Professions and Trades, 1840-1846.

Grimstone's “Southern Settlements of N.Z.” contains (p. 40) the following information regarding employment, viz.:—“Agricultural, including labourers and servants, 521; domestic servants, 110; trades, 405; mariners, 55; merchants and storekeepers, 99; fishery trade (proportion for Wellington), 300; medical practitioners, 13; clergymen and priests, 6; legal profession, 9; other professions and trades, 73; employed by the Government, 29.

Extracts from a letter to Hon. F. A. Tollemache from a former servant, William Dew:—

Wellington, N.Z., 9th July, 1843.—I have taken this opportunity to write to you, my dear sir, after having two years' experience in the Colony… . I hope Minerd and Stack and all my fellow servants are well… . Most part of the gentlemen that come out here take great delight in walking the beach and smoking their cigars, instead of cultivating the land. If they will shew page 451 the industrious men a little more liberality, they will cultivate it for them… . I have purchased ten hens and a cock and a pig, and will purchase a cow soon. Phillips has opened a brickyard; Rutter is in constant work, and doing very well. Howell is a bullock driver. Each have been presented with a son, and all doing well.”—(“N.Z. Journal,” 20/1/44, p. 352).

Professions and Trades, up to 31st Aug., 1843.—Capitalists farming their own land 45, do. employing labourers 86, farm labourers and servants 339, domestic servants 33, lawyers of all grades 12, medical practitioners 13, clergymen and priests 5, merchant traders and auctioneers 42, schoolmasters 4, clerks 28, Government officers and constables 24, company officers 19, whalers and sailors 42, gentlemen 19, private surveyors 7, storekeepers 31, butchers 20, bakers 15, hotelkeepers and publicans 18, fishmongers 2, plumbers, painters and glaziers 15, coffee houses and milkmen 5, millers and brewers 9, tinmen 3, hairdresser 1, tailors 15, shoemakers 35, currier 1, carpenters 109, watchmakers 4, blacksmiths 16, printers 14, coopers 5, gunsmith 1, turners 2, ropemakers 4, cabinetmakers 18, chemist and druggist 1, journeymen and apprentices 19, mill and wheelwrights 4, brickmakers 16, boatmen 27, sawyers 64, shinglers 8, shipwrights 12, sailmakers 3, tallow chandlers 2, boat builders 3, masons, brickmakers and plasterers 28, flax dresser 1, carmen 3, bookbinder 1, milliners and bonnet makers 5, washing and needlework 3, engineers 3, saddlers 2, ginger beer maker 1, shepherds and stockmen 5, dyers 2, gardens and agriculture upon day work 37; total, 1247. Female domestics 33, schoolmistresses 4, boarding-house keeper 1, painters 3, tapster (Barrett's Hotel) 1. This return includes all the male population above 14 years.

Professions and Trades in 1845 were:—Agricultural, including labourers and servants, 110 domestic servants, 405 at trades, 55 mariners, 99 merchants and storekeepers, fishers 300 (proportion for Wellington), 13 medical practitioners, 6 clergymen and priests, 9 in the legal profession, 73 other professions and trades, 29 employed by the Government.

Cobb Houses. Reference has been made, in other portions of this work, to the native built “whares” and the “wattle and daub” houses built in the early days. The “N.Z. Journal,” 29th August, 1846, published a letter, in which it states that: “Cobb houses are drier than any other, and there is a Devon man that constructs cobb walls at page 452 3/- per superficial yard, and (for cash) at 2/3 per yard. He makes them 2ft thick, and pares the walls down to 18in. In this way a very neat and commodious cottage can be built for £125.”

Reference has also been made, on another page, to some of the earliest businesses carried on in the settlement in the early forties. The “Independent,” dated 5th April, 1845, contains the following advertisement:—“To be sold cheap, Hawkestone Street—a house of 4 rooms and passage, ground floor; sheds, 2 bedrooms, and loft; 1 acre leased at £12 per annum. Apply owner: Mr. Samuel Brees.” (See Fig. 91.)

The same newspaper, in its issue of the 17th January, 1857, announced in its advertising columns that tenders would be received for the erection of the House of General Assembly and Provincial Government Offices, Wellington, until noon of Monday, 2nd February, 1857. The site for the proposed buildings to be on the high ground at the rear of the Supreme Court. The signature of Wm. Fitzherbert was appended. (Fig. 282.)

Photographic Portraits. Mr. Davis, of Lambton Quay, near the Baron's Hotel, advertised, on the 19th May, 1858, that he “executes coloured and truthful portraits on glass, resembling miniatures on ivory. Also portraits on paper, which may be sent in letters to England or elsewhere without injury. Terms moderate. N.B.—Weather of no consequence.” (“Independent.”)

Cobb and Co's. coaches ran from Wellington along the West Coast to Whanganui twice a week. The fares were £3.

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Following is an alphabetical list of occupations and the number employed thereon in 1866:—Agents 2, architects and surveyors 5, attorneys, solicitors, etc. 6, auctioneers 7, bakers and confectioners 19, barrister 1, blacksmiths, farriers, etc. 11, boarding and lodging houses, etc., 9, boilermaker 1, bookbinders 2, booksellers, stationers and music sellers 5, boot and shoemakers 28, brewers 3, bricklayers 6, brickmakers 6, builders and carpenters 91, butchers 12, cabinetmakers 16, chemists and druggists 4, coachbuilders 3, contractor 1, cooper 1, cutler 1, dairymen 4, dentist 1, drapers 19, dressmakers and milliners, etc., 6, dyer 1, engineers 10, engraver and lithographer 1, fancy repoistory dealer 1, fellmongers 2, founders 2, fruiterers and greengrocers 3, furniture dealers etc. 2, general dealers 3, ginger beer, cordial and aerated water manufacturers 5, grocers 10, gunmaker 1, hairdressers 3, ironmongers 6, interpreter 1, lightermen 5, livery stables 3 (Prosser & Pearce, Lambton Quay, Pickard & Hamerish, Lambton Quay, and Prosser & Fraser, Manners Street), merchants and importers 28, millers 4, musician 1, oil and colour man (W. F. Mason, Lambton Quay), painters and plumbers 21, photographers 3, pianoforte tuner 1, printers 18, registrar for births, marriages and deaths (R. R. Strang, Esq.), saddle and harness makers 5, schoolmasters and schoolmistresses 8, sailmakers 3, seedsmen and florists 2, ship builders 3, ship chandlers 3, shipwrights 5, storekeepers 15, surgeons 2, tailors and clothiers 13, tanners and curriers 4, timber merchants 3, tinsmiths and workers 2, tobacconists 3, turners 2, undertaker 1, watchmakers and jewellers 9, wharfinger 1, wheelwrights 5.