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Historical Records of New Zealand South

Mataura

Mataura.

The following advertisement appears in Sydney Morning Herald. It may be taken as the first advertised sale of New Zealand lands:—"New Zealand Estate. Mr S. Lyons is instructed to sell by auction in his temporary rooms, George street, Sydney, on Friday, March 27, 1840, at 11 o'clock precisely—Twelve important estates on the banks of the River Tetowis, in the Middle Island of New Zealand, having a frontage of one mile to the river by twenty miles in depth, and containing twenty sections, or 12,800 acres each lot. The Tetowis River is of considerable magnitude, which empties itself into Foveaux Strait, and is within three or four miles of the secure and well-known harbour of the Bluff, in and around which several whaling establishments have for some time been established. It is likewise in the vicinity of Jacob's River, where several large estates have been lately purchasd, and improvments commenced. In fact, the fine harbours on this coast, the richness of the soil, and the level character of the country, leave no doubt but that it will become one of the most thriving positions in New Zealand. This land was purchased from Tewaiki, chief of the southern parts of New Zealand, and duly conveyed by deed of "Feoffment," dated the 8th day of December, 1838, and therefore comes within the proclamation. The original title deeds are left with the auctioneer for inspection, and the purchaser will receive a conveyance in conformity therewith. The buyers will be let into immediate possession of the land upon payment of the purchase money. Terms at sale." (Fuller reference to the above, see under "Hobson's Appointment as Consul.")

What is named "Tetowis" River is undoubtedly meant for Toi-tois, at the mouth of the Mataura. The southern chief "Tewaiki" is obviously intended page 167for Tuhawaiki. Who the vendor was cannot be traced. Twenty sections of 12,800 acres each gives a total area of 256,000 acres. The district native land claims were as follow:—

Thomas Jones, Sydney, area 25,600 acres, which the commissioners disallowed; no appearance being made in support of the claim. W. G. Thomas, area acquired in 1838, on which £90 alleged to have been paid. It was subsequently disallowed; no claim being formally preferred. Sydney Records state the area claimed by Thomas to have been 250,000 acres. Probably that was what was offered at auction. S. M. Thomson, 12,800 acres, acquired in 1838, on which £60 alleged to have been paid. It was also disallowed; no formal claim being preferred. F. W. Unwin, area not stated, nor other particulars given; disallowed. These are the only recorded claims to land at Toi-tois. What is named a deed of "Feoffment" was an old Scotch form of real property deed of investiture. The man chiefly engaged drawing these deeds was one Cruickshanks. He had been a Scotch conveyancer sent out for fraud. After serving his term, he visited New Zealand in a trading vessel, bringing a cargo of these deeds, which were filled up and executed as the bargains were concluded. His charges were £5 5s per deed, payment of which he took in sealskins, oil, and whalebone. He took back to Sydney a shipload of these articles, and is said to have made a good thing out of the venture. He was, so far as known, the first practising lawyer or conveyancer in New Zealand.

The auction sale referred to was stopped by Governor Gipps. In a despatch to Lord John Russell, dated February 9, 1840, he writes:—For some few days after Captain Hobson's arrival, an auction of land in New Zealand having been advertised to be held in Sydney, I sent an officer of this Government to warn all persons intending to become purchasers that they would do so at their own risk; a warning which had the immediate effect of stopping the sale.

[Tetowis, being a misnomer for Toi-tois, was the name by which the Mataura was known in Sydney. A native of that name is said to have lived at its mouth, and probably it derived the name from him. In Maori language it can be made applicable to the kumara, as also to a fresh-water fish. A shore whale station Avas subsequently established. It made one record haul of whales, beyond which it did no good, and was eventually abandoned.]