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Historical Records of New Zealand

Rev. S. Marsden to——

Rev. S. Marsden to——

Parramatta, Sept. 25th, 1834.

Revd. Sir,—

I have taken the liberty to write to you as Secretary of the C. M. Society on the behalf of a young man named Lang-horne. He is a clark in the Australian Bank. I believe he is a native of Clapham. I have known him since his arrival in the colony. Mr. Langhorne brought a letter of introduction to me from Dr. Dealtry, minister of Clapham. Mr. L. is a very pious young man, well informed, and very prudent in his whole conduct. He has for some time past expressed a strong desire to be employed in the New Zealand mission, and I believe from the best of motives. He has been very useful in copying the proceedings of the auxiliary committee, and is well acquainted with the affairs of the mission in New Zealand. Mr. L. got a situation as clerk in the bank soon after his arrival, in which situation he has given much satisfaction. Should the parent Committee think it prudent to appoint him to any situation as clerk or catechist I believe he would be found faithful and attentive to his duty. The auxiliary committee will write to the Society about him. I beg to refer your Committee to the Revd. Dr. Dealtry, who knows his family.

page 720

You will probably hear that there has been some serious disturbances between the Europeans and the natives, and some lives have been lost. The Government have sent a man-of-war and another small vessel to New Zealand to settle the differences, if they can. I suspect some of the Europeans have been behaving ill to the natives, which has excited them to acts of violence. Twelve Europeans were killed, and about the same number taken prisoners, with the captain’s wife and two children. The vessel belonged to this colony, and was driven on shore in a gale of wind, and wrecked.

The disturbance happened on the west side, near Mount Egmont, far from any of the missionary stations. I have had some chiefs with me lately, begging for missionaries. They told me wars would never cease amongst them unless they had some missionaries. They then would live in peace. The merchants and the Government should aid the Society in this great work. New Zealand will be a place for our whalers and other ships if they are (I mean the natives) treated with common civility. If they are not they will take their own redress.

A man-of-war and a smaller vessel are gone to New Zealand to recover the Europeans who were taken prisoners by the natives. How the matter will end I cannot say. There is nothing to be apprehended to be done by the natives to the missionaries. I am confident they will be perfectly safe. Since I began my letter a chief and his wife have arrived from the South Cape, and are with me. His object is to get a missionary to reside at his settlement. I introduced him to the Governor, in order that he might tell his own story. The Governor received them very kindly, which gave them great satisfaction. I intimated to His Excellency that the Government and merchants ought to assist the Society with means to supply the natives of New Zealand with instruction, as that island promises to be of such great importance to N. S. Wales and the whale fishery. The Governor promised the chief some presents of several articles he wanted.…The chief…told me he wanted no guns; he wanted missionaries.…

I remain, &c.,

Samuel Marsden.