“The town of Auckland lies in a hollow, and the houses are built close down to the beach. Some of them are very ‘natty’. Shortland Street appears to be the principal street. In the meantime, the first shop is a grog shop; the next is Mr. McLennan’s; the third a shoemaker’s; the fourth a baker’s; then a grog shop; next a pork stand; and then another grog shop. There seems to be a grog shop for every three of all the other trades put together. Shortland Crescent is a pretty steep hill. On the top of it is the church, the Customs-house, bank and the public buildings, and adjacent the barracks. A road leads to Manukau, a distance of ten miles, where a coach can run the whole way. Mr. Gould and I went out this road four miles to a place called Epsom. There is a little cultivation going on there, but none nearer the town. Saw some nice cottages and fine gardens, and two farms of about ten acres, each under cultivation in wheat and barley. There were also two herds of cattle with bells on their necks to indicate their whereabouts when in the fern, which is everywhere around. Observed one plough at work, drawn by two bullocks. The Maoris to be seen about are seemingly quite happy, fond of smoking; and appear to have pork, fish and potatoes in abundance. They are intelligent looking, have most pleasant countenances, and are all mostly tatooed, the chiefs in particular being elaborately so.”
Plan of Auckland, 1842
At this date the waters of the Waitemata Harbour reached Lower Queen Street at a point opposite Shortland Street where a streamlet known as the Ligar Canal ran into the Bay.
After the original in the Old Colonists’ Museum
The following tables, taken from Charles Terry’s “New Zealand; Its Advantages and Prospects as a British Colony” (pp. 60-61), show the cost of living at that time, and make an interesting comparison with the cost of living at the present time:—
Price of Provisions at Auckland, July, 1841
| s. d. | ||
| Beef | per lb | 1 4 |
| Mutton | " | 1 0 |
| Pork | " | 0 7 |
| Flour | " | 0 5 |
| Bread | " | 0 7 |
| Cheese, English | " | 2 0 |
| Butter, Irish | " | 2 6 |
| Tea | " | 10 0 |
| Coffee | " | 2 6 |
| Sugar, brown | " | 0 6 |
| Sugar, refined | " | 1 0 |
| Rice | " | 0 4 |
| Potatoes, per cwt. | 8 0 | |
Rents and Lodging
| Wooden Houses, unfurnished | Two small rooms and kitchen, £60 to £80 per annum |
| Lodgings, unfurnished | One small room, £1 per week |
| Board and Lodging | Board, being without malt or spirituous liquors, and Lodging, a bed in a room with others, £2 per week |