Page:Tales-of-Banks-Peninsula Jacobson 2ed 1893 cropped.pdf/133

This page has been validated.
126
Stories of Banks Peninsula.

look for the Kaka, and one of the crew of that boat was Mr. Gerald Fitzgerald, lately Resident Magistrate at Hokitika.

The first schoolmaster in Akaroa was Mr Wadsworth, who came out in the same ship with Mr. Garwood. He was a very capable man and much liked, but he soon left, and entered the civil service in Victoria, where he now holds a good position.

The first Church of England service was held in the French Magazine, which was also used as a Court House, and stood on the site of the present Court House, and the seats were borrowed from the Roman Catholic Chapel. Shortly after this, Archdeacons Paul and Mathias paid a visit to Akaroa, for the purpose of holding a wholesale marriage and christening of the Natives. The Maoris flocked in in great numbers, apparently delighted at the idea. Many of the children had been baptised before by clergymen of various denominations, but they had it done over again to make all sure. Some of the ladies left long strings of their children outside the building whilst they went in to be married.

In these earlier days a brig named the Mountain Maid used to visit Akaroa and other New Zealand ports periodically. She came from Sydney, and was the property of Mr. Peacock, father of the Hon. John Peacock. The Mountain Maid was a perfect floating warehouse, from which the settlers drew their supplies. She had everything on board, “from a needle to an anchor,” and her decks used to be crowded by busy purchasers whenever she arrived.

Some time in the year 1852, Colonel Campbell was sent down by Sir George Grey as Commissioner, to enquire into all land claims. He had with him Mr. J. C. Boys, of Rangiora, as surveyor, and Mr J. Aylmer as assistant surveyor. Colonel Campbell did not make things at all pleasant for the Canterbury Association settlers. He was a disap-