Auckland, 1862
Maori War Canoe Race (Annual Regatta) in progress
F. R. Stack, delt.
The native constables who took part in this incident did not long survive the event. It may, in fact, come as a surprise to many that there ever were native policemen, and it may be interesting to describe the appearance of these officers of the law. Their attire was a semi-military, blue uniform, resplendent with buttons, white facings and side stripes. They carried substantial bludgeons, which, as shown, they knew how to use, and did not scruple to do so. Two of these defenders of the peace are depicted in one of Hogan’s [views] (f. p. 77).
The discovery of gold at Coromandel, in 1852, was an important event in the history of Auckland and in the development of the resources of the province. The gold finds in Victoria gave the impetus to New Zealand, and prospecting parties began to work. But it was not until a “Reward Committee” was formed at Auckland, with Mr. Frederick Whitaker as chairman, that any steps were taken to prove the rumours that gold was available in New Zealand. In October, 1852, a reward of £500 was “offered to the first person who should discover and make known to the ‘Reward Committee’ ‘a valuable gold find’ in the northern district of New Zealand. Within less than a week the reward was claimed by Mr. Charles Ring, a New Zealand settler, recently returned from California, who asserted that he had discovered gold in the neighbourhood of Coromandel Harbour.”[25] Mr. Ring’s claim was thereupon investigated, and a sub-committee visited the locality (Driving Creek). On their return, the committee was able to announce that the sub-committee’s report “is satisfactory, in so far as the existence of gold is concerned, but that the question of its being sufficiently abundant to be profitably worked is yet in abeyance.”[26] As native rights were involved in connection with the land, negotiations had to be entered upon before the gold could be worked. The Government therefore stepped in, and were successful in their efforts with the natives, of whom the chief was Taniwha, an old man, who in his boyhood had met Captain Cook, and on November 30th an agreement was signed regulating the management of the goldfield. On 11th December the first sale of gold was held by Messrs. Connell and Ridings, Auckland, and realised £32 1s. In a short time a ‘rush’ to Coromandel took place, and about 3000 miners were at work on the diggings. Between 1857 and 1860 a slump took place, but a revival was experienced in 1861. During the Maori war another slack period was felt, but after hostilities had ceased, work was resumed, and has continued ever since.
Although Coromandel never produced the gold expected from it, it opened up a new industry, which has grown to a considerable extent, and has been the means of attracting population to the province, and has indirectly affected the growth of Auckland, the chief city of the province.
1853 stands forth a memorable year in the history of New Zealand; for on the 17th January Governor Grey proclaimed the Constitution Act of 1852, passed by the Imperial Parliament, by which the Dominion obtained representative institutions. The Act provided for a General Assembly for the whole Colony, consisting of a Legislative Council and a House of Representatives. It also abolished the Provinces of New Ulster and New Munster, which had been set up under the Charter of 1847, and replaced them by six new provinces, viz, Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury and Otago. The Councils were elective and were presided over by a superintendent; they had legislative powers within certain limits. The Provincial Councils lasted until 1876, when they were abolished by an Act of the General Assembly.
The first session of the Auckland Provincial Council, under the superintendence of Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard, was held on June 30th, 1853, Mr. Thomas Houghton Bartley being appointed Speaker. The maiden session of the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives took place simultaneously, on May 24th, 1854, the Queen’s Birthday, in the newly-erected Parliament Building. As befitted the day and the occasion, the ships in the harbour were decorated. At mid-day a salute of twenty-one guns was fired at Fort Britomart, and was followed by a feu de joie delivered by the 58th Regiment in the square of Albert Barracks. The Speaker of the Upper House was Mr. William Swainson, and of the Representative chamber, Mr. (afterwards Sir) Charles Clifford.
New Zealand’s First Parliament Building, Erected 1854
The front portion (first gable) was the parliament building. It was afterwards extended and used by the Auckland University College.
It is outside the limits of this work to attempt anything like a parliamentary history, but it may be interesting to remark that the first Parliament Building erected in New Zealand was situated at the corner of Eden and Parliament Streets, and that it served Parliament as a meeting place from the beginning of its career until the removal of the capital to Wellington. The building continued to be used by the Provincial Council until the abolition of the provinces, in 1876. It was afterwards acquired by the Council of the Auckland University College, by which body it was enlarged, and it served its purpose in the educational work of the city until 1918, when the buildings were taken over by the City Council in connection with the proposed new city outlet from Customs Street. Upon examination, with a view to re-erecting this historic building on another site, it was found that the condition was so bad that demolition was the only course. The city trams now run over the site of New Zealand’s first Parliament Building.