The Timber Trade.

The timber trade of New Zealand was first brought into notice by Captain Cook. He refitted one of his vessels in Dusky, and spoke in glowing terms of the quality and extent of its timber resources. The next historical mention made of it is in 1793. Collins writes:—The Brittania left Sydney for the Cape of page 82Good Hope under charter to the New South. Wales corps, returning 5th June, 1793. En route she left a sealing gang, who reported the timber at Dusky was good for ships' spars, being light and tough. Governor Hunter, in a despatch dated Sydney, 22nd March, 1820, writes:—Ships are sent from India to New Zealand, where they leave people while they dispose of their cargoes at Port Jackson, who during the time they are there cut as many spars as they want, and in two instances built schooners of 50 tons, one of which was at Port Jackson, the other, I believe, was taken to Batavia. About this period Palmer, the last survivor of the political prisoners known in history as the "Scottish Martyrs," completed his term of imprisonment at Sydney Cove. He chartered a craft, and, proceeding to New Zealand, established a timber depot in Dusky. From thence he proceeded to the Hauraki Gulf, establishing another in the vicinity of what is now Coromandel. Palmer does not appear to have prosecuted the trade, as, beyond this one trip, the Records make no mention of him.

H.S. Coromandel, Captain Downie commander, arrived with a valuable cargo of spars for his Majesty's dock yards. The passage back occupied 17 days. She will sail with as little delay as possible for Europe. Three New Zealand chiefs and a chief's son paid us a visit by this ship. They appear to be extremely powerful men, and seem to enjoy much pleasure in daily parading our streets.—Sydney Gazette, 16th June, 1821.

Three or four ships—one of 1000 tons burden—are reported by the Active, just arrived from England, to be berthed for New Zealand, purposely to load with spars.—Sydney Shipping List, 26th April, 1822.

We have taken on board a great quantity of fine spars, but, unfortunately, the natives have cut the long ones too short; for instance, a spar of 30 and 20 inches are not longer than 64 or 68 feet, which should have been at least 80 feet, and this renders them of not half the value they would have been in England. Still, we have a number of fine and valuable spars aboard, so I am thinking, could we sell them at Port Jackson at such a price as would save the ship's expenses, I would return here, leaving some of my men, and would on my return be able to procure a cargo of selected spars that would pay the ship well to carry Home. We shall, in all, have a full cargo of timber on board—the greater part excellent spars—for general purposes, and a great many masts for vessels of 400 tons burden.—Extract from a letter written by Captain Providence, dated 28th June, 1822, in Sydney Record Office.

Establishments have been formed along the coast, and it has been customary for vessels to leave parties for the purpose of procuring spars for shipping and timber for building purposes. The timber of New Zealand is softer and more easily worked than that of New Holland.—Original document in Colonial Office, Busby.

River Ioke, New Zealand, May 8, 1822.—Arrived at the Bay of Islands, the ship Providence, Captain James Herd, who proceeded from thence on the 10th of the same month with a view of procuring spars at the River Ioke, Auga (Hokianga) on the opposite side of the island. The Providence came to an anchor in the river on Sunday, May 19, where she remained four months, and procured a cargo of excellent spars, some of which measured from 60 to 80 feet in length, and were of a proportionate thickness. The captain, officers, and ship's company treated the natives with the greatest humanity, kindness, and attention, and the latter, in return, behaved themselves so remarkably well that nothing of an unpleasant nature occurred to the discredit or injury of either party. The New Zealanders cut down and brought to the side of the vessel the whole of the spars. There were no thefts committed, nor did the ship sustain any accident or get aground, either in sailing in or out of the river. Mr John Cowell and Mr page 83Thomas Kendall, of the Church Missionary Society, and who had, previously to the arrival of the Providence, been instructed by the Rev. Mr Marsden to visit and promote friendly intercourse with the natives of the above river in order to ascertain the quantity and quality of the flax growing upon its banks, and to form a missionary settlement there, if practicable, embraced the opportunity of doing it at the time the ship was loading her spars, and exerted themselves in promoting and keeping up a good understanding between the sailors and the New Zealanders. Mr Kendall was generally on board the ship assisting Captain Herd as an interpreter, there being no person on board who was either acquainted with the natives or understood the New Zealand language. The captain took an accurate survey of the river and of the bar at the heads, and left a chart of the same with Mr Cowell and Mr Kendall. When the Providence left New Zealand she sailed for South America.—M.S. document Sydney Record Office.

The following, mostly New Zealand, timber was exported from Sydney during the year:—

1826 of the value of	£10,638
1827 of the value of	12,387
1828 of the value of	11,428
1829 of the value of	16,293
Total for four years	£50,746
For 1830 the export was 208,700 feet, valued at £1687.	For 1831 the export was:
45,595 feet planking, valued at	£ 526
1,134 oars, valued at	441
275,600 feet spars	2204
Total	£3171

The following timber-laden ships are notified in Sydney Customs Entries for 1831:—

• March 29: Juno, 212 tons (Paterson, master), with 1200 feet planking, 272 rough oars, and other cargo.—Dawson, Gore, and Co., agents.
• September 29: Fame, 202 tons (Banks, master), with 2700 feet planking, and other cargo.—Richard Jones, agent.
• April 12: New Zealand, 3600 feet pine, 14,000 flooring boards, and other cargo.—Clark and Hynds, agents.
• May 26: Louisa, with 32 pine logs, and other cargo.—J. MacLaren, agent.
• Brig Bee, 134 tons (Cuthbert, master), with 9000 feet pine planks, and other cargo.—Edward Byers, agent.
• August 30: Elizabeth, 236 tons (Clark, master), with 400 spars, 1000 boat knees, 500 rickers, 30,000 feet deals, and other cargo.—Lamb and Co., agents.
• November 8: Palambame, for London, shipped 70 spars from New Zealand and other cargo.
• November 29: Currency Lass, 90 tons (Backell), with 30 New Zealand spars and other cargo.—H. Dennison, agent.
• In New Zealand there is abundance of fine timber of all sizes and dimensions for shipbuilding purposes. The timber, which grows to a great height, may be procured in any quantity.—Communication to Royal Geographical Society, Hobart, 3rd January, 1834.
• In 1838, during the quarter ending July, 14,200 feet of timber and spars, valued at £360, were imported into Sydney. For the November quarter 7000 feet, valued at £73.—Shipping List.