Tales of Banks Peninsula/Part 2/Chapter 4

German Bay, lying close to Akaroa as it does, is closely associated with its history. It was settled as soon as any other Bay on the Peninsula, and when the whole place was a forest wild was considered as one of the most fertile and convenient spots for habitation by the pioneers. It is not exactly known when Akaroa, German, and the other Bays round the harbour were first chosen as places of settlement by white men. It must have been very early in the century, however, when runaway sailors sought a home in the bush in preference to cruising after whales. Several of these men lived with the Maoris and took Maori women for wives. Some stray sailors lived alone in the bush, and German Bay was one of their retreats, it being then easy to live on the natural products of the land. This Bay was of course no exception to the rest of the Peninsula as regards the bush, which was once very thick and heavy. The space, however, we are informed, which is on the seaward side of the present road, was fairly clear, and here the first settlers built their whâres. Wild pigs, besides pigeons, ka kas, and other birds abounded, and fish was plentiful, so it did not require much exertion to obtain a supply of provisions.

As we all know, Capt. l’Anglois is said to have purchased from the Maoris a great part of our Peninsula, a block consisting of many thousand acres. This block of land extended from Peraki to Pigeon Bay, and included all the land round the harbour with the exception of one or two small places. A boat, it is believed, and some articles of merchandise were the payment for the land. £240 was to be the value of the goods given in exchange for this great stretch of fertile country; but it was ​never proved that anything like that amount was given to the Natives, and the Captain gave up his rights on returning to France to a company by name the Nanto-Bordelaise Co. Capt. l’Anglois brought out the Comte-de-Paris for this Company with immigrants. The vessel arrived in Akaroa Harbour on 16th August, 1840, just seven months after the New Zealand Co. brought out emigrants to Nelson and Wellington. There were sixty emigrants by the Comte-de-Paris, and the Company granted them five acres of land on arrival, to be chosen where they pleased, and eighteen-months’ provisions and all necessary tools. Mrs. Malmanche and Mr. Waeckerlie are the only residents remaining who came here under this Company. Mr. Lelievre came about the same time, but he arrived in a whaler.

There were six Germans who came out with the French settlers: Messrs Waeckerlie, Breitmeyer, and Peter Walter were among them. All the Germans formed a settlement in what is now German Bay, the place thus getting its name. They chose their five acres apiece there. A track was cut to Akaroa, and the timber in the bush being so good, the settlers employed themselves in pit sawing. The land was excellent for cultivation, but growing vegetables on a large scale didn’t pay, as there were no people to whom to sell them, although the Maoris would now and then buy potatoes.

Patches of ground in the clearing were sown down in wheat, as flour was a rarity, and the settlers felt the want of it very much, only being able to get a little when a whaler anchored in the harbour. The yield was very great.

Even when these early settlers came, the Maoris round the harbour were not numerous The French thought, however, that it was as well to take precautions, as their man-of-war could not always stay in harbour to protect, so a guard house was built in ​German Bay close to the beach, but luckily it was never required for the purpose intended.

Just after the arrival of the immigrants, the N.Z. Company sent down a Mr. Robinson to act as a Resident Magistrate, and a Constable This was rather officious on the part of the British, as New Zealand was not declared a British Colony until 1841. This gentleman afterwards bought land in German Bay.

By degrees, as the bush was cleared in German Bay, the English flocked there, and soon out-numbered the original settlers. As may be supposed, there were some large bush fires, but little damage was done to the inhabitants, who took precautions in time.

Captain Muter, afterwards Colonel Muter, arrived in 1851. He was the first to purchase land there under the Canterbury Association. The property is that now occupied by Mr Phillips. Capt. Muter built the house. He planted out trees, which are about the oldest of their kind on the Peninsula, and have always been remarkable for their growth. With him came Mr. and Mrs. Funnell, sen., and Mr. and Mrs Hammond. Capt. Muter had the misfortune of losing nearly all his implements and goods in Lyttelton. They were put in a boat, which sank after leaving the ship. Commodore Lavaud also lived in German Bay. Kuebler was the name of one of the original settlers who died in the early years. Mr. Wool was the name of a man who has long since left. Messrs. Hempleman and Whelch, father of Mr Thos. Whelch, of Akaroa, were among the first to take up land in German Bay. Mr Libeau, sen., was the first to start a dairy, and he found a good sale for his produce among the other settlers.

Mr. Waeckerlie lived in the Bay until 1842. He then married and came to Akaroa, where he built a ​flour-mill on the site of the Chinamen’s house. Mr. Breitmeyer was the only original settler who had a family, but most of the others in time married and settled down. Almost as soon as cattle were introduced from Sydney, dairying commenced; on a very small scale at first, each calf being of great value, and beef an enormous price. As the land, however, was cleared and sowed down, it became the settlers’ chief employment, and, with the production of grass seed, has remained so to the present day.

German Bay was very beautiful when covered in bush, and, unlike many other Bays, has kept its beauty. This is chiefly owing to the early settlers taking care to plant out English trees as the bush was burnt. The willows, which are an important part of the landscape, were grown from slips brought by the emigrants from St. Helena, where they were taken from the tree over Napoleon’s grave.