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Historical Records of New Zealand South

The Compiler's Note. — Introductory And Explanatory

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The Compiler's Note.
Introductory And Explanatory.

Rich in historical romance, early New Zealand South is but poorly represented in historical narrative. The explanation is that missionaryism, officialdom, and kindred mental capacity in authorship, confined itself to the more genial climate of the north, and knew little or nothing of what went on in the far south. What they saw fit to hazard thereanent was mere conjecture, and it is now safe to assert that it amounts to little more than error of judgment founded upon errors in fact.

During 1835-38, when the colonisation of New Zealand came to be discussed, the Imperial Parliament, in Select Committee, took a number of colonial experts into its confidence. They talked glibly of New Zealand and its affairs in relation to the north, but one and all pleaded ignorance of the south, and, with very few exceptions, refused to express opinion thereupon. Conspicuous amongst the exceptionals was Mr J. B. Montefoirs, a man of good social standing and ability. Questioned quoad the south, he made the following startling and in many respects ill-founded assertions:—

"I think the character of the natives in the: south is less intelligent than those of the north. That may arise from their non-intercourse with Europeans. I do not think they would understand the nature of a bargain for the sale of their lands as well as the people in the north. The capabilities for colonisation of the northern parts of the South Island are very good, but not the southern part of that island. That part I should think was very bleak and cold and not fit for settlement. It is very mountainous—a range of mountains run through the entire island. The people are not, apparently, of the same race, but they are similar in their habits."

Sir E. Barring had a similar tale to tell. He confined his observations to Stewart Island. He said—"The necessity for purchasing land in this island is not so urgent as purchasing land at the Bay of Islands, because there is no contract between the natives and the whites at the former. They are there on no title. They have made no purchase. They are merely there on occupation. If it were necessary to form an establishment at Stewart Island it could be done, but the most urgent necessity is to put an end to the state of things in that part of the country, where the native and white page ivpopulation are now in contact. There is no timber on Stewart Island. It is a sealing establishment. We know nothing of their manner of going on. They might knock each other on the head and nothing would be heard of it."

There is no reason to assume these were other than honest enunciations, but it will be seen they were grossly mistaken views. Native tenure in the land was quite as well defined in the south as it was in the north. Native purchases and purchase-contracts boded the entire island, leaving nothing for the natives themselves. Material for civilisation and facilities for settlement were equal if not superior, and as for the alleged absence of timber, the fact is timber gangs were even then at work round the coast.

It will thus be seen historical New Zealand South is founded on very imperfect data, and if authenticity is to be secured, more reliable sources of information must be sought. In view thereof I visited Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne, and other places known to have had traffic intercourse with New Zealand. Archives of New South Wales, the parent colony, under whose auspices the infancy of Southern New Zealand was fostered, were carefully ransacked, and in doing so I had valuable assistance from Mr F. M. Balden, F.R.H.S. (Barrister at Law), of the Historical Record Office, Sydney; also recording officials belonging to the other colonies.

In some instances these record-narratives led up to incidents enacted in the more northern parts of New Zealand, and would assuredly have been incomplete unless the whole narrative were given. None of these coincidents are, I observe, dealt with in current histories, so that their publication presents itself; to us in the light of entirely new record-matter.