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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Captain Donald MacLeod

page 556

Captain Donald MacLeod, who was well known in Auckland as a successful Islands trader, was born in Nova Seotia in 1844, and died at Noumea in 1894. His early life was spent assisting his father on his farm, in 1857, the family came to New Zealand per ship “Breadalbane,” arriving in Auckland. When quite a youth he took to a seafaring life and eventually had charge of the cufler “Rob Roy” for Messrs. Cruickshank and Co., of Auckland, and later sailed in the “Woodstock” to the New Hebcides, where he established himself in trade with the natives and had an immense area of land under cultivation in cocoanut, coffee, cotton, and maize. The natives from the first regarded him as a friend, and perfeet harmony reigned between them with the best results, Capt. Maeleod had several vessels trading with his produce to and from the New Hebrides. Besides these plantations he owned some valuable town sections in Noumea, his own private residence being situated in Havannah Harbour. After a most successful career of sixteen years, he sold his interest to the New Hebrides Company, and nine years later fell a victim to island fever. Referring to his visit to the New Hebrides, “Vagabond” in “The Australasian” of September, 1883, wrote:—“Captain Maeleod is a tall, powerful quiet-spoken man and impresses you with the idea that he is, above every thing, ‘level headed’: not one to be led away by impulse. He is a Nova Scotian by birth; for sixteen years he has been trading to the Islands on his own account, and is so well-known, and has acquired such interests and influence, that the first proceeding of the New Hebrides Company was to buy him out for a very handsome sum, and retain his services as resident manager. Captain Macleod, who for many years traded in labour to New Caledonia, is certainly a very good authority on the subject. He has always borne—and few men are better known in the Islands— a character for humanity, and it is said he would take the part of the natives against the whites in many eases of ill-usage. He strongly condemus the Queensland labour traffic, as having assumed such enormous dimensions that it cannot be kept under proper control.”

Thr Late Captain D. MacLeod.

Thr Late Captain D. MacLeod.

Residence of Captain D. MacLeod, Havannah Harbour, New Hebrides.

Residence of Captain D. MacLeod, Havannah Harbour, New Hebrides.