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White Wings Vol II. Founding Of The Provinces And Old-Time Shipping. Passenger Ships From 1840 To 1885

Hoisting The Union Jack

Hoisting The Union Jack.

It was on September 18, at 1 p.m., that Captain Symonds, as chief magistrate, hoisted the British flag on a staff which had been erected on a bold promontory commanding a view of the entire harbour. The flag was saluted with twenty-one guns from the Anna Watson, and then with fifteen from the Platina. Her Majesty's health was drunk at the foot of the flagstaff, and cheers were given for the Queen and for the Governor.

After the ceremony the party returned to the Anna Watson for lunch. In the afternoon a "regatta" was held, the competitors being the five-oared gig belonging to Mr. Felton Matthew and a six-oared gig belonging to the Anna Watson, both being manned by amateurs.

The news that Auckland had been made the capital of New Zealand soon drew people from other parts of the colony, and also from Australia, and the town grew up rapidly.

The bay to the east of Point Britomart was fixed upon by the officials for their place of residence, and so it became known as Official Bay. It was from this bay that the old Wynyard Pier used to run out. Of course, the whole waterfront thereabouts has been reclaimed many chains out to sea, just as it has been right round to Freeman's Bay, but when Hobson landed the waterfront in Official Bay would be about where Beach Road now runs. Store Bay, or Commercial Bay, as it was afterwards called, was right off the end of the present Queen Street, and there the business people set up their tents. Where the Maori hostelry now stands in Beach Road, just before you come to Stanley Street, there used to be a fine bay, which was called Mechanics' Bay, from the fact that a number of trades were carried on there. In that bay the first saw-pit was set up, and there was sawn the timber used in the first wooden building erected in Auckland—the Government store, which stood just about at the foot of the present Shortland Street. It was this store that gave the first name to the bay.

At that time the lower end of Queen Street was a swamp, with flax and manuka scrub, and the tide backed up the creek as far as the present Durham Street.

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This is a sketch of Commercial Bay from the North Shore side of the harbour. On the left is Point Britomart, crowned by St. Paul's Church. The infant town lay in the bight of the bay. Mount Eden can be seen in the background. On the right-hand side of the bay is Smale's Point, but it is much out of drawing, Still the picture is valuable, as it shows what an amazing change has come over the waterfront in the last seventy years or so. The date of the sketch would be about 1847.

A Very Early View Of Auckland From The Water.