Remarks on the Past and Present State of New Zealand, its government, capabilities and prospects, etc

Front matter

© f f $ i $ 1 1 bcv Jsnfoii.ifaf.ion nun ttni^iiflfmih. Son ben erften Slicbertaffungcn bafct6fl im Satire 1607 bi$ $ur CFinfiibrun**! ber ton 2Jlaj*fa$ufctt*? mi 3a*re 1692. 5Jad) ben iiuellen bearbeitet oon Saltoj Urtfll tintr Surti* nnu lieii-*£tins*iiil) im 3al)K 1674 g. a 8 t o tf I) i u e. 1847. i REMARKS ON THE PAST AND PRESENT STATE OF NEW ZEALAND, ITS GOVERNMENT, CAPABILITIES, AND PROSPECTS WITH A STATEMENT OF THE QUESTION OF THE LAND-CLAIMS, AND REMARKS ON THE NEW ZEALAND LAND COMPANY ; ALSO, A DESCRIPTION (NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED) OF ITS INDIGENOUS EXPORTS, AND HINTS ON EMIGRATION, THE RESULT OF FIVE YEARS' RESIDENCE IN THE COLONY. I;i WALTER BR0D1E. LONDON: ■WIIITTAKER AND CO. AVE MARIA LANE. 1845. LONDON : GILBERT AN0 RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, st. John's square. TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD STANLEY, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES, THESE REMARKS ARE, BY PERMISSION, RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY his lordship's OBEDIENT SERVANT, WALTER BROD1E.

Preface

. I should have felt that some apology was clue to the public for thus adding to the number of publications already before them on the subject of New Zealand, had I not been fully satisfied that the observations I shall make, being the result of personal experience, will not be without utility to the Emigrant, — and being the testimony of an eye-witness, will confirm some statements of great importance to the Colony to be known, — as well as correct many mistaken views which I have found, since my return from New Zealand in 1844, to be too prevalent in the public mind. I have discussed freely, but without the slightest feeling of personal animosity, the conduct and the errors of the Local Government ; and I have en deavoured to trace to its origin, the present embar rassed and almost ruined state of the Colony.

PREFACE.

. VI To the account of the Indigenous Exports of the country, I may fairly claim attention, as I have myself travelled over the greatest part of New Zealand, with the view of ascertaining, among its ather resources available for colonization, the natural products of the islands, all of which I have enume rated, and all of which are of inestimable value to the settlers. Of two of these, Flax and Copper, I have given a more detailed account, as claiming a greater share of present attention, and affording the prospect of incalculable future wealth. It may be predicted that flax will form the staple aud the principal export of the country, and that copper will be found (chiefly in the northern part of the North Island) in inexhaustible quantity. I have thrown together some hints and observations on the subject of Emigration, though in a somewhat cursory manner, unavoidable in a hastily written work like the present, but which will not, I trust, be without value to those for whom they are chiefly intended.

And I here repeat the advice I have given elsewhere to those about to emigrate, on no account to be induced to purchase land while in this country, but to take their money with them, (not in bills on any person or bank, either in New

PREFACE.

. VII Zealand or New South Wales, but in specie,) and there to judge for themselves, and select their own situations. My wish throughout has been to state the truth, and to illustrate it by facts; and neither with regard to individuals, or other matters, have I advanced any statement which I am not prepared to verify. I have endeavoured to render my observations practically useful, and by their value, in this respect alone, I am desirous that the following pages should be judged. Walter Brodie. The Gore, Eastbourne, Sussex, January 1, 1845. CONTENTS. PAGE The Appointment of Mr. Shortland 4 The Settlement at Russell Town 15 The bad policy of the Local Government towards the Aborigines . 21 The Non-Settlement of the Land Claims 44 The New Zealand Company 78 Captain Fitzroy 86 Indigenous Exports — New Zealand Flax (Phormium Tenax) . . 90 Emigration 106 Rotorua Lakes and District 131 Postscript 146 Appendix 1 155 II 157 Visit to the Reinga, the reputed Dwelling of Departed Spirits . .16 ERRATA.

Page 3, line 2 from bottom, for Mi*. Cowper read Mr. Cooper. — 57, — 7 „ „ for Mr. Lawrence read Mr. Florence. REMARKS > Sfc. Bay of Islands. In 1838, New Zealand appeared to begin its existence, as a British Colony, under the most favourable auspices. No spot in the world afforded so wide a field for enterprise, or offered the same combination of advantages to the English settler. And although there was no local authority to direct our proceed ings, the population began to concentrate itself — townships were laid out, and communities formed, at the Bay of Islands, and at Port Nicholson — society was in some measure established, and trade seemed starting into life. Upwards of seventy merchant vessels and whalers might be seen, at the same time, anchored off the township of Kororarika. The ex ports, from the Bay of Islands to New South Wales, amounted annually to 140,000/.

All the settlers were active, contented, and sanguine, and every thing held out the fairest prospect of success. It is true there was a British resident in the person of Mr. Busby, but his authority and duties were of a very B BAY OF ISLANDS. limited kind ; yet, without the aid of any established government, or even any protective force, greater tranquillity prevailed, and a better understanding existed, between the settlers and the aborigines, than has been known at any subsequent period. Robbery was almost unknown, and crime ' of any kind seldom heard of. The Colony was now ripe for the establishment of a local government ; and had men of intelligence, and some experience in the administration of civil affairs, been placed in official situations, it cannot be doubted for a moment that our hopes would have been fully realised ; whereas now, at the end of five years, after an enormous expenditure of money, every thing is in confusion.

Agriculture has been put a stop to ; the non-settlement of the land-claims has caused the greatest anxiety and difficulties to the settlers, and has so far disturbed the peaceable rela tions between them and the natives, that the latter have been led into acts of outrage and violence, and even murder ; in short, the Colony has been brought to the brink of ruin by the singular and lamentable incapacity of the men under whose government we have been placed. To describe fully and accurately the origin and extent of all the mischief they have caused, and to expose their absolute ignorance of colonial affairs, 1 Of those crimes, committed previous to 1840, with which the public are acquainted, the majority originated with the Eu ropeans. BAY OF ISLANDS. and the weakness which characterised all their mea sures, would be to record the whole of their proceedings from their first arrival in the Colony up to the present time.

Such a history would exhibit the most extraordinary combination of imbecility and ignorance, of political dishonesty and selfish cupidity, that has ever been manifested by any set of public men. Their conduct, in every instance, has been marked either by the most profound ignorance, or by the utmost contempt of all the principles of general and colonial policy, as well as by a total neglect of all the minor duties of office. One object, and one only — their own interests — engrossed all their attention. Compared with that, the prosperity of the Colony, and the interests of the public, were esteemed as nothing, and entirely disregarded. My observations will tend to demonstrate the evils resulting to the affairs of the Colony, from — 1. The appointment of Mr. Shortland. 2. The settlement at Russell Town. 3.

The bad policy of the Local Government to wards the Aborigines. 4. The non-settlement of the Land-claims. I shall then show the value and capabilities of the Colony, in an account of its " Indigenous Exports," and conclude by offering some remarks on the subject of " Emigration." b -1 1. The Appointment of Mr. Shortland. On the 30th of January, 1840, the Lieutenant- Governor of New Zealand, Captain Hobson, arrived in the Bay of Islands. On the 6th of February, the treaty of Waitangi, that most absurd and mischievous treaty, was signed by him, and a small number of the native chiefs of the Northern Island. To induce the settlers to assist him in getting the signatures of the other chiefs required for the treaty, Captain Hobson made us distinctly understand, that all the lands we had purchased from the natives should be held by us as our own property, in all cases in which the natives were satisfied with their sales.

But as soon as ever the treaty was completed, we were informed that we possessed no title whatever to land in New Zealand ; and that all we claimed belonged, of right, to the Queen of Great Britain. This act of deception was not calculated to give the settlers any very favourable opinion as to what we were to expect from the new government. Captain Hobson had been only a few weeks in the Colony when he was seized with paralysis, which rendered him quite incapable of performing the duties of his office. It was now that Mr. Shortland, the protege of Captain Hobson, virtually assumed the conduct of the government, under the designation of " Acting Colonial Secretary ;" and was, in fact, a few months afterwards, on Captain Hobson's recommendation, gazetted as Colonial Secretary. On what grounds Captain Hobson recommended such a person, or the Colonial-office made the appointment, it is the most difficult thing in the world to compre hend.

Mr. Shortland had been bred to the Navy, and served under Captain Hobson as lieutenant, and had been at sea all his life. It was never pretended, either by Captain Hobson or himself, that he was in any way qualified, either by education or experience of business, for the duties he undertook. His conduct in office was marked by ignorance, harshness, and obstinacy ; he attempted to rule with a rod of iron. The situation in which this most in competent person was placed required above every other to be filled by a man of ability and colonial experience, who could have put, and kept in motion, the whole machinery of the Colony. New Zealand has been ruined by the want of an able man in this department. It cannot be said that Mr. Shortland was the best man to be had ; for there was Mr. Har rington, chief clerk in the Colonial Secretary's office at Sydney.

Had he, in compliance with the wishes of all parties, been appointed, New Zealand would never have been in its present difficult situation. A man of experience in colonial business was required, and Mr. Harrington was the man. To illustrate Mr. Shortland's way of " doing busi ness," I will describe two transactions in which he played a conspicuous part. Mr. Shortland had not been many weeks in New Zealand before he, together with Mr. G. Cooper, Mr. F. Mathew, and Dr. Johnson (all government officers), commenced jobbing in land. They purchased a large tract of country, in the Frith of the Thames, from Mr. Webster, for which they gave a bill of 1000/. Sir G. Gipps, Governor of New South Wales, heard of the transaction, and severely reprimanded them; they were nevertheless allowed to keep the land.

Mr. Shortland next purchased an allotment of land at Auckland, in pretended compliance with the terms of Sir G. Gipps' circular of the 1 7th Sept. 1840, viz., "That all government officers requiring land to build upon immediately, and previous to the first land-sale, shall be allowed such land, provided such land was not purchased for the sake of land-jobbing ; and that the officers above alluded to do not sell their land for the space of three years ;" and that " if such land were sold by any of the said officers before the expiration of three years, it was to be immediately forfeited to the Crown." What was the consequence ? Mr. Shortland found that he could get a good price (1200/.) for his land, and he immediately sold it to Mr. F. W. F. Porter, setting at defiance the provision of Sir G. Gipps' circular.

In a few days the affair became known to the public, and a great outcry was made by the settlers in Auckland. Mr. Dudley Sinclair wrote to Lord John Russell on the subject, and at the same time Governor Hobson sent a despatch, dated July 21st, 1841, in which, alluding to Mr. Sinclair's letter, he states, " that Mr. Shortland denies the sale of the said land, and states that it is only let to Mr. Porter, and that Mr. Sinclair's assertion, that the Colonial Secretary has sold his allotment, is incorrect ; but having bought another at the sale, he has let it, having first paid for it, and he now occupies the other: and that he finds it very hard to attach criminality to these transactions." This was all very civil in Captain Hobson to screen, if possible, Mr. Shortland from the charge of land-jobbing; but I trust that Lord Stanley has seen long ago that the above allotment, which Mr. Shortland denied having sold, and which Captain Hobson stated to have been only let, was in reality sold by Mr. Shortland to Mr. Porter on the 12th of July, 1841, as may be seen from the copy of the title-deed entered into by Mr. Shortland aud Mr. Porter, printed in the Report on New Zealand, July 29th, 1844, p. 455, which was signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of Mr. J. I. Freeman, head clerk in the Colonial Secretary's office, and Mr. Charles Brewer, Mr. Shortland's attorney ; and which copy was sent home to Lord Stanley from New Zealand, on the 27th of May, 1 843, by Mr. Porter.

Lord Stanley and the Colonial-office had thus an opportunity afforded them of judging what dependence they ought to place in Mr. Shortland's representations regarding the Colony, and particularly the early settlers, who have been so infamously treated by him. If Mr. Shortland were capable of deceiving Captain Hobson and the Colonial-office in one instance, he might be guilty of the same in any number of others. The next affair which I shall describe will afford an instance of the peculiar manner in which Mr. Shortland dealt with questions of finance. It is a transaction which he carried on with Mr. Boyd, of Sydney, and which must astonish every man of business, while it supplies an example of that tact which Governor Hobson praised so much, and which he only could discover. However, considering the little experience Mr. Shortland must necessarily have had in such matters, the colonists may, after all, give him some credit for the numerous shifts he had re course to in this the most perplexing and intricate branch of civil government.

For my own part, con sidering that he had every thing in the art of govern ment to learn since he came amongst us, I am not at all surprised at the frequent dilemmas into which he fell. Indeed, I am persuaded that he never thought when he took office, that such a thing could happen as the revenue falling short of the enormous current expenditure, until, upon a certain day, the Colonial Treasurer informed him that all the money raised from the sale of Auckland allotments and other lands was spent, — that, in short, the treasury was empty. This was certainly an awkward predicament for a man to be placed in, and calculated to perplex a person knowing so little about such matters. Mr. Shortland's situation was any thing but pleasant, as he had informed the Colonial-office that upwards of 25,000/. had been received on account of land-sales at Auckland for the past year, and that a much greater sum might be relied upon as the produce of the next.

The former sum was all spent, and the latter was a false calculation. Fear and shame were, however, finally and fully overcome, and it was deter mined to draw upon England. The obvious plan of negotiating the drafts through the local bank at Auckland was deemed inexpedient ; perhaps because it was thought better to give the benefit arising from such a transaction to one of the Sydney banks. At all events, the Government would neither condescend to sell the drafts themselves, in such sums as the public required (say from 100/. upwards), which might have been readily done upon the spot, nor would they permit the local bank to do so, but sent them to an agent at Sydney. From their unhappy ignorance of business, however, this plan entirely failed ; because the agent was required by them to sell only at a certain premium, which, it might have easily been foreseen, he could not accomplish ; and because the drafts themselves were drawn for sums so large, as to render them, even on this very account, unsaleable.

In consequence of this, and a variety of other blunders, the credit of the Government was so completely destroyed in Sydney, that their drafts could not, eventually, be disposed of on any terms. In this emergency, Mr. George Cowper, the col lector of customs, the oldest and the most experi enced of the officers of Government, was forthwith dispatched to Sydney, for the purpose of obtaining money in any possible manner. This gentleman entered into preliminary arrangements with Mr. Boyd, the manager of the Royal Bank of Australasia ; aud the contract was ratified by Mr. Shortland, the officer administering the go vernment. On the return of Mr. Cooper to the Colony, it appeared that the terms of this extra ordinary contract were, — that Mr. Boyd should negotiate their drafts upon the Home Government, at the unheard-of discount of fifteen per cent., stipulating, at the same time, that, in addition to the payment of this discount, he should receive, for every sum paid by him, debentures upon the re venues of the Colony to an equal amount ; so that the Government, in order to receive 15,000/. at fifteen per cent, interest, actually agreed to make over to Mr. Boyd a sum of 30,000/., for which amount the Colony became indebted to the Home Government.

The impolicy of anticipating the revenues of a colony by the issue of debentures is obvious, and has been reprehended in other cases by the Secretary for the Colonies. In this case, besides being highly impolitic, it was also illegal, inasmuch as it was never sanctioned, or approved of, by the Executive Council, who alone could be presumed to have the right of adopting such an extreme measure. So well did Mr. Shortland himself seem to be aware of the illegality of this contract, that, although the debentures had been executed, he nevertheless failed, when drawing for the first sum of 2000/., to forward them to Mr. Boyd as agreed upon ; perhaps he was trying an experiment ; and he so far succeeded, that Mr. Boyd paid the 2000/., but intimated, at the same time, that he had done so for the honour of the Local Government ; though he gave Mr. Shortland unequivocally to understand, that in future not a shilling should be advanced without the stipulated debentures.

The 2000/. being very soon expended, and necessity requiring that more money should be advanced, the Government now applied to the local Bank at Auckland, with the view of negotiating, through it, drafts to the amount of 3000/. upon Mr. Boyd. But the directors of the Bank, before enter taining such a proposal, required, as a preliminary step, to be put in possession of all the facts regard ing the arrangements made with Mr. Boyd ; and with this view, two of their number were deputed to wait upon Mr. Shortland, who satisfied them that the terms of the contract had been fully complied with, and, in particular, that debentures, equal to the amount to be drawn, had been duly executed, and would be forwarded to Sydney, along with the drafts. On the faith of this assurance, the Bank discounted Mr. Shortland's drafts on Mr. Boyd to the full amount of 3000/.

To the great surprise of the Bank directors, however, the first communication from Sydney conveyed to them the astounding in telligence of the dishonour of Mr. Shortland's drafts, because of the extraordinary fact, that the debentures had not, according to the terms of the agree ment, been forwarded by Mr. Shortland to Mr. Boyd. Mr. Shortland, indeed, forwarded the de bentures to Sydney, according to the arrangement made with the Bank directors, but after so doing, he despatched the Government pinnace to the Bay of Islands, to forward by the same vessel a letter countermanding the order to deliver them to Mr. Boyd. It is, at all events, a fact, that the debentures were withheld, although the money was obtained from the Bank under the pretence that they would be transmitted along with the drafts.

Looking upon the above transaction in a mere business point of view, I must say that the arrangement with Mr. Boyd was not only the most injudi cious, but the most injurious to the interest of the Colony that could be entered into. The Colony is first of all brought into debt to pay the expenses of Mr. Shortland's government to the amount of 15,000/.; then for this, fifteen per cent, is to be paid. But the most strangely unaccountable part of the transaction is, the handing over to Mr. Boyd, in addition to the drafts upon the Home Government for this 15,000/., an additional sum of 15,000/., in the shape of debentures on the revenues of the Colony. Did it never occur to the Government, that a man engaged in business in New South Wales might fail, even with all this assistance from Mr. Shortland?

What would become of the 15,000/. in such a case ? But supposing there was no risk, as far as Mr. Boyd was concerned, and I do not know that there was any, what a character does this transaction give to our Colony, and to our Govern ment in particular ! Obliged to sell bills upon the British treasury at a discount of fifteen per cent. giving debentures upon the Colonial revenue as security besides ! ! ! Was the British Government ever before at such a discount, in any other part of the world ? Mr. Shortland, at least, will deserve to be remembered as the person under whose adminis tration such an extraordinary event occurred. I admired Mr. Boyd's tact in the management of this business. It is to be kept in view, that while he received, and, no doubt, made use of, the Govern ment drafts for 15,000/., together with fifteen per ceut. for the same, that he still held the whole of the money in his hands ; all he paid to Mr. Short land was 2000/., for which, according to the agree ment, he should have received debentures to the same amount on the Colony.

The value of this money could not in reality have been less than ten per cent, to Mr. Boyd at such a time ; so that the Government actually arranged to pay twenty-five per cent, for depositing their money with a private individual. They must have been dreadfully afraid of trusting themselves with the custody of this money, before they consented to get rid of it on such terms. Had they formed at the time any idea of their future necessities, they surely would have tried the experiment of keeping it themselves. Disgraceful as these and similar financial schemes undoubtedly are, yet any inquiry into the application of the revenues of the Colony affords quite as little satisfaction; for, besides the large sums consumed by the Government officers and their friends, a vast amount has also been absolutely sunk in the erection of temporary wooden buildings, as public offices, as well as in the improvement and decoration of a wooden building sent out from England, for a Govern ment-house (New Zealand at the same time exporting the finest timber in the world to England, the Kauri pine).

On this house, which originally cost 2000/., and which might have served every purpose required for the comfort and convenience of the governor of a new Colony, no less a sum than 15,000/. or 20,000/. has been thrown away ; while not even 100/. have been, as yet, devoted to local pur poses. In fact, so little has the comfort or convenience of the public been attended to, that even the streets of Auckland itself, where the people have expended nearly 40,000/. in the purchase of allotments, are in such a state as to be utterly impass able ; although an outlay of 100/. or 200/. would have been sufficient for their improvement. The revenue of the Colony appears to have been made subservient to one purpose only, — that of being expended, directly or indirectly, upon the Govern ment officials themselves, or upon their friends. 2.

The Settlement at Russell Town. Captain Hobson, on his arrival in 1840, found the settlement of Kororarika already formed, and his first care should have been to give strength to the edifice which had already been reared, and to con solidate what already did exist. Another spot might have been chosen for the capital ; but it would have been wise to have nursed the rising importance of the Bay of Islands, which was so effectually to in fluence the destinies of the Northern and Western coasts, from which exports of considerable magnitude were annually made, and which port was considered by Captain Cook to be one of the finest harbours in the world. This little town of Kororarika was re quested to be given up to the Government, the lands and buildings there at that time being worth about 25,000/.

We offered to give Government sufficient land for all the Government buildings, in cluding barracks, cemetery grounds, church land, market places, &c. &c, besides one half of the land which was not built upon. Could we do more ? But this was not enough ; and we were again asked to give up the whole, including the buildings, and to leave the remuneration to the generosity of Government. Mr. Shortland himself stated to me, that he would either have all or none ; and that if we did not give up the whole, we should some day have cause to repent it, — a threat, which was quite in keeping with that gentleman's mode of " doing business :" and how it was attempted to be carried into execution, and with what advantage to the Colony, will shortly be seen. The consequence was, that Mr. Mathew, the Surveyor-General, was ordered by Captain Hobson to find out in the Bay of Islands the best situation for a Government township.

On the 3rd of February, 1840, a public meeting was held in the church, which Mr. Mathew attended, when he told the inhabitants, and many others, who were present, that Kororarika was admirably situated for a Government township, on account of its safe anchorage and deep water close in shore ; and that, if the inhabitants would go to the expense of building a circular wharf in front of the town, which might easily be done, as nearly all the requisite materials wrere on the spot, he thought the Governor would not object to his super intending the operation, which he should have much pleasure in constructing. After we had refused to give up all our land and buildings at Kororarika, on the condition of leaving the remuneration to the generosity of Government, Mr. Mathew again re ceived instructions from Captain Hobson to select a place in the Bay of Islands for a township ; and on March 22nd, 1840, he wrote to Captain Hobson, and stated that Kororarika was unfit in every way for a settlement, and could not be regarded as an eligible spot, as the water in approaching the beach was very shallow, and that it was quite impossible for vessels, even small schooners, to approach within a considerable distance of the shore.

The glaring inconsis tencies of this Mr. Mathew were beyond all descrip tion, especially where he himself was in any way connected land-purchases; but he was a fair sample of ur Government officers. Instead of laying out a Government town at Kororarika, Mr. Mathew recommended Captain Clendon's property, situated at Okiato, which Mas afterwards called Russell Town. During all this time Captain Hobson was very ill, and Mr. Shortland and Mr. Mathew were the "Acting Governors" of the Bay of Islands, and omitted no means of carrying out to the utmost their threat against the population of Kororarika. Captain Clendon being well aware of the two in telligent men he had to deal with, on behalf of Captain Hobson, asked double what he expected for his property ; 23,000/. was at first demanded for his 300 acres of land, wooden house, wooden store, wooden blacksmith's shop, small wooden cottage, and twenty yards of a jetty, at the end of which there was about as much as four feet of water, but the whole was ultimately sold for 15,000/. ; the whole of the buildings might have been put up new for 1600/., and as to the land, it was worth absolutely nothing.

When the deed was signed between Captain Hobson and Captain Clendon, the former had never seen the land at all, but left the matter to c his two sapient officers ; either of whom knew as much about the selection of land as the other. Besides being at a great distance from Kororarika, which was already established as the principal place of trade, Captain Clendon's property was open to every objection as the site of a town ; — it had not even the first requisite, of a good supply of water; for during his residence there he dug a well, one hundred and fifty feet deep, without obtaining water ; and he was actually compelled, in the summer season, to send across the river, which is a mile broad, for all the water he required. Mr. Clendon's land has been described in the evidence before the Parlia mentary Committee as "like fifty loaves of sugar placed upon a table, just up-hill and down-dale all over."