# The Story of Christchurch, New Zealand/Chapter 1

The Story of Christchurch, N.Z.
Chapter I.
1839–1844.
The New Zealand Land Company, founded by Edward Gibbon Wakefield—Selection of site for Nelson settlement—New Zealand Company’s proposal to found Scottish and Church of England colonies—Mr. Tuckett’s visit to Port Cooper (Lyttelton)—Leaves from Dr. Monro’s diary, giving reasons for rejection of Port Cooper as the site for Scottish settlement.
Every story must have a beginning, and, so far as the present volume is concerned, the natural point of departure would seem to be the incorporation in 1839 of the New Zealand Land Company. In the early part of the nineteenth century and even prior to that time, the whaling industry had been established in New Zealand, and settlements formed along the coast in connection with that industry. Some of these settlements were situated on the shores of Banks Peninsula.
Port Cooper, as Lyttelton was then called, and the Port Cooper Plains, were named after the senior partner of the Sydney firm, Messrs. Cooper and Levy, who had a whaling plant on the New Zealand coast, and traded with the Maoris.
The records show that at the opening of the last century the South Island of New Zealand carried a considerable native population. It was between the years ​of 1820 and 1840 that Canterbury in particular became almost depopulated. Up till that time, it is true, there had been constant warfare amongst the native tribes, but it was the use of firearms supplied by European whalers and traders which enabled Te Rauparaha, in successive raids, almost to exterminate the Ngaitahu of Kaiapoi, and other Southern tribes. The absence of native difficulties, brought about in this deplorable way, has had an important bearing on the history of the city and province, for not only has Canterbury been spared the native wars which figure so largely in early North Island history, but it has also been practically free from the troubles incidental to native land titles, with all their intricacies and complications.
The first systematic colonisation of New Zealand was undertaken by the New Zealand Land Company, as it was at first called when incorporated in 1839. (It was afterwards known as the New Zealand Company.) The foundation of this institution was mainly due to the efforts of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who previously had been associated with the formation of a similar undertaking in South Australia. Mr. Wakefield was the author of “The Art of Colonisation,” and was one of the first Englishmen to realise the possibilities of a vast colonial Empire, safeguarded by Great Britain’s command of the sea.
The object of the New Zealand Company was to acquire land from the Maoris, and establish colonies with British settlers, and one of the first effects of its appearance was to spur the British Government into action. In June, 1839, Letters Patent were issued authorising the Governor of New South Wales to include within the limits of that colony any territory which might be acquired in sovereignty by Her Majesty the Queen in New Zealand. In the previous month Colonel William Wakefield, the Company’s Agent, sailed in the “Tory” for Port Nicholson (Wellington) to found the first settlement. ​On July 13, 1889, Captain William Hobson, R.N., was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand, and arrived in the colony on January 29, 1840. A few days later (February 5, 1840) the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. Thus the formation of the New Zealand Company had an important bearing on the history of New Zealand.
Two years after the incorporation of the New Zealand Company, its agent, Colonel Wakefield, was looking for a site for the future Nelson Settlement. He had heard of a good harbour and extensive plains at Port Cooper, and in July, 1841, he sent Captain Danniell and Mr. George Duppa in a small schooner to inspect and report. Their report was completely favourable, and Colonel Wakefield was greatly disappointed when Lieutenant-Governor Hobson put his veto on the choice, and ultimately insisted on the selection of Blind Bay for the Nelson Settlement, which was, in consequence, known for some years as “Hobson’s Choice.”
Captain Danniell and Mr. Duppa were accompanied on this visit by Mr. William Deans, who then for the first time saw the Canterbury Plains, and was so favourably impressed that le shortly afterwards returned to settle on them.
The following year (November, 1842), Captain Smith, the New Zealand Company’s chief surveyor, visited Port Cooper, and entirely confirmed the favourable report of his predecessors.
But to follow the thread of the story of Christchurch we must pass on to the annual report of the New Zealand Company, dated August 21, 1843, in which reference was made to two proposed settlements. The first was a Scottish project described as “the New Edinburgh Colony,” and resulted in the foundation of the city of Dunedin. The report continued: “It is proposed that the plan of the other colony shall contain a scheme of large endowments for religious and educational ​purposes in connection with the Church of England. As it is intended that this colony should be on a larger scale than any hitherto adopted by the Company, the plan of it will probably not be ripe for publication till next year.” Instructions, it was added, had been sent to the Company's agents in New Zealand to lose no time in selecting the sites of both settlements. It was intended that the New Edinburgh Settlement should be first established, and for the second time Colonel Wakefield’s thoughts turned to the Port Cooper Plains as a possible site. The selection was entrusted to Mr. Frederick Tuckett, a surveyor, and one of the survivors of the Wairau Massacre. Mr. Tuckett had the advantage of considerable experience as chief surveyor in laying out the Nelson Settlement. He was a member of the “Society of Friends,” and a man of great personality and force of character. The instructions given him were to examine not only Port Cooper, but also the remainder of the eastern coast of the South Island, and in the end, he passed over the Port Cooper site in favour of the present site of Dunedin. The objection to Port Cooper as a site for the Nelson Settlement had been simply due to the obstinacy of Lieutenant-Governor Hobson, but it is more difficult to understand the failure of an experienced surveyor, such as Mr. Tuckett undoubtedly was, to grasp the possibilities which have since been realised in the Canterbury Plains.
Mr. Tuckett was accompanied in that expedition by Dr. (afterwards Sir David) Monro, who kept a diary which is now of double interest, first as affording an insight into the reasons for which the Port Cooper site was rejected, and, secondly, as presenting, perhaps, the earliest and most graphic description of the Canterbury Plains.
Dr. Monro sailed from Nelson in the “Deborah,” Captain Wing, on Sunday, March 31, 1844, and called in next day at Port Nicholson to take Mr. Tuckett on board. The diary records: “Pt. Nicholson weather, ​heavy gusts of wind, with dark squally sky and rain”—evidently “windy Wellington” had already established its reputation. The vessel arrived at Port Cooper on April 5, and the party landed in the whale-boat. The diary continues: “When we returned about sunset, we found some of the greatest chiefs of the Southern Island on board, viz., Taiaroa, Tuaweiki, or Bloody Jack, and others. Taiaroa’s complexion is light for a native. He was dressed in a blanket, and had nothing European about him but a pair of shoes. Tuaweiki, on the contrary, is the most Europeanized native I have met with. His costume was entirely European, and perfect, even down to the handkerchief with which he blew his nose, his outward and investing garment being an excellent coach-box-looking drab great-coat, into the pockets of which he stuck his hands in most knowing fashion. Immediately after coming on board, he pulled out his watch and asked us what time we made it, and all his movements and gestures seemed in studied and successful imitation of the pakeha. Nor is his knowledge of our customs merely superficial; he understands cash transactions, and bank business to a certain extent, and would on no account be satisfied with payment in a bill unless it were well backed. On many other subjects he surprised us by the extent of his knowledge and the shrewdness, sometimes cunning, of his remarks, The natives knew perfectly well the business upon which we were come, and seemed anxious to enter upon the subject of land and its value, but we avoided this as much as possible. On the geography of the Island we got much information from Tuaweiki, and it was particularly valuable from his knowing distances in English miles, and understanding also time as divided into hours and minutes. The charts which were submitted to him he criticised with much severity, pointing out their great inaccuracy. He always inquired who was the author of such and such a chart, and on ​being informed, unhesitatingly pronounced in much more forcible than polite language, that he must be a ‘fool.’
View of Mountains.
“But looking westward we had a magnificent view—an immense plain, backed by a far remote chain of snowy summits.”
Plate 1.
​to the one on which we stood came in the way in this direction and prevented our seeing the Ninety-mile Beach, as the coast south of the Peninsula is named, and the large fresh water lake termed the Waihola, which is only separated from the sea by a narrow bank of shingle. After lingering some time on the summit enjoying the prospect, which to an eye accustomed to wander over the endless ridges and broken surface of the greater part of New Zealand, was certainly most refreshing, we descended towards the plain. The slopes on this side are gentle and beautifully grassed, and afford, besides, an abundance of anise. The surface is composed of a dry, crumbling basalt, so that both the feed and the nature of the ground are admirably adapted for the depasturing of sheep. From the foot of the hills it is about five miles to Mr. Deans’ station. Close to the base of them is a canal-looking stream which winds very much. This is what Messrs. Duppa and Danniell named the ‘Serpentine,’ the native name is ‘Opawaha.’ For a distance of about two and a half miles back from the sea it may be navigable for good large boats, but beyond that it is shallow. Where we crossed it, it was about knee deep and rapidly diminishing in size. Having the same outlet to the sea is another similar, but smaller stream, named the Otakaro, upon the banks of which Mr. Deans has located himself. Both these streams are said to have their source in springs, and are unaffected beyond a few inches either by the drought of summer or the heaviest rains of winter. In dimensions and navigable capabilities they have been certainly much over-rated, both by the gentlemen above mentioned, and by Captain Smith, who has since then given a description of Port Cooper. The part of the plain which we crossed in walking to Mr. Deans’ is uniformly covered with grass of various sorts, with hardly any fern, flax or toi-toi in the moister parts, and dotted over with ti-tree. Though apparently a dead level as seen from the top of the hills, ​it has an evident, but very gentle slope towards the sea, and its surface is quite unbroken, save by one or two small patches of sandhills, which appear to indicate that the sea at one time had occupied a higher level than at present. “About four in the afternoon we reached Mr. Deans’, and were most hospitably received and entertained by that gentleman and his brother, whom we found living in a most comfortable verandah house, with large and substantial out-buildings, and surrounded with abundance of comforts and necessaries, as well as many of the luxuries of life.
“April 7th—Messers. Tuckett and Davidson arrived this morning after breakfast, having passed a miserable night on the plain without firewood or shelter.”
The travellers had, in fact, been most unfortunate in their choice of a route to the Messrs. Deans brothers’ homestead. Starting, as has been seen, from the head of the Bay, they probably descended to the plains by Gebbie’s Valley. The country was flooded at the time, and they found themselves entangled in a network of creeks, with which the swamp at the foot of the hills was intersected. In attempting to cross one of them, Mr. Tuckett made use of a Maori raft made of mokihi. The native method of propulsion was to sit astraddle and propel the frail craft with bare feet, but Mr. Tuckett’s more civilised methods ended in disaster, and the two prospectors spent a damp and uncomfortable night in the swamp, and did not reach the Deans’ hospitable homestead till the following day. Probably their misadventure had something to do with prejudicing Mr. Tuckett against the Port Cooper Plains.
Dr. Monro’s diary presents a pleasant picture of the Deans’ settlement. About six acres were then under crop, and “they have sixty head of cattle, and about thirty sheep, besides horses. The cattle are in very good condition, the sheep moderately so, but they are confined within a limited space, in consequence of the number of ​Maori dogs running about in a wild state.” Dr. Monro also tells how he and Mr. Deans, Junr., dropped down the stream in a canoe to a lagoon near the sea, the haunt of “an immense number of water birds,” and did some shooting.
On April 11, Mr. Tuckett proceeded in the “Deborah” on his voyage southwards, which resulted in the selection of the present site of Dunedin as the capital of the Scottish Settlement.
Dr. Monro’s summary of the advantages and disadvantages of Port Cooper as a site for settlement ran as follows:—
“In the first place as regards the harbour, much cannot be said in favour of Port Cooper. It is, in fact, more a deep bay than a harbour, and when the wind blows from the northward, a heavy swell sets in, as we experienced while lying there. One or two little nooks are well sheltered; the principal of these is the bay in which Mr. Greenwood is settled” (Purau). “For small vessels this will be found a perfectly land-locked harbour, but the water is shallow—between three and four fathoms. At the upper end of Port Cooper the water is very shallow, leaving, at low water, an extensive mudflat. There is no convenient site for a town. Mr. Greenwood’s bay offers 200 or 300 acres, which might be built upon, but it would be a work of much difficulty and expense to connect this by means of a road with the agricultural district. At the head of the harbour, there is ample room for a town, but vessels could not approach within at least two miles. Besides these places, the shores of Port Cooper are either steep banks or rocky cliffs, and to carry a road along its W. side in the manner suggested by Messrs. Duppa and Danniell, appears to me a work that might be executed by a Napoleon or a King of Egypt, but hardly by the New Zealand Company. The productive resources of the district I regard as very considerable. The soil of the Peninsula has every ​appearance of being fertile, although the unevenness of its surface would allow of only a small proportion being tilled, but all of it, excepting the bush land, which is not in large proportion, will afford good pasture. That the great plain which stretches from the Peninsula southward will be valuable, fertile and productive, there can be little doubt. How it might answer for pure agriculture immediately is perhaps doubtful, but in its present state it affords an immense field for grazing stock and the production at all events of one export, viz., wool, and that when enriched by the animals which consumed its grasses, returning them in the shape of manure and stimulating the soil, it would yield abundant crops, may be said ta be equally certain. The great drawback to the plain is the want of good wood upon it, and according to the scheme of the New Edinburgh Settlement, this becomes an almost fatal objection. A large capitalist and land-holder might obtain wood from the valleys of the Peninsula, and by operations on large scale compensate for the expense thus incurred, but the small capitalist upon his ten-acre or fifty-acre section would find his time and his means both frittered away in procuring so absolute a necessity, which, whether brought to him by land or water, could not fail to be an article of considerable expense. The climate of the plain behind the Peninsula, from what we heard of it, is steady, and on the whole fine, but large low and level plains are always subject to greater extremes of temperature than country of an uneven surface. I apprehend that the defects of climate of which we complain on the Waimea will be found in an exaggerated degree on Port Cooper.”
For some years the energy of the New Zealand Company was directed to the establishment of the New Edinburgh or Scottish Settlement, and it was not till the year 1847 that the proposal to form the Church of England Settlement began to take concrete form. It may be left to the next chapter to tell how this came about.