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THE NEW ZEALAND TIMBER AND FLAX TRADE 1 7 6 9 - 1 8 4 0
A the s i s p re sented i n parti a l ful filme n t o f the req uirements for the degree
of Doctor o f Phi losophy in Hi s tory a t
Massey Uni ve rsity
ROGER PHILIP WI GGLESWORTH 1 9 81
ABSTRACT
Thi s the s i s i s an ex amination o f the comme rcia l , soci a l and po l i ti c a l dim en s ions o f the New Ze a land timber an d flax trade 1 7 6 9 -1 8 4 0 .
Chap ters One to Three pro vi de a chronologi cal acco unt o f the trade . The le ve l o f acti vi ty was sporadic un ti l 1 82 7 a fte r whi ch t im e the tr ade expande d . The years 1 7 6 9 -1 8 2 7 we re a per i od o f fami li ari z ation . The E urope an s needed to expe r iment wi t
the New Zea land prod uct s , to te s t the m a rket for them an d to se t t le trade rs at New Zealan d . The Mao ri s had to le arn what E uro
peans requi re d an d to adjus t to the demands o f trading . Each g roup use d the se ye ars to get to know the othe r and to e s tab l i sh the rapport required for the trade to function . Ex po rt s o f wood and fibre from New Ze a l and in cre ased rapi dly a fte r 1 8 2 7 beca use the E urope an s we re prepared to in ve s t in them and the Maori s were wi l l ing to p roduce enough timbe r and flax to s us tain an export trade . During the 1 8 30 s the trade pro spered on ly fo r as l ong as the m arke ts for the products we re b uoyan t and the Maori s we re prepare d to contin ue to as s i s t wi th the p roduction o f them .
Timber and fl ax trading co uld s ubstanti a l ly a ffe c t the l i ve s o f those in vo l ve d in i t . Chapte rs Four and Fi ve ex am lne how trade rs adapted to the dem ands o f the New Zealand phy s i c a l an d s o cial en vi ronmen t and how Mao ri s face d changes i n the i r wo rk an d se ttlemen t pat te rn s , hea lth , inte r-tribal re lations , and
m ate ri a l c ult ure .
Chap te r Six di s c usses the in cre asing inte re s t b y B ri tish an d co lon i a l g ove rnmen ts in New Zealand a ffai rs whi ch wa s s tim u
l ated in l arg e part by the timber an d flax trade . For ex amp le the s ent n aval ve s se ls and i s s ued con trac t s to pri vate fi rm s to
co l l e c t carg oe s o f the se products . They ialso sought to reg ul ate a f fairs in New Ze a lan d (by pas s ing Acts o f Parliamen t , by sending n a va l ve s se ls to crui s e the coast an d by appointing a B ri t i s h Re s i de nt ) a t le as t partly i n orde r t o provide an environme n t whi c wo uld be cond uci ve to trading . The e ventual Bri tish de c i s ion to annex New Ze a l an d wa s s trong ly in fluen ce d by the p re s s ure exe rted on the g o ve rnmen t by those who we re i n te re s te d in t radin g wi th that c o un try .
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ABS TRACT
TABLE OF CONTENTS i
LI S T OF MAPS i i
LI S T OF APPENDICES i i i
LI ST OF ABBREVIATI ONS V
GLOSSARY v i i
PREFACE viii
CHAPTER ONE
The Tim be r and Flax Trade 1 76 9 -1 82 7 1
Part I 1 7 6 9 -1 8 0 7 2
Par t I I 1 8 0 8 -1 81 9 2 2
Part I I I 1 82 0 -1 82 7 4 8
CHAPTER TWO
The Flax Trade 1 8 2 8-1 8 4 0 7 8
CHAPTE R THREE
The Timbe r Trade 1 8 2 8 -1 8 4 0 1 0 6
CHAP TE R FOUR
Re sident E urope an s and the Timbe r and Flax Trade 1 3 8 CHAPTER FIVE
Maori s and the Timbe r and Flax Trade CHAPTER S IX
The Go ve rnments and the Ti�ber and Flax Trade
1 92
2 3 9
Part I Promoting the Tr ade 2 4 0
Part I I Reg ulating the Trade 264
Part I I I .: Trade and In te r ven tion in New Zealand 29 9 CONCLUS ION
APPENDI CES BI BLI OGRAPHY
3 3 3 33 7 393
1 .
2 .
LIS T OF MAPS
S i te s o f the Principal F lax Stations i n New Ze a l an d 1 8 30 -1 8 32
Prin cip al Site s in New Ze a l and from whi ch Timber was Exported 1 8 2 8 -1 8 39
i i
Facing p . 9 4
Facing p . 1 2 4
LI ST OF APPENDICES
1 . Robert Wi l lia� s - Flax Dre s ser .
2 . Trans-Tasrnan Ve s se l Movements , Jan uary 1 81 8 - Decembe r 1 82 7 .
3 . Volune s an d ValtEs o f Flax Imported into New South Wale s fran New Ze alan d , Ann ual ly , 1 8 30-1 8 4 0 .
4 . Val ues o f Timbe r L�ported into New South
i i i
Page 3 3 8 3 47
3 4 8
Wa le s from New Ze a l and , Ann ually , 1 8 30 -1 8 4 0 . 349 5 . Val ues o f Flax and Timber Imported into Van
Diernen ' s Land from New Ze a land , Ann ually , 1 8 32 -1 8 39 .
6 . Totals o f Ve s se ls Arri ving at Coloni al Ports from New Ze aland and of Ve s se l s Departing
from Co lonial Port s for New Zealand , Ann ually ,
3 5 0
1 81 5 -1 8 39 . 3 5 1
7 . Vol une s and Va l ue s o f New Ze aland Flax Re Exported from New South Wa le s , Ann ually , 1 8 2 6 -1 8 37 .
8 . Val tES o f Re -Exports o f New Zealand Flax from New South Wale s Expre s sed a s a Pe rcent ag e o f the Val ue o f Imports o f Phonni un into that
358
Co untry , Ann ual ly , 1 8 30-1 8 37 . 3 5 9 9 . Tonnage s o f Flax Imported into Ne\'l South Wale s
from New Ze aland , Month ly , 1 8 2 9 -1 8 39 . 1 0 . Flax Pri ce s in New South Wale s , 1 82 9 -1 8 39 . 1 1 . Flax Pri ce s in Great Britain , 1 82 6 -1 8 35 . 1 2 . Q uanti ties o f Phormi un Tenax Imported into
Gre at Bri tain , Ann ually , 1 8 2 9 -1 8 4 0 .
1 3 . Val ue s o f All Products Imported into New South
3 6 0 3 6 4 3 6 6 3 6 7
Wale s from New Zealand , Ann ual ly , 1 8 35 -1 8 4 0 . 3 6 8 1 4 . Ve s se l s Which Appear to Have Taken Spars from
New Ze aland to Gre at Bri tai n , 1 82 9 -1 8 39 , Tog e the r with an Indi cation o f the Place s Where the Spars We re Loade d .
1 5 . Ve s se l s Whi ch Appe ar to Have Taken New Ze aland Spars to De s tinations Other than Great Bri tain or the Co lonie s , 1 8 35 ;-1 8 39 .
1 6 . Ve s se ls Whi ch Took New Zea l and Timber to De s tin ati on s Other than the Colonie s , 1 8 32 -1 8 36 .
17 . N unbe rs o f Ve s s e l s En te ring Coloni al Ports wi th Carg oe s o f New Zea land Timbe r s , Ann ual ly , 1 8 2 8 -1 8 39 . 1 8 . N unber s o f Ve s se ls En te ring Coloni al
Ports with Carg oe s o f New Zea land Timbe r s , Month ly , 1 8 2 8-1 8 39 .
1 9 • Ran ulph Dacre .
2 0 . Cen s us o f the E urope an Adult Male Pop ulation o f New Zea land , 1 8 36 , 1 8 3 8 1 1 8 39 •
2 1 . Cen s us o f E urope an Ad ult Female s ( F ) , E urope an Chi ldren under 1 2 ye ars ( C ) , and H a l £-·caste Chi ldren Li ving in E urope an Househo lds ( H ) in the North I s l and o f New Ze aland , 1 8 36 , 1 8 38 , 1 8 39 , with Tota ls In c l usi ve o f E ur opean Ad ul t Male s .
2 2 . Occ up ati on s o f the E urope an Ad ult Male s Re s i dent in the North I s land o f New Z e a land , 1 8 36 , 1 8 3 8 .
2 3 . Ex ample s o f Barg ains S truck Be tween
Maori s and Europe an Trade rs for Purchases
· o f Spars and Flax , 1 81 4 -1 8 34 .
2 4 . S am p le o f Cargoe s from Ve ssels Eng aged in the Tim be r and Flax Trade , 1 82 9-1 8 39 .
2 5 . Freq ue n cy o f Appe aran ce o f Se le cted Item s Among s t the O utwards Cargoes o f Ve sse l s i n the S amp le o f Ve s se ls Eng aged in the Timber and Flax Trade , 1 8 29-1 8 39 .
2 6 . Bri t i s h and Bri ti sh Co l on i a l Ve s sels whi ch Vi s i te d New Ze a land on Gove rnment B usine s s , 179 3-1 8 4 0 .
iv
370
371
372
373 376
378
379
3 8 2
384 3 8 5
391
392
ADM A . E . H . R . AONSW AOT AP AR AU B T B . T .
c . c.
CMS CO COS T DU : H o G . B . P . P . HO
H.R . A . H . R . N . Z . H . T.C . H . T . G.
H . T. G.T . L.
J . P . S . L . A . L . G . T . L .
I. MS NLA NPL/D NPL/M NSW N Z
N . Z . J . H . OLC
PAMBU PC S . G.
S . G . T . L .
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Admi ra l ty Pape rs
Aus tralian Econom i c H i s to ry Re view Archi ve s O f fi ce o f New S o uth Wale s Archi ve s O f fice o f Tasm an i a
Auck lan d Pub l i c Library
Auck land In s ti t ute and Museum Library Auck land Un i ve r s i ty Library
Board o f Trade Pape rs Bom..;ick Tran s cripts Cornwall Chroni cle
Ch urch Mi s s ion ary Society Colon i a l O f fi ce Pape rs Cus tom s Pape rs
Hocken Library , D une din
Gre a t Bri tain : Parliamentary P ape rs Home O ffi ce Pape rs
Hi s tori cal Records o f Aus tral i a Histori cal Re c ords o f New Zea land Hobart Town Courier
Hobart Town Gaz e t te
Hobart Town Genera l Trade Li s t Journal o f the Po lyn e s i an Socie ty Laun ceston Ad verti s e r
La un c e ston Gen e ra l Trade Li s t London Mi s sion ary Soci e ty Nation al Library o f Aus t rali a Dix son Library , Sydney
Mitche l l Library , Sydney New So uth Wales
New Zealand
New :Ze aland Jo urnal o f H i s to ry Old Land C laims
Paci fi c Man us cripts B ureau Pri vy Counci l Papers
Sydney Gaze tte
Sydney General Trade Li st
V
S .H.
T TAUP TS L VDL
\'V Arc WMS WTu
( Note :
Sydney Herald Tre as ury Papers
Ta urang a Publi c Library Tasmani an S tate Library Van Diemen ' s Land
vi
Nat i on a l Archi ve s , We lling ton We s le yan Mi s si onary Society
Alex ander Turnb ul l Lib ra ry , We l ling ton
In orde r to ass i s t the re ade r the full title o f
· e ach work i s ci ted in the fi rs t re fe rence to it in e ach chapte r . Abbre viation s s uch as ' ibi d . ' and ' op . ci t . ' h a ve not been use d . )
ariki hah ung a
hak ari hap u hoko
k ah u kuri k ai ng a m an a
Maori tang a p a
p atu
ti hore
tohung a ut u
wahi tap u
vii
GLOS SARY
a s en i or r ank ing chie f
di s i n te rm e n t and re i n te rrne n t o f the b on e s o f the de ad
entertainme n t , fe a s t sub-tribe
buy , .se l l , ex ch ang e ; a fai r dog sk i n c l oak
dom e s tic s e ttlem en t , vi l l ag e spi ri ttE l pote n cy , pre stig e ,
a uthori ty , s a cred e s se n c e Maori -ne s s , Maori c ul t ure
forti fie d s e ttlemen t
thr us t i ng weapon wi th a s h ort b l ad e and sharp e dg e
fune ra l , lamen tati on o ve r the de ad
c loth m ade from the be aten b ark o f the Paper Mulberry
(Brous s oneti a p apyri fera ) . unde r re l i g i o us or cerem on i a l
re s tr i c ti on , s a cre d, c harge d wi th spi ri t ua l potency
fine s t phonni tm - that whi c h c an be s craped w i tho ut us i n g a she l l
ex pert ( us ua l ly i n spiri t ua l m a tte rs )
s ati s fa c t i on , compe n s a ti on , re veng e , equi va le n ce
sacre d p lace , b ur i a l g round wene r a u k i ( ' hene r ak i ' ) to grtmbl e at , cen s ure
whan a u s ub - d i vi s i on o f �ap u, an ex te nde d fam i ly
vii i
PREFACE
Thi s the s i s i s a s tudy o f the New Ze a l and timbe r and flax trade 1 7 6 9 -1 8 4 0 . It ex am ine s the comm e rc i a l aspe cts and the s ocial con sequence s o f thi s trade . I t also exp lore s how the t r ade he lpe d invo l ve the go vernments o f Bri t ain , New S o uth Wale s and Van Diemen ' s Lan d in New Ze a l and a f fairs and i n fl u:mce d move s for annex ation .
Chapters One to Three o f the the s i s o utline the
chrono logy o f the trade 1 7 6 9 -1 8 4 0 , whi le Ch apters Fo ur to Six are a them a ti c ex amin ation o f the imp li c ations o f the trading proce s s .
Earlie r in term s o f the re lati on to the
wri te rs have tended to reg ard the flax trade pe ri od 1 8 2 7 -1 8 32 and the timbe r trade on ly in 1 8 30 s . 1 In Chapte r One i t i s arg ue d that the fo undations for the t rade we re fi rs t laid when Cook an d hi s c o l le ag ue s ex to l le d the vi rt ues o f New Ze a lan d tre e s and
phorm i un . Th us , r athe r than regarding the e vents o f the trade in the ye ars be fore 1 82 7 as i solated in cidents they are ex am ine as being p art o f the pro ce s s o f preparati on , fa� i l i ari z ation , and expe rimentation th at was nece ss a ry be fore trading co uld t ak e o ff .
Chapter Two analyses the factors whi ch de te rmined the q uant i t i e s o f phorm i un tha t we re exported from New Zea land
between 1 82 7 and 1 8 32 . I t look s also at the n a ture o f the trade a fte r the boom ye ar s had pas sed thro ugh to the end o f the
de cade . Chapte r Three i s conce rned with the acti vi ties o f the spar t rade and the fluctuations in the colon i a l timbe r t rade i n the 1 8 30 s . In addi tion both chapters de s cribe the p atte rns o f E urope an se tt lement in New Ze a land that re s ulted from the
req ui rements o f e ach branch o f the trade .
Chapters Four and Fi ve a re conce rn e d wi th the peop le in vo l ve d wi th the trade and the ways in whi ch a commi tm en t to the trade a ffe cted thei r li ve s . The se chapte rs are in no way
1. The re h ave been two New Zea l and the se s whi ch h a ve
in c l ude d in formation spe ci fi ca lly on the pre -1 8 4 0 pe ric b ut the se de alt wi th nei the r the me chani cs nor the
s oc i a l hi s to ry o f the trade be fore 1 8 4 0 . The y are S . J . [ McCay , ' Phormiun Tehax and New Ze a l an d Hi story ' , M . A . the si s , Otago Uni ve r s i ty , 1 9 5 2 ; P . H. H . Taylor , ' The H i s tory o f the K a uri Timbe r Indus try ' , M . A . the s i s , l>.uck land Uni ve rs i ty , 1 9 5 0 .
ix
to b e regarde d as a hi s tory o f the Europe an s or Maori s i n New Ze a l an d i n the pe riod to 1 8 4 0 and n e i the r are the y a gen e r a l di s c us s i on o f c ul t ure contact . Mo re ove r , a ltho ugh trading i n vol ve d pro longed con tacts be tween Maor i s an d
Europe an s , the se chapte r s do not de al w i th the wi de r q ue s ti on o f r ac e re l ati on s . Howe ve r , a l l the s e m a tte rs a re to uche d on i n the course o f the di s cus sion b ut on l y in so far as the y re l ate to the sub j e c t o f the the s i s .
The fin a l chapte r o f the the s i s de a l s wi th the w i de r repe r c us s ions o f the New Ze aland timbe r and flax trade . I t di s c us s e s t.he r o le o f the Bri ti sh an d c o lon i a l go ve rnme n t s both i n promot ing the tr ade and i n attempting to reg ulate it.
It i s a rg ued th at thi s i n vo l vem ent p l aye d a s i g n i fi c an t p ar t i n de te rm in ing the nature and tim i ng o f Bri tain ' s annex a t i on o f New Ze aland .
The s tudy ends abo ut the beg inni ng o f 1 8 4 0 be c a us e the form a l a s sm1ption of Bri t i s h contro l ove r New Ze a land an d the huge i n flux o f c o lon i sts in th at ye ar a f fe cte d the nc.ture o f the tr ade. What had been , from a New Ze a land pe rspe c ti ve , e ffe cti ve ly a m ari time fre e - trade was , from 1 8 40 , in f l ue n ce d by i n te rn a l g o ve rnm e n t reg ulation s , import d uti e s and the in te rn a l m a rke t dem ands o f the new colon y .
The approach adop te d in th i s study has been to s tart
by e x am in i ng the de t ai ls o f the trade an d then to broade n the pe r s pe c ti ve by an a ly s ing fi rst i t s soci a l an d then i ts po l i tica dime n s i on s . Thi s approach i s aime d to demon s trate both the de 'Velopm e n t o f the trade and the con tin ui ty which linked Cook ' 3
s ugg e s ti on o f the p oten ti a l for a timbe r an d f lax trade to the e ve n ts whi ch le d up to the sign ing o f the Tre aty o f
Wai t an g i . &� a ccount o f the voyage s to an d from New Z e a l an d g rows i n s i gni fi c an ce when the e f fe ct s o f the tr ade on the
l i .ve s o f t he part i ci p ant s a re con s i dere d . In m uch the s am e way con temporary comm e n tators and the Briti s h an d c o l on i a l g o ve rn m e n t s a ls o becam e aware o f the wide r imp lication s o f the t r ade .
I t vla s , respe c ti ve ly , the i r de s cripti on s o f t he i l l -e f fe c t s o f the trade on l i fe in New Z e alan d and the i r m o ve s to prom ote
and to reg ul ate tr ading at that co untry that b ro ught the tim be r and fl ax tr ade i nto the a ren a o f Briti s h colon i a l po l i c y -m ak in g . In th at for um the tr ade took on a new
X
imp or t an ce . Th us the the s i s goe s on to l ook at the imp l i c at i on o f the g o ve rnments ' i n vo l vemen t wi th the trade and how th i s w as i n p a rt , re spon s i b l e for the de c i s i on to annex New Ze a l and to the B ri t i s h Empi re .
The evide n ce a va i l ab le for thi s s tudy var i e d m arkedly i n i ts q ua l i ty and q uan titY . In form ati on abo ut the vo l une s o f timber and flax whi ch we re exported ann ual ly from New Z e a l and
(pa rti c ul a r ly the p rod ucts whi ch we re imp orted into New S o uth Wa le s ) i s a vai l able in b ro ad o ut l ine in the work s o f o.the r wri t e r s , from n ine teenth century g o ve rnme n t accounts o f c o lon i a l trade , and from newspape rs .
The mo re de t a i led ana lys i s o f the vo l une o f s h i pp ing , o f voyag e s by i ndi vi d ual ve s s e l s , o f the p roce s s o f t r ading and the l i ve s o f the parti cipan t s o f the trade was a rr i ve d at
from m y re ading o f a larg e r ange o f c on tempor ary colon i a l newspape r s and the r i ch and ful l co l le c t i on s o f coloni a l g o ve rnment re c ords he ld i n Aus tr a l i an in s ti t ut i on s . To add to t h i s c o l on i a l pe r spe cti ve I re ad the fi le s o f the C o l on i al O f fi ce , Bo a rd o f Trade , Tre as ury , Adm i ra lty and Fo reig n O f fi ce .
Trade r s , g e n e ra l l y , we re to o con ce rned wi th the
m anagem en t o f t he i r b us i ne s s to le a ve a c on s i s tent re c ord of the i r w ork . The le t te rbook le ft by Ran ulph Dacre , whi ch cove r s the ye a r s when h e w a s trying t o com p l e te h i s Roy a l Navy ti mbe r c on tr a c t , p ro vi de d an a l l too b ri e f exception to thi s r ule . A
few l og book s s urvi ve b ut m ai n l y for the pe riod be fo re 182 0 , and s ome sma l l s n i ppe ts we re found i n wh a le r s ' log s .
The task o f fle shing -out the ske le ton has the re fo re been a m atter o f g le an ing s crap s o f i n fo rm at i on from c o l lectior.
o f p r i vate corre sponden ce , from s an e pub l i shed contempor ary
I
a c c ounts , from p ar l i am e ntary pro ceedi ng s and reports from s e le ct commi ttee s , and from the jo urn a l s o f m i s s i on ar i e s and vi s i to r s to New Z e a l and .
x i
D ur i ng the p reparati on o f thi s the sis. · I have been
advi se d , a s s i s te d and s upported by ve ry m an y pe ople in both the i r pro fe s s i on al an d per son a l c apaci ti e s . To them a l l I ex te n d my m o s t g r ate f ul thank s . In part i c ular I wan t to a cknowle dg e the fo l lowing :
the Un i ve r s i ty Gran t s Committe e for awa rding me a m ix e d ten ure scho l arship ;
the Hi story Departm e n t o f Ma s s e y Uni ve r s i ty an d the He ad o f Departm en t , Pro fe s s or VJ . H . Oli ve r ; m y s upervi s o r s , Dr � . M . R . OWen s , Dr K . R. Howe and
Dr W . P . N . Tyle r ;
the s t a f fs o f the Massey Un i ve r s i ty Lib r ary , Alex an de r T urnb ul l Library , A uck l an d Publ i c Li brary , A uck l an•
Mus e un and In s ti t ute Library , Auck l and Un i ve rsi t.y Libr ary , Taurang a P ubli c Library , Hocken Li brary, New S o ut h Wale s P ub l i c Li b r ary , Mi tche l l Libr ary , Dix s on Lib rary , Archive s Offi ce o f New So uth Wa l e s Archi ve s O f fi ce o f Tasm an i a , Tasm ani an Public
Lib r ar y , Queen Victoria I n s ti tute ( Launce s ton) , Nation a l Library o f Aus tr a l i a ;
the friends and pe op le who se encourag ement of m y work req ui re s spe c i a l mention : in New Ze a l and : Dr J udy Benne t t , Mr Greg Arnold , Mr Jim Owen , Dr P . W . T . Adam s , Mrs Marg a re t Tennan t , Mr Bob Breme r , Dr H . A Morton , Ms J . Binne y , Mrs C l a udia Orange ;
i n A us tr a li a : Mr an d Mrs B ri an Ne l son , Pro fe s s o r H . E . Ma ude , Dr D . Shinebe rg , D r N . Guns on , D r s Gre·
an d Caro l ine Ra l s ton , Mr s Penny Lavaka , Pro fe s so r M . Roe , M r R . A . Langdon ;
my typi s t Mrs Di an a S te f fert ;
m y w i fe an d h e lpm ate J udi th who also drew the m ap s an d fig ur e s i n this the s i s .
