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The Journals and Correspondence
OF THE
Rev. John Butler
WHO WAS THE FIRST ORDAINED
CLERGYMAN IN NEW ZEALAND.
1819 to 1824 and 1840.

The compilation of this work has extended over a period of fifteen years, being from that day that my father first decided to have the original Journals typed, until the day that the Early Church Missionary Records of the C.M.S., London, were copied from the 'Hocken' Library. A depressing reply from the London Society, that it did not possess the old Records, portended a depleted product, until references in the Turnbull Library, Wellington, to the fact that there were two letters of Butler's in the 'Hocken' Library, Dunedin, upon enquiry, elicited the exulting fact that the late Dr. Hocken had, with munificent foresight, secured these treasured relics of our earliest pioneers for his magnificent ‘Collection.’

I should like specially to thank Mrs. R. W. Macdonald, of that Library, for her most valuable assistance; also Mr. J. C. Andersen, of the Turnbull Library, and his courteous staff; Mr. Cecil Kemp; Mr. A. C. Clemas; and Mr. H. C. L. Robinson, of Masterton; Mr. N. J. Bennington, of Wellington; and my brother, Wilfred.

WITH FILIAL LOVE AND VENERATION
I AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE THIS COMPILATION
TO MY FATHER, JOHN BARTON,
GRANDSON
OF THE
REV. JOHN GARE BUTLER,
To whose careful custody of old family papers, this work is
possible.

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