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Historical Records of New Zealand

New South Wales

New South Wales.

Articles of agreement had, made and fully agreed and concluded on theday ofin the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen by and between Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell of Sydney, merchants, on behalf of themselves and the New South Wales New Zealand Company of the one part, and Mr. Robert Williams of the same place, rope maker, hemp and flax dresser, of the other part: Witness that the said Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell as aforesaid engage, undertake and agree to furnish such suitable ships or vessels as may be required for carrying on a hemp trade from New Zealand to Port Jackson, also to see that the said vessels are properly equipped and stored with provissions and stores and manned with a proper compliment of men for six months; also that the same Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell bind themselves &c. as aforesaid to provide not less than sixteen effective men exclusive of the ship’s crew above mentioned with stores and provissions for six months together with proper materials for building habitations for the men employed and such store houses as may be required, also that the said Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell shall furnish such machinery and other implements and aparatus as the said Robert Williams shall give directions to be constructed for the purpose of cleansing and manufacturing the hemp plant of New Zealand; and the said Robert Williams aforesaid on his part engages, undertakes and agrees, as soon as the above-mentioned vessels, provissions, aparatus, and men are ready to embark on board the same, and to proceed to Port William in New Zealand or such other place in New Zealand as he shall judge best calculated for carrying on the said hemp manufactory, and will, after landing accordingly proceed to the erection of such buildings and machinery as are necessary for the above purposes; also, the said Robert Williams will exert himself in the use of such arts, methods and discoveries as he may have acquired or made in manufacturing the hemp plant of New Zealand, also in communicating according to the best of his skill and judgment the above mentioned arts, methods and discoveries to such persons as the said Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell shall appoint to succeed him in conducting the said works which the said Robert Williams pledges himself to do within the space of six months after his arrival page 474 after which time the said Robert Williams shall be at liberty to return by the earliest conveyance to Port Jackson, there to commence and carry on the manufacture of cordage and canvass for the benefit of the proposed company above mentioned. And for all such services to be well and faithfully performed by the said Robert Williams, the said Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell for and on account of the said proposed company (which is not to consist of more than two hundred shares of £50 sterling each) promise, engage and agree that the said Robert Williams shall have and hold twelve of the above mentioned fifty pound shares which shall be made out and signed in his own name and that they the said Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell will pay and advance the sum necessary for such shares for and on the account of the said Robert Williams. But it is clearly to be understood that the said twelve shares shall be and remain in the hands of the said Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell until the said Robert Williams has repaid their first cost. It is moreover clearly to be understood that during the absence of the said Robert Williams from Sydney, in the employ of the aforesaid company, the said Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell as aforesaid shall provide him with all necessary comforts and provisions free from every charge and expence whatever and that the same Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell shall during the absence of the said Robert Williams from Sydney as aforesaid advance from time to time such sum or sums as may be required for the support of his wife Mary Williams, by the said Mary Williams the same being chargeable to his account, and payable in common, and in like manner with the money advanced as the purchase money of the twelve shares above mentioned, i.e. out of the profits arising from the proposed manufacture of the New Zealand hemp. Finally it is clearly to be understood that if this commodity be not sold at Sydney or no immediate returns be made and the said commodity be exported to a foreign market the said Simeon Lord and Garnham Blaxcell shall make such other arrangement for the constant support of the said Robert Williams and family as shall be concluded necessary till such returns be made. For the said performance of the several matters and things in these articles of agreement contained according to the tenor and true meaning and intent thereof, the said parties hereto mutually bind themselves each to the other in the penal sum of five hundred pounds sterling to be forfeited by and recovered from either party making default in the premises. In witness whereof the said parties have hereunto set their hands and affixed their seals the day and year first above written.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of—[No names given].

page 475
[Church Missionary House.