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Early Wellington

Population—Prison—and Post Office

Population—Prison—and Post Office.

The British population of the Company's settlement (writes Wakefield), “was at this time about 5000, including 3000 at Wellington and in the immediate vicinity, 150 at Whanganui, 1000 at Nelson, 600 at New Plymouth, and 200 in other parts of Cook Strait.”

About sixty prisoners were at the Wellington gaol, chiefly mutinous or runaway sailors, “but there were some felons,” states a newspaper of the 9th March, 1842, “and one person at least confined for debt only. They are all huddled together in a wretched Maori building, large enough for twelve or fifteen human beings at the most. We are told that the atmosphere is almost suffocating.” The same authority states: “A decent building for a Post Office is also especially required. On Sunday last we saw Mr. Mantell stuffing an old potato-sack amongst the reeds of the dilapidated hut he occupies as Post Master, to prevent the wind from blowing the letters off the table on which he had assorted them for delivery. One-fifteenth part of the revenue collected here and remitted to Auckland would suffice for the buildings needed.”