seen it, to be the Garden of
New Zealand,
clad top.
Mount Egmont or Taranaki, about 10,000 feet high, stands
alone in a wide, well-wooded plain.


NEW PLYMOUTI.
79
The land is all good, and mostly rich. I believe it
would be impossible to buy bad land in the dis-
trict. All the new emigrant has to do is to see that
his land is not too hilly, and that he has a sufficiency,
and not more than a sufficiency, of wood : most of the
open land alienated from the natives has been pur-
chased. The district is well watered by numerous
mountain streams flowing from “ the Mountain.”
New Plymouth, from its climate and water, is well
suited for brewing; the hop grows well, and I have
drunk excellent beer brewed near the town. The
pasture is as rich as our old Devonshire pasture, and
no Devonshire cream or Devonshire butter can surpass
that of New Plymouth. I have eaten home-made cheese
at New Plymouth quite equal to the finest Stilton.
The town of New Plymouth was founded in 1840,
on an open roadstead of the west coast, about ten
miles to the south of the river Waitera, and about
three to the north of the Sugarloaf hills. The
banks of the Waitera river, the harbour of which alone
offers any protection to vessels, is much more suited
by nature for the site of a town than the present site.
A harbour might be made by running a breakwater
out to the Sugarloaf hill from the shore, but this
would be attended with considerable expense.
6 The Mountain” is about twelve miles to the west
of the town, the Omata district to the south, and the
Waitera river to the north.
The Omata district, rather thickly wooded, is rich


NEW PLYMOUTH.
83
fessional business. These returns show 70563 acres
belonging to Europeans to be fenced in, 7612in crop,
and that Europeans possess stock as follows, viz. :
238 horses, 2143 head of cattle, 14,846 sheep, 55 goats,
and 998 pigs.
The prices of cattle and sheep are much the same as
at Auckland. It is shown that the average yield per
acre was as follows, viz. :-Wheat 233 bushels, oats 26,
barley 24), and maize 16 to the acre ; potatoes, 61
tons, turnips 10, carrots 16, mangold wurzel 16), and
hay 1ſ to the acre. From what I have seen myself of
crops at New Plymouth, I believe this return has
rather under estimated the average
of the crops. In
1855 the provincial paper, quotes the prices of the
following necessaries thus, viz. :-Flour, per ton, £40
and £35; bread, per 21b. loaf, 11d; butter, per lb.,
18 6d; eggs, per dozen, 1s 6d; wheat, per bushel,
128 6d; oats, 58 6d; potatoes, per ton, £6; hay, per
ton, £6; sawn timber, per 100 feet, £1 88 6d. "In
1856 these prices had varied but little. House-rent
was high, and labour much the same and more scarce
than in Auckland. New Plymouth has lately been
deprived of the services of Mr. Richmond, an able and
highly trustworthy lawyer, and member for the town;
that gentleman having been called to fill the office
of Colonial Secretary, his duty obliges him to remain
at Auckland. I believe there is an opening for one or
és two professional men to take his place.


84
NEW PLYMOUTH,
Better house accommodation is required at New
Plymouth ; one or two master builders, a few brick-
layers, and several carpenters would find employment.
Sawyers are also much wanted. In December, 1856,
the Survey Department was about to throw open a fine
block of bush lan and it is to be desired that an
effort should be made to acquire land from the natives
between the Omata district and Wanganui, between
which places the land is highly spoken of. The natives
about New Plymouth and in the other parts of the
province are numerous ; they are much advanced in
agriculture, have some good horses, and a finer breed
of cattle than I have ever seen in possession of any
other Maories; their cultivations are, many of them,
fenced in with post and rail fences. They have much
horse stock, and often let out their horses to the
Europeans.
They dress well in the European dress, and are sel-
dom seen in town without good shoes. The Europeans
have not so kindly a feeling towards the natives as the
settlers of Auckland. This is to be accounted for by
the difficulty offered by the natives in selling land.
The settlers naturally feel annoyed at seeing so much
good land idle. An energetic Government might buy
land; there is more than enough for both races, and
both races would benefit in having the district indiffe-
rently occupied.
A very friendly feeling exists amongst the settlers,


NEW PLYMOUTH.
85
who have a club and well-managed subscription library.
I never resided in any settlement where strangers are
treated more hospitably.
The Devonshire and Cornwall people would proba-
bly make more progress in public works and roads if
they were to receive a few Scotch, Irish, and English-
men from other counties into their province.
No hard-working labouring men would do wrong in
making New Plymouth their home. The greater the
mixture of races the more the place will succeed. It
might be a mutual advantage to both settlements to
toss the Scotch of Otago with the west country people.
of New Plymouth well up together, and then divide
the lot between the provinces.
To compensate for want of harbour accommodation
as far as the funds of the province will admit, Govern-
ment provides excellent boats with which to land pas-
sengers and goods. These boats are well manned, and
safe in most weather. People often get drenched in
going through the surf, which prevails; but I have not
heard of any accident attending a disembarkation. I
have seen 70 men, with camp equipage for 250, landed
after dark without difficulty; and I have been informed
that no ship has ever been lost at New Plymouth.
Gentlemen are recommended always to take their
necessary baggage with them, as it does now and then
happen that a ship has to put to sea at five minutes' no-
tice, and may not return for a week or so. I think pas-
sengers are charged 18 for landing, and goods at 10s per


86
NEW PLYMOUTH.
ton. I have known a larged sized vessel discharge its
cargo in four or five days, and have heard masters of
vessels remark that in no port could they discharge
cargo so readily as at New Plymouth, Monthly com-
munication is kept up with Auckland and Wellington
by a steamer, the Zingari.
I have described the soil as good and rich, it may be
well to mention that it is light and porous, in few
parts can clay be found. There is some limestone in
the district, but the subsoil generally is sand, conse-
quently it is nearly all naturally drained, and is fit for
all agricultural purposes when cleared; but ought to
be manured after two or three crops have been taken
from it; though light, the land always appears to
retain its moisture. Dutch clover not only grows,
but flourishes through all the year. The tops of many
of the hills are as fertile as the valleys. The forests
of New Plymouth are beautiful to look at, and contain
much fine pouriri and red and white pine. The pine
woods are used for building purposes ; these pines are
very hard to cut, but they are said to last well, and
they look well. Kauri pine is preferred by the car-
penters, and a trade in this wood has latterly been
opened with the province of Auckland, whence the
town receives most of its bricks. There is plenty of
stone adapted to building purposes, of which the
church, considered the handsomest building in the
colony, is built.
New Plymouth has no bank : one is much needed.-


LAND REGULATIONS OF NEW PLYMOUTH.
89
7. In every district declared open for purchase, one
twentieth part of proclaimed lands shall be reserved as
an' endowment for public schools.
8. Military and naval officers retired or on half-pay
are allowed the privilege accorded to them by Sir
George Grey's regulations.
9. Government scrip will be granted to officers to
enable them to procure land, on their signing an agree-
ment to remain in the province for two years from the
day on which they sign.
10. Non-commissioned officers and privates in Her
Majesty's army or in the royal militia, who, being on
service in the province, shall obtain their discharge
there (with good conduct certificates), shall be entitled,
after one year's residence in the province after their
discharge, to land of the following value, viz. :-
To non-commissioned officers £80 worth of land.
To private soldiers
£40
Soldiers are required in this province, and these
liberal regulations enable the Government to provide
for deserving soldiers at small cost to the country.
Veteran Battalions might have been formed of men
of from twelve to fifteen years' service, and from these
battalions so many men could be discharged every year,
and their places filled by others. The English labour
market would thus have been relieved, and the colony
benefited.


WELLINGTON.
91
Bay as has been purchased from the natives, and which
lies within the province.
The Wanganui and Rangitikei district comprises all
the country on those rivers which has been alienated
from the natives.
Wellington, the southern province of the Northern
Island, returns eight members for the General Assembly.
The province is divided into the following electoral dis-
tricts, viz: The city of Wellington, which returns three
members; the county district, which returns one mem-
ber; the Hutt, which returns two members ; the Wai-
rarapa and Hawke's Bay, and the Wanganui and Ran-
gatikei, which return one member each. These districts
return eighteen members for the Provincial Council.
Wellington has sent well educated men to the Assembly,
many of whom are more oratorical than practical, and
to them may be attributed the wordy debates which have
occupied the time of the House, more to the amuse-
ment of honourable members, than for the benefit of
the colony.
On the west coast, between the Wanganui river
and the harbour of Wellington, may be mentioned the
rivers Turakino, Rangitikei, Manawatu, and Otaki ;
also the harbour of Porirua. The Wanganui, a
broad rapid river, rich in bold and beautiful scenery,
runs through miles of available country. The har-
bour admits vessels of from 200 to 300 tons. A bar
at the entrance of the river sometimes renders it diffi-
cult of access, but secure anchorage is offered inside.


WELLINGTON.
97
lished at Stanford's, 6, Charing Cross, contains the
e following remarks on Wellington, “The purely agri-
cultural Colonist will probably find it more to his
advantage, to select for his operations, as a tiller of the
soil alone, some district, with more level and unen-
cumbered country, than can now be cheaply purchased
near Wellington, rather than to invest his labour or
capital in clearing the thick forests, or cultivating the
, undulating lands, which add much to the beauty, but
greatly interfere with the rapid agricultural develop-
Śment of this settlement.” It may be well to add that
much complaint has been made in the Wellington
papers, on the difficulty attending the purchase of
land from the Provincial Land-office.
It is said that one or two medical men, and
able lawyers are wanted at Wellington.
The following table of the revenues of the provinces
of Auckland, New Plymouth, and Wellington, for
1854, will give an idea of the comparative progress
- made by the three provinces.
1854.
Receipts.
Customs Auckland
43,000 0 0
New Plymouth 3,600 0 0
Wellington
27,000 0 0
Post Office Auckland
900 0 0
New Plymouth 75 00
Wellington
500 0 0
1855.
Customs Auckland
52,424 25
New Plymouth 4,641 5 5
Wellington
30,103 9 11
a few
.
.
H


CHAPTER XI.
DIGEST OF WELLINGTON LAND REGULATIONS.
1. The upset price of land shall be 108 per acre.
2. Where application is made by more than one
person on the same day, the land shall be submitted
to competition at auction, at an upset price of 108 per
acre, at which auction those only, whose names have
been registered as applicants, shall be allowed to bid
-the land shall be sold to the highest bidder.
3. The Superintendent shall reserve such land as he
may think proper for townships or agricultural settle-
ments, &c. &c.
4. The Superintendent may reserve land for asso-
ciations, formed for promoting settlements or agricul-
tural establishments, to be purchased by members,
only of such associations, at the upset price of 108 per
acre.
5. Land adjoining such reserves made for associa-
tions shall be reserved, in quantity amounting to one-
third of the original reserve.--This third shall be used
as a common run for cattle, &c. by the members of the
association, for three or six years, after which it may


LAND REGULATIONS.
99
be declared open for sale, after a notice has been given
to that effect for three months.
6. All reserves for townships or agricultural estab-
lishments, shall have reserves marked off of one-twen-
tieth of all bush-land within the limit of such block,
or if there be no bush within such block, then a suf-
ficient reserve of bush-land outside the block, and most
convenient thereto shall be made. The timber so re-
served shall be used in common by the resident occu-
piers of the land, but not for sale to any other persons.
The Superintendent may offer for sale, at an auction,
land marked off in allotments of not more than 640
acres in extent, at an upset price of 5s per acre.
Occupation of pasture land.
1. Persons desirous of obtaining occupation licences
for portions of unoccupied land, shall lodge with the
Land Commissioner of the district, in which the run
they desire is situated, a description of the run, and
at the same time shall deposit £25 for runs, described
as under 10,000 acres, and £50 for runs over 10,000
acres.
2. Such applications shall be filed, registered, and
opened to public inspection.
3. Description of runs so applied for, shall, together
with applicants' names, be published in the Provincial
Gazette.
4. All objections must be laid before the Commis-
sioner in writing, within three months after date of the
publication thereof.


CHAPTER XII.
NELSON.
Nelson, the northern province of the Middle
Island, is bounded on the north by the coast line, in-
cluding the islands adjacent thereto; on the east by
the coast line, including the islands adjacent thereto;
on the west by the coast line, including the islands,
adjacent thereto; and on the south by the river
Hurunui to its source, thence by a right line drawn to
the point where the river Kotu-urakaoka issues out of
Lake Brunner, thence by the river Kotu-urakaoka to
its junction with the river Grey, thence by the river
Grey to its mouth.
The province of Nelson returns five members for the
House of Representatives, viz., two for the town of
Nelson, two for the Waimea district, and one for the
Motueka and Massacre Bay district. The Provincial
Council is composed of fifteen members ; five of whom
are returned for the town, one for the suburbs, two for
the Waimea east district, one for the Waimea west
district, two for the Waimea south district, two for the
Motueka district, and two for the Wairau district.
The coast board of the province occupies on its three
boundaries upwards of 150 miles. On the south coast


102
NELSON.
boundary are included Massacre Bay, Blind Bay,
Motueka River, the Pelorus harbour and river, Queen
Charlotte Sound and Port Underwood, Massacre
Bay on the west of Cook's Straits contains about
45,000 acres of land, rather more than half of which is
said to be available for agricultural purposes, but much
of the most fertile of this land requires draining. It is
well timbered, and coal has been found in abundance.
The town of Nelson is situated at the end of a
deep bay, which opens into Blind Bay, the next
bay to Massacre Bay. A rock at the entrance of the
harbour, allows only a narrow passage to ships; this
passage is deep, and good anchorage is offered to
vessels of 500 or 600 tons within the harbour.
The land on Blind Bay, generally hilly, offers many
fine sites for houses, and the valleys are well suited
for gardens and fruit trees, while shrubs of all sorts
flourish luxuriantly. Blind Bay contains from 60,000
or 70,000 acres of land, most of which is too broken
for agricultural purposes. Queen Charlotte Sound,
(situated to the east of the Pelorus River) twenty-five
miles in length, and from nine to ten miles wide
at the entrance, contains many harbours, which I
have heard described by a Naval Officer who had
visited the Sound, as equal to any in New Zealand,
and far superior to those of Wellington or Nelson.
The bays of Queen Charlotte Sound are well wooded, 1
and the land is of the most fertile description ; rich
in harbours, offering protection to the largest ships,


104
NELSON.
vince, after flowing for some distance through an open
country, branches off in four or five streams, which
are connected with the hill-lands.
The province of Nelson, which was opened in 1841,
has, without any Government aid, steadily progressed.
Sheep-farming has been the chief occupation of the
European settlers, and wool has become a large export
from the province. Nelson is also celebrated for its
beer, its fruit, and mineral wealth. Coal and copper
have been discovered in abundance, and latterly gold
has been found: but it was uncertain last autumn,
whether it was sufficiently plentiful to seduce labourers
from their ordinary work. Labourers of all descrip-
tions are required at Nelson ; wages are much the
same as at Auckland ; shepherds and farm-labourers
are perhaps even more required than other labourers.
The province is celebrated for its fine breed of
horses, and the Nelson races are considered the best
in the colony.
The town of Nelson, as a place of residence, is con-
sidered the most delightful in the colony, on account
of the agreeable society it offers, its climate, and beau-
tiful situation. From the very superior class of men
Nelson has usually selected as Members of the General
Assembly, the settlers of Nelson are looked on with
great respect by an Auckland audience. The speeches
of Mr. Stafford, the present Superintendent of Nelson,
and leader of the Government in the House of Repre-
sentatives (celebrated for his statistical knowledge, his
1


CHAPTER XIII.
STATISTICS OF NELSON.
THE Statistics of Nelson, (which town was founded in
1841) published by the Superintendent, offer detailed
information of provincial changes which have taken
place between the years 1848 and 1854. These re-
turns make the province to contain about eighteen
millions of acres. From a comparison of the returns
of one year with another it will be seen, that in all the
essentials of prosperity, the progress, since 1848,
has been rapid and steady. The European popula-
tion in 1848 amounted to 2949 souls; in 1854 to
5858, of whom 3186 were males, and 1373 females, of
this population 1820 were residents in the town of
Nelson, 467 in the suburbs, 1983 in the Waimea
district, 774 at Motueka, 121 at Massacre Bay,
537 at Wairau, 99 at Queen Charlotte Sound, and 57
at Amuri. During the year 1854 Nelson had received
an accession of 280 emigrants from Great Britain, and
389 from British colonies. For one who left the pro-
vince during the year two had arrived; 197 births had
taken place, and 45 deaths.
The distribution return for the same year 1854
shows, that 557 persons were capitalists and employers
of labour, 74 teachers, clerks, and overseers, 296 me-


STATISTICS OF NELSON.
107
chanics and craftsmen, 362 were employed as shep-
herds and agricultural labourers, 75 as carters and
labourers, 62 as mariners and fishermen, and the re-
mainder were children. Grants of money have been
voted for schools. There are four day and six Sunday
schools. The province is provided with seven places
of worship for those who are of the Church of England,
two for Roman Catholics, five for Presbyterians, six
for Wesleyans, five for Baptists, and one for German
Lutherans. Crime of a serious nature appears to be
almost unknown in Nelson. In six years, from 1849
to 1854, only two convictions took place before the
Supreme Court for offences against the person, and only
five for offences against property. There are (com-
paratively speaking) few natives in the province, most
of whom are at Motueka. These natives, well behaved
and industrious, are seldom brought to court. In
1854, only two cases of drunkenness and one of felony
were recorded against them.
Agricultural progress is shown to have been great.
In 1844, only 893 acres were in crop; in 1854, 9434
were in crop, and 7104 fenced in: of these crops, in
1854, 2378 acres were in wheat, 1738 in oats, 809 in
barley, 460 in potatoes, 514 in garden and orchards,
8 in hops, and the remainder in English grasses and
other crops. In 1854, the province owned 76 horses,
918 horned cattle, 4783 sheep ; while, in 1854, there
were 1190 horses, 10,592 horned-cattle, and 183,231
sheep, 4401 pigs, and 10 mules.


OF NELSON.
109
it averaged £6 158, the latter price being occasioned
by the high prices of the Melbourne markets. During
1854, Melbourne, owing to the large influx of strangers,
consequent on the discovery of gold, acted on the
markets of New Zealand in general ; and those who
send goods to New Zealand, had better be guided by
the average prices of other years, than of 1853, 1854
or 1855. Brandy (duty paid), averaged in 1848, 178 6d
the gallon, in 1854, £1 18 the gallon.
Bread in 1848, averaged 2d the lb. in 1854, it
averaged 4d; butter in 1848, was 91d per lb. in 1854,
ls 6d the lb.; candles in 1848, were 11d the lb. in
1854, 18 48 ; cheese in 1848, was 18 the lb. in 1854,
ls 4d; coffee was in 1848, 11d the lb. in 1854, 18 5d.
English coals were in 1848, £2 the ton, in 1854, £4;
firewood was in 1848, 15s the cord, in 1854, £2 2s ;
flour was in 1848, £9 the ton, in 1854, £29.
Barley was in 1848, at 48 the bushel, in 1854 at 78;
maize in 1848, at 3s the bushel, in 1854 at 78 ; oats
in 1848, at 38 6d, in 1854 at 78 6d; wheat in 1848,
at 4s, in 1854 at 10s 8d; horned cattle were worth in
1848, £8 a head, in 1854 £14; horses in 1848, were
£25 each, in 1854, £55; sheep in 1848, were
£1 ls 6d each, in 1854 £1 58; pigs of 150 lbs.
weight, were in 1848, worth £1 10s each, in 1854
£2 108 ; bacon sold in 1848, at. 9d the lb. in 1854 at
18 6d ; meat was in 1848, at 6d the lb. in 1854 at 9d;
lamp oil in 1848, was valued at 58 11d the gallon, in
1854 at 88; milk during 1848, was 3}d the quart, in
1854 6d the quart.


110
STATISTIOS
Potatoes were in 1848, 43 38 the ton, in 1854 £12
the ton; rice was in 1848, 2}d the lb. in 1854 4d;
salt in 1848, was ld the lb. in 1854 11d; soap was in
1848, 3}d the pound, in 1854 6d ; starch was in 1848,
9d the lb. in 1854 111d; sugar was 4d the lb, each
year ;
loaf sugar was in 1848, 9d, in 1854 8d the lb.;
tea was 38 in 1848, 28 6d in 1854; tobacco (duty
paid) was in 1848 28 6d, in 1854 38 3d the lb.; wine
was (duty paid) in 1848, 128 the gallon, in 1854 158 6d.
These returns give a general average of the value of
provisions, &c. in the other provinces. The year 1848
shows a fair average of colonial prices before the disco-
very of gold in Australia, and 1854 shows the average of
prices during subsequent years. It is generally con-
sidered, that from the present time, prices will more
resemble those of 1848 than of 1854. The Melbourne
markets, which have so ruled New Zealand for the
last five years, will in all probability soon be at least
sufficiently supplied from England and America, with
all articles of consumption, excepting grain, flour and
potatoes, and these crops she will grow at home, to a
far greater extent than hitherto.
The return of the average rate of wages is given as
follows: in 1848 female domestic servants, received £8
per annum, in 1854 they received £25. In 1848
males received £30 per annum, in 1854 £50, the
average of day labour in 1848, is quoted at 28 6d, in
1854 at 78 6d; in 1848 tradesmen received 5s, in 1854
98 6d a day.
(


OF NELSON.
111
The rates of wages are, I consider, for 1848, below
the
average
of what they will be for some years; for
1854 rather, but not much, above the average.
The revenue of the province for 1848 amounted to
£2157 78 8d; for 1854 to £32,987 108 41d. For
1854 £2039 158 4d was voted for emigration purposes ;
£1500 for steam navigation ; nearly £2000 for public
works ; £180 for schools; and £72 108 4d for explo-
ration of lines of road.
The customs' revenue had increased from 1848 to
1854 from £1593 58 6d to £9411 108 3d. The total
quantity of land disposed of within the province to
1854 amounted to 273,332 acres. During 1854 the
average price realised for town lots at per acre was
£59, being an increase on preceding years of upwards
of £30 per acre; of rural land 48,979 acres were sold
during 1854 by public auction, and 32,075 acres at
fixed prices of 108, or 58 per acre.
In 1854, 1,008,600 acres of land were occupied as
sheep and cattle runs, for which Government received
a rental of £624 148 1d. Land was thus occupied in
the following manner, viz. :-11,600 acres in the
Waimea district, 127,000 in the Wairau, 4000 at
Kaituna, 50,000 at Waihopai, 55,000 at Omaka, 49,000
at Awatere, 52,000 at Flaxbourne, 26,000 at Upton
Downs, 82,000 at Fairfield Downs, 10,000 at Massacre
Bay, and 542,000 at Amuri.
The extracts from returns already quoted have suffi-
ciently shown the position and prospects of Nelson in


CHAPTER XIV.
DIGEST OF NELSON LAND REGULATIONS.
1. COUNTRY land is divided into rural and pasture
land. Prior to sale all rural and pasture land must be
declared open for purchase by the Superintendent in
the Provincial Gazette, one month previous to sale.
2. The upset price of rural land, when offered at
auction, shall be from 108 to 208 an acre.
3. The upset price of pasture land shall be from 58
to 10s an acre.
4. With regard to rural lands and pasture lands,
the fitness or unfitness for the purpose of tillage rather
than position, shall determine to which class they shall
belong
5. Land not advertised may be applied for, and the
Superintendent may offer it for sale at the auction
next after application made for it.
6. Persons applying for land in this manner must
deposit at the rate of 18 an acre on sending in their
application to the Survey office. If such land be not
purchased at auction, the deposit shall be forfeited.
I


114
LAND REGULATIONS
the
7. Purchasers at auction shall deposit one-tenth of
money bid, and the remainder of the money one
month after sale, or deposit will be forfeited.
8. Land submitted to auction, and unsold, may be
bought within six months, at the upset price, or the
highest price offered at auction for it.
Naval and Military Clauses.
9. Naval or military officers on full or half pay,
either of the Queen's or East India Company's ser-
vice, who shall retire to settle in New Zealand, shall
be entitled to receive a money certificate to the amount
of £300, on signing and depositing with the Commis-
sioner of Crown Lands a memorandum that they
engage to reside within the province of Nelson for
two years.
10. Non-commissioned officers and privates, and
petty officers and seamen, discharged with good-con-
duct certificates in New Zealand, shall one year after
they have resided within the province, be entitled to
money certificates to the following amount :-
Non-commissioned Officers and Petty Officers £60.
Privates, Marines, and Seamen.
£30.
Which certificates shall be received instead of money
in payment for land.
Licensed Runs.
1. Persons requiring licences to occupy sheep or
cattle runs, shall lodge with the Commissioner of the


118
CANTERBURI.
1
in the town of Lyttelton district, or in the Akaroa
district.
The town of Lyttelton district comprises the site of
the town of Lyttelton.
The Akaroa district comprises all that portion of
Banks's Peninsula, which is bounded on the north,
south, and east by the sea, and on the west by a right
line drawn from a point on the northern coast of
Banks's Peninsula, midway between the eastern head
of Port Levy and the western head of Pigeon Bay,
due north and south, across Banks's Peninsula, until it
meets the sea on the south coast of the Peninsula.
The province of Canterbury, peopled by the Can-
terbury Company in 1849, may be said to have been
started under more advantageous auspices than any
other province of the Colony ; the province has subse-
quently been retarded by the high price of Government
land, which was for some years sold at a minimum of
£3 an acre, and at the present day has only been
reduced to £2 an acre; a sum people are not disposed
to give, when they can buy equally good land in the
other province at the rate of 10s an acre-in other
respects the province ought to succeed, as it has in
land 12,000,000 acres, of which 4,000,000 acres are
available for all purposes. Its leaders are highly edu-
cated, active men, and no less than 3000 well selected
emigrants were sent out, in a single year, between
1850 and 1851. The land is level, and easy to plough,
being nearly all grass-land, and the province has a good
I


120
CANTERBURY
1
whose word, I can rely, I believe Canterbury is gene-
rally very deficient in timber; its wide plains are
consequently unprotected from the winds, which often
prevail in a manner peculiarly disagreeable to immi-
grants who come from warmer and more protected
parts of the colony. The want of timber of course
renders the east coasts of the province less picturesque
than other parts of the New Zealand Islands. In point
of scenery the parts of Canterbury which are best
known cannot be compared with either Nelson or
Otago.
The east coast is separated from the west by a diffi-
cult range of hills, the country between which and the
west coast is little known. Amongst these bill. dis-
tricts it is said there is much fine scenery. Mount
Cook, the highest mountain in the district, is upwards
of 12,000 feet high. It must not be supposed from
what I have said that the province has not advanced ;
since the Company first sent out emigrants much pro-
gress has been made, as the following reference to
census returns for March, 1854, as compared with
subsequent returns will show. In 1854 the population
of both sexes amounted to 3895 ; 7221 acres of land
were fenced in, 2920 of which were under crop.
The province owned 596 horses, 6363 head of cattle,
99,245 sheep, and 4391 pigs; the province exported in
wool, produce, and timber to the value of £15,337.
In 1856 the population numbered 5347, 4266 of
whom are English, 483 Scotch, 291 Irish, 62 French,
1


126
CANTERBURY.
that the applicant may be depended on, within one
year from his arrival in the province.
4. The rate of passage-money will be £22 per adult,
and children under fourteen years one half of the
amount. Infants under one year of age are not
charged for.
5. No person above the age of fifty will receive an
assisted passage.
6. Emigrants must pay their own expenses to the
port, and up to the period of embarkation funds must
be provided by the emigrant to meet expense of dock
charges for luggage, assumed at from 18 to 28 per
package.
The following articles are the least which will be
deemed sufficient for the voyage :-
For each Bed.-1 Mattrass, 1 bolster, 2 blankets, 6
sheets, 1 coverlid.
For Males.--6 Shirts, 6 pair of socks, 2 pair of
shoes, 2 complete suits of outside clothing, 1 hair
brush and comb.
For Females.—6 Shifts, 2 flannel petticoats, 6 pair
of stockings, 2 pair of shoes, 2 gowns, 1 hair brush
and comb.
For each Person.—6 Towels, 3lbs. of marine soap, a
knife and fork, a deep tin or pewter dish, a spoon, a
pint drinking mug, a hook pot.
The same description of winter and summer clothing
as is used at home, will be found suited to the voyage
and the colony.


CANTERBURY.
127
Provisions, cooking utensils, medicine, and medical
attendance, are supplied abroad.
The owner's name should be marked on each box.
Passenger’s luggage must not measure more than
ten cubic feet.
Each person must have one or two canvass bags,
as boxes will be kept below in the hold.


q
CHAPTER XVII.
OTAGO.
The Province of Otago, the southern province of the
Middle Island, is bounded on the north by the southern
boundary of the province of Canterbury; on the east
by the coast line, including the islands adjacent thereto;
on the west by the coast line, including the islands
adjacent thereto; on the south by the coast line, in-
cluding the islands adjacent thereto, with the exception
of Stewart's island, its adjacent islands, and Sclander
Island, and the island of Ruapuke.
The province returns three members to the House .
of Representatives.
The Provincial Council consists of nine members :
three of whom are returned for the town of Dunedin,
the chief town of the province, and six for the county
district.
Otago, first occupied in 1847, was founded by an
association of “lay members of the Free Church of
Scotland.”
Dunedin is situated in Port Chalmers ; the last har,
bour on the south-east of the Middle Island calculated
to receive large ships.
The outer harbour, which opens to the northern end,


--
f
CHAPTER XVIII.
DIGEST OF OTAGO LAND REGULATIONS.
1. RURAL lands are to be sold at a uniform rate of
10s per acre, with the following restrictions, viz: pre-
vious to obtaining Crown grants, occupants of land,
who have paid at the rate of 108 per acre, are required
to expend 408 per acre within four years, in houses,
fencing, and general improvements; their own labour
is to be held as part payment of this 40s.
2. When two or more applications be made for the
same land on one day, the land is to be sold at auction
to the highest bidder, amongst those only who have
applied for it.
3. No less than 10 acres can be sold.
4. Land is to be surveyed in rectangular blocks,
having at least twice the depth to road or river fron-
tage.
5. The Superintendent may reserve land from sale
and set it aside for public uses.
6. Leases may be granted of not less than 5 acres,
'nor more than 80 acres, of mineral lands, under cer
tain restrictions, for a period of 21 years.
7. Persons applying for pasture licences shall deposit


136
LAND REGULATIONS.
£20 with the Waste lands board. This sum shall be
forfeited unless the run applied for be stocked within
6 months from the day on which the lease be granted.
8. No person shall depasture cattle or sheep on
waste land without a licence.
9. During the month of September each year, re-
turns of all cattle and sheep depastured shall be sent
by owners of cattle and occupants of runs to the Waste
lands board.
Persons who make false returns are subject to a
penalty of £50, at least, and £400 at most, on con-
viction.
10. For depastured stock, owners have to pay as
follows, viz:
For every head of great cattle, sixpence per annum.
For ditto small cattle, one penny per annum.
This money is to be paid on or before the 1st of
December every year.
11. When land is proclaimed as within “a hun-
dred," wardens shall be elected by owners of depas-
ture licences.
Ten shillings per annum is to be paid for a licence on
or before the 1st of January each year.
Licence owners only may depasture cattle within
hundred.
12. Wardens may levy on cattle and sheep at the
rate of not more than
For every head of great cattle, 58.
For every head of small cattle, 1s.


THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.
141
island will have its own seat of Government, when a
change takes place probably Canterbury, the centre
province of the Middle Island, may be the seat of
Government of the Middle Island; it will be the
centre of the population of that island ; it is, compara-
tively speaking, free from earthquakes, and it is often
more accessible to ships than Wellington.
In the Northern Island, Auckland must always be
the chief commercial town, and as the far-seeing navi-
gator, Captain Cook, foretold, the Hauraki Gulf, on
which the eastern harbour of Auckland is situated,
will in all probability continue to hold the capital and
seat of Government.
Captain Cook, previous to expressing his opinion in
favour of the Hauraki Gulf as the proper site for the
capital, had visited Cook's Straits and other parts of
New Zealand; who could be more capable of forming
an opinion upon such a subject? Certainly, few are
likely to speak or write on the subject at the present
time with so little bias as Captain Cook, and it must
be remembered that this opinion has been backed up
by Captain Hobson, R.N., Captain Graham, R.N.,
Captain Hoseason, and I believe by Captain Drury,
and many other Commanders of the Royal Navy, who
are personally acquainted with the different provinces.
To the assertions I have made on this subject I
may offer the following reasons, viz. 1st, Auckland is
the centre of at least two-thirds of the entire European
and native population of the two islands; 2ndly, its har-
bours receive fully more than two-thirds of the entire


CHAPTER XX.
WANTS OF THE COLONY-THE NEW TARIFF.
AMONGST the most important public matters for the
consideration of colonists, and in wbich it behoves all
to interest themselves, are the founding good schools ;
the acquirement of a sufficiency of land from the
natives; the rendering of the land available for pur-
chase, by having it at once surveyed and opened up
by roads and bridges; and the furtherance of improved
postal arrangements by increased steam communica-
tion with the neighbouring colonies, and interprovin-
cial communication with the inland districts.
Main roads for the transit of stock should be
formed from Auckland to the Bay of Islands, New
Plymouth, and Wellington, in the Northern Island;
and from Wellington, through the provinces of Can-
terbury and Otago, in the Middle Island; as bas
already been stàted, these roads can only be carried
out with the assistance of the native population.
The acquirement of sufficient land in each province,
and a like minimum price of land, would conduce to
the welfare of the colony. People who return to the


NEW TARIFF.
145
neighbouring colonies, unable readily to obtain land
at a reasonable price in any one province, give a bad
name to New Zealand. On this account its progress
has been impeded, and it will take much careful and
federal legislation to retrieve the errors of the past.
No set of men in the colony are more likely to ad-
vance its interests in these matters than the members
of the present Government, whose leader, Mr. Stafford,
has done so much for Nelson, his own province, and
the members of whose Government unite the collec-
tive talent of Auckland, Canterbury, and New Ply-
mouth. By late accounts from Auckland, the present
Government has passed a bill to sanction half a mil-
lion of money being borrowed,* with which to pay off
the Company's debt, and to buy land for the province
of Auckland.
The new customs' tariff will be found to offer every
inducement to those engaged in agricultural pursuits.
This tariff fully evinces the liberal spirit in which Mr.
Stafford desires to govern the colony.
The following articles are admitted duty free, viz.-
1. All articles for the supply of Her Majesty's
Forces.
2. Animals, living.
3. Bricks, Slates, and Stones for building purposes
and Mill-stones.
4. Boats.
• The Government profits on land are so great, that this debt
would soon be paid.
L


NEW TARIFF.
147
.
4. Iron, rod, bar, bolt, hoop and sheet iron,
not otherwise manufactured, the cwt. 1 0
5. Salt at the cwt.
1 0
6. Spirits and strong waters of every kind,
sweetened or otherwise,of any strength
not exceeding the strength of proof by
Sykes' Hydrometer, and so on in pro-
portion for any greater or less strength
than the strength of proof, the gallon 8 0
7. Sugar; raw and refined of all sorts, trea-
cle and molasses, at the lb.
003
8. Tea, at the lb.
0 3
9. Tobacco, at the lb.
1 3
10. Wine, the gallon, in wood and bottle. 30
11. Wood, not manufactured, the cubic foot 02
12. Boots, shoes, hats, apparel, jewellery,
cutlery, clocks, watches, plated ware,
silk, woollen, cotton, linen bags manu-
factured (except corn and gunny bags
and woolpacks) sperm, stearine and
wax candles, (measuring outside the
packages) at the cubic foot.
3 0
13. All other goods, wares and merchandise,
measuring outside the packages, the
cubic foot
2 0


CONCLUSION.
149
80wn.
speaks a tolerably good soil : where the fern and tea-
tree grow in a thin and straggling manner, the land
had better be let alone.
On occupying new land, settlers will do well first to
clear and break up as much land as they intend to use
the first year; after breaking it up let them fence it in;
by this plan the land becomes sweetened before being
Summer fallows are best in New Zealand, and
autumn is the best planting season. Ploughs without
wheels are generally preferred for new lands, and bul-
locks are of more use and less trouble to keep than
horses. Strong short ploughs will break up fern, flax,
and tupaki land ; for commencement of a new farm,
any distance from towns and blacksmiths, the short
wooden-handled ploughs are perhaps altogether best,
Newly broken land when in crop, is subject to visits
from caterpillars ; wheat, oats, barley and grass, are
often checked in growth, and even destroyed by these
pestilent visitors, it is therefore injudicious for men of
small means to risk their all on a first crop.
Emigrants unskilled in agriculture should gain agri-
cultural experience at the expense of others : it would
be better for such people to work for one year without
remuneration, rather than risk their capital in ap-
proaching that which is more dangerous than the race-
course, and to a novice even less uncertain in its results
than rouge-et-noir or roulette. There is no short cut,
no royal road, by which a knowledge of farming may be
arrived at. “Why do you think-why does everybody


APPENDIX.
155
Intending emigrants will find works published on
most of the colonies at Mr. Stanford's, No. 6, Charing
Cross. The best of these works, on New Zealand, I
consider to be the one written by Mr. Fitton. From a
letter in this book, emigrants will see what advantages
New Zealand has over Canada in climate, available
land, and high markets—they will also perceive in this
letter, which is written by a person who has resided
in both colonies, how much more likely the New
Zealand colonist is to enjoy health, and how few diffi-
culties he will, comparatively speaking, have to contend
with. A reference to Mr. Swainson's book will make
known the favourable manner in which the climate of
New Zealand acts upon man's health, and how to those
who seek, in colonization, a happy home, New Zealand
offers more to be desired than any other colony, or
indeed any other country, can offer.
The overland route from Southampton, on the 12th
of each month, via Marseilles, Malta, the Isthmus of
Suez, and Ceylon, to Melbourne, commenced on the
24th February, 1857. A steamer runs once a month
from Sydney to Auckland, the charge of which for
first-class passengers is £15, for second-class £8, or
£10. Information about this route is to be obtained
at 12, St. Helen's Place, London, and 33, Renfield
Street, Glasgow.
From Auckland, people can obtain passages once a
month in the steamer Zingari to New Plymouth,
Nelson, Wellington and Canterbury. The prices are
as follows, viz.:-
£. S. d.
Between Auckland and New Plymouth 5 0 0
Nelson
7 10 0
Wellington 10 0 0
Canterbury 12 10 0
Food is included in the charges mentioned, and
everything but liquor, for which separate charges are
made. Objections may probably be urged against
DI