1810 in New Zealand

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[edit] Summary

There is a drastic decline in the number of ships visiting New Zealand from the previous year. An economic depression starts in New South Wales as a result of the escalation of war in Europe and the consequent reduction in the number of convicts being transported.^[1] In March news of the Boyd massacre reaches Port Jackson and a punitive expedition is sent to New Zealand and bombards the village of the incorrectly blamed chief, Te Pahi. After this the few whaling ships (possibly only 5) that later head for New Zealand usually prefer to avoid landing, especially in the Bay of Islands.^[1]

Sealing in Foveaux Strait declines as the rookeries are exhausted. With the discovery of Campbell Island at the beginning of the year, and Macquarie Island in the middle of the year, by the same sealing ship, sealers transfer their attention there. If they stop off in New Zealand it is usually in Foveaux Strait.^[1]

[edit] Incumbents

[edit] Regal and Vice Regal

• Head of State – King George III.
• Governor of New South Wales – Lachlan Macquarie, having arrived 4 days earlier, is sworn in on New Year’s Day.^[2]

[edit] Events

• 1 January – Lachlan Macquarie is sworn in as Governor of New South Wales.^[2]
• 2 January – The Active (first ship of the name), Captain John Bader, arrives at Open Bay islands off the south West Coast, and leaves a sealing gang there. The ship is never seen again. The sealing gang is not rescued until 1813.^[1]
• 4 January – The sealing ship Perseverance, Captain Hasselberg discovers Campbell Island.^[1]
• 6 January – Captain Berry, of the City of Edinburgh, drafts a letter to Governor Macquaruie, which blames the Boyd massacre on Te Pahi. He leaves this letter, and copies of a notice warning visiting ships of what has happened, with chief Tara. The City of Edinburgh then leaves for Valparaiso with the 4 survivors of the Boyd.^[1]
• 10 January – The sealer Sydney Cove, Captain Charles McLaren, lands a sealing gang on Stewart Island. 6 of the gang take a longboat and escape across Foveaux Strait. Possibly near the site of later Invercargill they are attacked by Māori and 5 are killed and eaten. 16 year old James Caddell is spared and later marries into a leading Ngāi Tahu family.^[1][3] (see also 1822)
• Late January – The Cumberland, Captain William Swain, visits the Bay of Islands and is given a copy of Captain Berry’s notice.^[1]
• Mid February – The Ann, and the Albion, Captain Cuthbert Richardson, visit the Bay of Islands and are shown Captain Berry’s notice.^[1]
• 18 February – The Ann and Albion leave the Bay of Islands.^[1]
• 19 February – The Ann and Albion meet the King George, Captain Samuel Chace and inform Captain Chace of the burning of the Boyd.^[1]
• 28 February – The convict ship Ann (second ship of the name), Captain Charles Clarke, arrives in Port Jackson with Samuel Marsden, William Hall, John King and Ruatara. Ruatara stays with Marsden for the next 18 months. The news of the Boyd massacre delays Marsden’s plans for a mission in New Zealand for some time.^{[1][4][5][6][7]}
• 2 March – The Brothers leaves Port Jackson for Open Bay.^[1]
• 9 March – The King George arrives in Port Jackson and is the first to report the loss of the Boyd.^[1].
• 17 March – The Experiment, Captain Joseph Dodds, leaves Port Jackson taking a party headed by William Leith to set up a flax-collecting settlement in the North Island. Also on board is Lieutenant-Governor Joseph Foveaux.^[1]
• 26 March – 5 ships, having heard the story of the Boyd from a local woman, attack Te Pahi’s pa on Te Puna island. Approximately 60 Māori are killed and Te Pahi is wounded (he dies a few weeks later). The ships involved are the Speke (John Hingston), Inspector (John Walker), Diana (William Parker), Atalanta (John Morris) and Perseveance (Frederick Hasselberg). Later the same day, after the attack, the Spring Grove and New Zealander arrive. Phillip Tapsell is among the crew on the latter.^[1][8][9]
• 27 March – The Governor Bligh, Captain Chace, leaves Port Jackson with supplies for the Experiment. When it is discovered that the Leith party has already returned to Port Jackson Captain Chace decides to return via Foveaux Strait, where it collects (around June) the sealing gang left by the Fox in October 1809.^[1]
• 3 May – The Brothers collects two men from the Unity at Port Daniel (Otago Harbour), including William Tucker. Tucker is sent to look for other sealers from the Unity at Stewart Island. It is probably there that he steals the Māori preserved head that he later shows in Sydney.^[1]
• 11 July – The Perseverance, Captain Hasselberg, discovers Macquarie Island.^[1]
• 15 August – The Unity returns to Port Jackson from the south coast of New Zealand and describes the local Māori there as ‘particularly friendly’.^[1]
• November/December - The Sydney Cove, Captain Charles McLaren, anchors in Otago Harbour. The 'theft' of a red shirt and other articles by local chief Te Wahia sparks what becomes known as The Sealers War or The War of the Shirt, which lasts until 1823.

[edit] Undated

• Te Rauparaha begins a five-year stay with Ngāti Maru in the Hauraki Gulf. His intentions may have been to form alliances to attack his enemies in the Waikato and/or to find somewhere to resettle Ngāti Toa should Kawhia become too unsafe.^[10]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t} Salmond, Anne. Between Worlds. 1997. Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd. ISBN 0 670 87787 5.
2. ^ ^{a b} Dictionary of Australian Biography: Lachlan Macquarie
3. ^ Dictionary of New Zealand Biography: James Caddell
4. ^ New Zealand Encyclopaedia 1966: Ruatara Biography
5. ^ Dictionary of New Zealand Biography: Ruatara
6. ^ Dictionary of New Zealand Biography: Samuel Marsden
7. ^ New Zealand Encyclopaedia 1966: Samuel Marsden Biography
8. ^ Dictionary of New Zealand Biography: Te Pahi
9. ^ New Zealand Encyclopaedia 1966: Tapsell Biography
10. ^ Dictionary of New Zealand Biography: Te Rauparaha

Category: 1810 in New Zealand