Notwithstanding the prosperity which Auckland and the Colony were experiencing at the opening of the ’sixties, there was serious trouble threatening with the Maoris. The origin of the dispute, which ended in warfare, was the land question, some natives refusing to sell land to the settlers. One result of this dissatisfaction between the Maori and the pakeha was the conference, which was held at Kohimarama in July and August, 1860. On the first day of the conference, 112 chiefs took their seats, and all the principal tribes were represented, with the exception of the Taranaki tribes, owing to the unsettled state of that province. Prior to this conference, it had been found necessary to make arrangements for the defence of Auckland “against any possible contingency.” In a despatch to the Duke of Newcastle, the Governor, Sir Thomas Gore-Browne, outlined the steps which he had taken with this object in view. “The town,” he states, “is divided into five districts, each of which is to furnish a company of militia. Those who have arms of their own will form an inlying picket, and the remainder will be required to ballot for such arms as the Government is able to supply. At the present we can furnish sixty stand of arms to each company.... In addition to the militia, a volunteer force of nearly 400 men, a mounted volunteer troop of about 43 men, 110 [men] of the 65th Regiment and 40 marines will form the garrison of the town. Blockhouses, or houses rendered musket-proof, will be established round the town ... and H.M. frigate Iris is now anchored in the harbour. The outer defences are as follow:—H.M. steam frigate Niger, attended by a gunboat furnished by the local government, is anchored in the Manukau. Lieutenant-Colonel Kenny ... has been placed in command of the settlement of Onehunga, and has been directed to protect the Whau portage and river.... At the portage itself a blockhouse is in course of erection.... Lieutenant-Colonel Nixon ... has been placed in command of the pensioner settlement of Otahuhu, Panmure and Howick, and has been directed to protect the line of the Tamaki from the Waitemata to the Manukau. A blockhouse is in course of erection on the narrow neck of land leading to the village of Otahuhu. Five hundred stand of arms ... have been supplied to this outpost and three hundred to the outpost on the west....”
The Taranaki campaign, which arose out of the dispute over the Waitara Block, lasted from March, 1860, to April, 1861. The trouble moved eastward, the Waikato campaign breaking out in July, 1863, and only ended with the magnificent defence by the Maoris of Orakau on April 2, 1864. Finally the war was concluded at Tauranga with the engagement at Te Renga, and on October 25th a proclamation of the Governor officially closed these wars.
At no time did the scene of hostilities reach the town of Auckland, but in July, 1863, Mr. Meredith and his son were murdered in barbarous fashion, and on October 26th of the same year two sons of Mr. Trust were killed near Howick, about fifteen miles from Auckland.
During the years 1863-64 the entire adult male population of Auckland was enlisted for compulsory service either in the militia, volunteers or fire brigade, and had to undergo military training. Some of the conscripts remained in the barracks both day and night, while others did duty at the various blockhouses placed on points of vantage overlooking the district. The blockhouses were situated where the Auckland Hospital now stands, and at Domain Hill, Parnell, Newmarket, Karangahape Road, Great North Road, and Freeman’s Bay. The coast-line was also guarded. On July 22nd, 1863, the Auckland First Class Militia and Volunteers joined the field force, and did duty on the Wairoa River. In February, 1864, the Second Class of Militia, comprising business and tradespeople, were ordered on active service, and a contemporary newspaper feared that, if the enlistments continued, the shops of the town would have to close and put up notices: “Gone to the front.”
The electric telegraph was introduced into the Auckland Province during the war of 1863, when a line was erected under great difficulties between the important military stations at Drury and Queen’s Redoubt. Covering parties were engaged to protect the workers, who were also armed, in case of emergencies. The first telegraph office erected in Auckland was a wooden hut, located in the Albert Barracks, just inside the barracks wall, Symonds Street. This was the terminal of a single wire which General Cameron had from his office to the Otahuhu Military Camp near Anne’s Bridge. The first operator was Mr. Alex. Brodie, of the Royal Engineers. About 1866, this office was removed to the Post Office, Princes Street. By October, 1864, there were 160 miles of telegraph lines in the province, but communication with Wellington and the South Island was not established until 1872. Four years later Australia and Great Britain were brought into telegraphic connection with New Zealand.
One of the happy results of the war in the Waikato was the discovery of coal on the banks of the Waikato River, in July, 1863, which was immediately used on the river-boats engaged in the war. After hostilities had ceased, the coal fields were exploited, and the beginning of the successful coal-mining industry at Huntly established. In March of the following year coal was discovered at Kawakawa, and from these sources were obtained supplies for the domestic use of Auckland residents and for the commercial needs of the town and province.
Another direct result of the war was the inauguration of the railway system of the North Island, although such a step would have taken place in due course. The initial movement was made by the Provincial Council in 1863, when a report was adopted recommending the construction of a railway between Auckland and Drury, with a branch line to Onehunga. Tenders were accordingly invited in the following year, the offer of Messrs. Brogden and Sons, an English firm, being accepted. The work commenced on 17th February, 1865. Parnell Hill was pierced by a tunnel on July 31st, 1872, and the Auckland-Onehunga portion of the line was opened on December 24th, 1873. The Auckland station was then situated on the harbour at the eastern side of Point Britomart, near the end of Custom-House Street [now Customs Street]. The growth of the railway system of the province was slow, and by the end of 1877 only 93 miles had been completed. With the demolition of Point Britomart the railway station was removed to its present location, being completed on October 26th, 1885. It would be interesting to trace step by step the extension of the railway system, as, obviously, it is part of the history of Auckland, but, in so brief a sketch as this, detail is impossible. It is worth mentioning, however, that the first Main Trunk train from Wellington to Auckland arrived on November 6th, 1908, and that the daily express between here and the capital was inaugurated on February 14th, 1909.
Travelling overland prior to the introduction of railways, and for many years after, was conducted by coaches. In the earliest days this means of locomotion was restricted, but increased with the opening up of the province and the development of the roads. Thus, in 1867, there was established a daily service of coaches to Hamilton. The coaches were of the type known as “Cobb & Co.”, an exceedingly picturesque vehicle, with dickys for the driver and for passengers at the rear. The most extensive and famous line of coaches were those owned by Messrs. Quick Bros.
The city and suburban conveyances were at first busses, and, later, horse-drawn Albert cars. As early as 1864 there was a half-hourly service of busses to Onehunga.
Early in the ’sixties a regular service of communication was inaugurated with the North Shore, which has been maintained and developed until the present time. The first name associated with this service is Mr. A. Alison, the present manager of the Devonport Steam Ferry Company, who, in 1861, inaugurated a ferry in open boats, making two trips a day, which obtained until superseded by a three-trip service introduced by Messrs. Holmes Bros., who owned the hotel at Devonport, and subsequently formed a company to run the steamer Waitemata in 1864. The following year the Enterprise was launched. This boat, small in size as compared with a modern ferry, was capable of carrying 200 passengers, and had accommodation in her two saloons for fifty persons. She did the trip from Auckland to the Shore in twenty minutes, and kept up a regular service between 7.30 a.m. and 8 p.m. The earlier boat, Waitemata, was enlarged by having her bow and stern cut off and replaced, and was then put into commission as Enterprise No. 2. Soon afterwards she was sold to a Thames company for work in connection with the gold discovery. Holmes Bros., in turn, met with opposition from a company styled the Auckland and North Shore Ferry Company, which built and ran the Takapuna and other boats, ousting them and acquiring their plant. There were also other rivals, who did not, however, last long. In 1881, Messrs. Quick and Alison formed an opposition company, and commenced building the Victoria. They also invited tenders for a second vessel, but before the tenders were received the Auckland and North Shore Company sold out. Messrs. Alison and Quick did not remain long in partnership, and in the same year the Devonport Steam Ferry Company was formed, and has carried on the ferry services ever since, which now include practically all parts of the harbour.