Some Interesting Occurrences in Early Auckland: City and Provinces

Chapter 3 — N.Z. Annexed and Auckland Made the Capital

Chapter 3
N.Z. Annexed and Auckland Made the Capital

At first New Zealand was governed from New South Wales. In 1840 Captain Hobson was appointed Governor, and negotiated the Treaty of Waitangi, whereby the sovereignty of New Zealand was vested in the British Crown. In 1841 New Zealand was proclaimed independent of New South Wales. Ere long our first Governor sent our first surveyor–general, Felton Matthew, to the Waitemata to buy from the Maoris a site for the Capital. He acquired about 3,000 acres of waste land for a consideration which now looks ridiculous. We must remember, however, that this land was then worth just nothing, and the only thing that made it worth having was the coming of the British Government. Later on I explain this transaction a little more fully.

By 1842 the transfer of the Government from the Bay of Islands to Auckland had been completed, and the first Parliament of the Colony of New Zealand was held in Auckland in 1854. It must not be supposed that the choice of a site for the Capital was a simple matter. The principal rival to the Waitemata was Mahurangi. When it was objected that any ship drawing more than 15 feet could not enter that harbour the answer was, “What would a ship drawing more than 15 feet be doing on the coast of New Zealand?” Whangarei, Panmure and Hobsonville were also seriously suggested, and had many supporters, but Hobson' firmness prevailed, and New Zealand should ever hold his memory blessed.

Besides these competitors with Auckland for the site of the Capital it is well to make mention of its great rival as a city of any sort, capital or otherwise. I refer to Cornwallis on the Puponga peninsula in the Manukau Harbour. It was supposed by its promoters to have such a decided advantage by its proximity to Sydney as to enable it to become the chief centre of trade. The Manukau Land Association was formed in Glasgow, and the pioneers sailed in the ship Brilliant on 31st December 1840. A voyage certainly not of supersonic speed ended on the arrival of the expedition off the Puponga on 28th October 1841. A block of 25,000 acres was bought, but the Maoris afterwards disputed the sale, and the area was cut down to 2,500 acres by the Native Land Claims Court. The area was covered by heavy bush, and sawmilling was expected to be a great source of revenue. The plant for the mill arrived by the schooner Osprey in 1842, and was worked for some time, but without financial success. The settlers drifted away, the timber was disappearing, and after many years the bare land was sold for default in payment of rates, and bought by Mr. J. M. McLachlan, who was born on the Brilliant on the voyage out. The price paid was, if my memory serves me right, 9s. 6d. per acre. Mr. McLachlan was a well–known citizen, having an old–established drapery business in Queen Street At his death at the age of ninety–three he left this Manukau land to Auckland City for inclusion in Waitakere Park.