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Early Wellington

Town Acres

Town Acres.

The following extracts are from a letter written by Mr. Francis Bradey to his son, Henry, in England:—

page 57
“Port Nicholson, N.Z., Aug. 16th, 1840.

“The survey of the town is completed and the whole of the town acres are delivered out according to the plan of the Company. I have been employed all the week looking out my three town acres, and a quarter of an acre. For the latter I gave £60 shortly after my arrival and it proved to be in a good position (locality of the Hutt County Council Office, Lambton Quay). I have been offered £200 for it since. When the Government approves of a title it will be worth £500 as it has a frontage to the bay; but we seriously apprehend the Government will not acknowledge the Company's title; and if that is the case, it will ruin me, as well as a great many others, as I have bought altogether, better than 400 acres.… .

“The Company's territory of Port Nicholson is said to have the best Harbour, the best position, with more available and better land than any other part of New Zealand, and must eventually become the seat of Government.… . Colonel Wakefield is decidedly one of the most kind-hearted men in the world and gives universal satisfaction; he is greatly beloved by the natives as well as his own countrymen and no man can be better qualified for so great an undertaking as the Company's principal agent for New Zealand. Give my kind love to all my friends in the temperance cause… . . I forgot to tell you we had the British flag flying in our Port, and British soldiers here to protect us. The Surveyor General and his officers have commenced surveying the country.”*

Messrs. Hanson and Alzdorf, writing to a client on the 30th December, 1840, stated:—

“Up to the present time we have agreed to let Sec. No. 509 on the map of the town for No. 103 (choice), for 10 years in two half lots at £30 per annum. No. 49 we have let a quarter of an acre for 7 years at £30 per annum for the first three years and £34 for the next four years. No. 569 at £12 per annum for three years. No. 222 for £80 per annum for 14 years. Section 225 we expect to let at £200 per annum.

“We have also let a small piece of ground 15ft. frontage by 20ft. in depth, part of Sec. 485 for one year at £10; and No. 614 for £20 per annum for 3 years after a valuation.”

Captain Smith again writes on the 30th January, 1841 thus:—

“The plan of the present town was worked out under every species of disadvantage and inconvenience. By the time it was commenced, a large body of settlers had arrived in the “Aurora,” ‘Oriental,’ ‘Bengal Merchant,’ ‘Duke of Roxburgh,’ ‘Glenbervie,’ and ‘Adelaide.’ Their importunities were increasing and a great interruption. They had expected to find the town ready for them on their arrival, and I was urged towards giving out the town sections with more speed than I thought prudent. At first my tent was my office and drawing room, Colonel Wakefield not wishing to put up an office for me till a proper site should be decided on.

“The winter was rapidly advancing and I was soon driven out of the tent. I retired to a ‘Mauri’ hut, which I had purchased as a private residence temporarily till the sections should be given out and I could bring my wife and family and house over from Petoni, where I had left them.

page 58

“This hut, though dry, was very dark; the little light that was admitted finding its way through a low doorway, close to which I was obliged to keep my table for drawing, but frequently in bad weather I was obliged to close up the door and work all day by candle light… The town sections were all chosen by the 14th August (1840), after which I proceeded with the country sections.”

* N.Z. Journal, 10/4/1841 and 21/8/42.