WEBSTER, William Dawson, b.1841

William Dawson Webster was the son of James Webster, the first Magistrate, Postmaster and Collector of Customs in New Plymouth. Willie Webster served in the the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers during the Taranaki Campaign and with his brother Frederick Lewis Webster became a leading mercahant and business man in the Province. He was the first to export potatoes to Australia. His own published recollection sof early New Plymouth are offered.

I was born at sea on the “Amelia Thompson” on the 15th April, 1841. On first landing in New Plymouth my father and mother occupied a small raupo whare, just before where the Post Office Buildings now stand, near the Mangutuku Stream. This improvised home, of a single room, was divided into two by a ship’s sail, kindly lent by the Captain. Some of the timber was brought out from Home. A portion of the house is yet standing in another part of the town. My father, James Webster occupied the position of first Postmaster in New Plymouth, and was later a Justice of the Peace.

I have a distinct recollection of the Huatoki Stream in my early days. It was very much larger and deeper than it is at the present time. The opening up of the drainage of the country has caused it to silt up. When I was about nine or ten years old I used to pull up that river for about a quarter of a mile quite easily and the natives from the Mokau and Kawhia frequented New Plymouth, coming up in large canoes and bringing produce, such as wheat, apples, peaches and maize. The apples were of a really beautiful quality. They came from trees planted by the very early Missionaries, more especially in Kawhia. The natives took back with them stores purchased in New Plymouth. The canoes were about 40ft long by 4 ft 6 inches wide, with a capacity of from 3 to 4 tons. In the early settlement of New Plymouth the natives were exceedingly friendly and many of the early settlers in the district have occasion to remember the great kindnesses bestowed on them by the natives.

While speaking of the native character I may say that personally I have deep admiration for the old time Maori. They were a fine race of people, brave and valiant in war and frequently generous to their foes. As bearing on the size of the river in early days, I may mention that a small vessel came from Wellington, landing fifteen tons of flour for the use of the settlers, sailing right into the centre of the town. The “Phenetta”, Captain Samuel Teague, entered the Huatoki and discharged the flour where Mr Newton King’s office now stands that there having upon it a bakers shop,

In the first days of the settlement the traffic with the outside world was carried on by small schooners, trading from Wellington, and the cargo inwards and outwards by means of large cargo boats. That was before there was any sign of the erection of a breakwater. The late Mr John Watson, my wife’s father, was the first pilot, and later Harbour Master in New Plymouth. He held the office for many years, and during that time not a single ship was lost on this coast. The first wooden dwelling house that was built In New Plymouth was my father’s. There was an ambuscade laid on the site where my house stands. The ambuscade was laid on what is now my garden, probably about 1830. A most desperate battle was fought between opposing tribes of natives. My father’s timber house stood in Vivian Street and contained five rooms. It was considered in those days, the ballroom of New Plymouth. I have seen Sir George Grey dancing there, the only music being that of a fiddle.

The first school in New Plymouth was a portion of the building now used as a Sunday School, and standing immediately opposite St. Mary’s Church. The first Superintendent of the School was Miss Newland.

The only means of getting supplies of goods from the beach was by a team of goats harnessed to a sleigh. The enterprising settler owning the turn out was Mr S. Joll. This team ran for several years.

As affording a slight idea of the changes that have occurred in New Plymouth since its early settlement, I may mention that the site of the present Railway Station was formed by levelling a spacious hill of some 30 to 40 ft in height. It was named Mount Eliot. For many years erected on that bill was the flagstaff from which signals were sent to vessels coming in to the roadstead. For quite a number of years a gun was fired at 12 noon sharp to denote the time to the townspeople.

Before Europeans came to New Zealand Mt Eliot was a fortfied Pa, and very sanguinary battles took place between it and Marsland Hill. Before the Sixties Marsland Hill was 40 ft higher than it is now, and on the extreme summit were many Maori pits, used as larders, as was customary with the natives.

Business, in the early days of the settlers, was no sinecure, up to the year 1855 one of the chief difficulties was the finding of a food market for our produce, when by means of sailing vessels trade was opened up with the Australian Colonies, chiefly with Sydney and Melbourne. To the latter port considerable quantities of potatoes were exported, to supply the Victorian diggings. So small were the vessels trading between New Plymouth and Wellington that cabin sleeping accommodation was impossible. It has been told, that often on one of these vessels, the “The Carbiu”, sleeping space was provided for one passenger, and some bags of flour forming the bulkhead between cabin and hold had to be pulled down so cramped were the quarters.

The late Archdeacon Govett, for fifty years in charge of St. Mary’s Church, brought his bride back from Wellington in a small vessel named the “Catherine Johnson”, commonly known as “Kitty”.

During the settlers war with the natives a large number of women and children were deported to Nelson, as the town was very crowded and diptheria broke out. One of the Taranaki settlers who was thus deported to Nelson, returned to New Plymouth clad in Maori clothing and remained undetected for some considerable time. She stowed herself away on board ship. This lady came out as Amelia Parker in the Blenheim 1842 and afterwards became Mrs Bullot. With regard to some of the privations of the early settlers, it is worth mentioning that in very early days the price of flour was £2.10.0 to £3.0.0. per 100 lb bag, and it was at times very difficult to get it even at that price.

I have had occasion to mention the name of Archdeacon Govett, so that, it may interest some readers to know that his old schoolmate was the late Rev. William Bolland — the Rev. Govett took over the duties of Mr Bolland on the latters death. When the Archdeacon himself died, his remains, by his own instructions, were laid beside those of his old friend. Mr Bolland’s memory was so widely esteemed that after his death one of the Parishioners offered her tribute of flowers every Sunday morning without intermission for over 20 years. Surely this lady’s grave should not be flowerless!

• reply

William Dawson Webster was the son of James Webster, the first Magistrate, Postmaster and Collector of Customs in New Plymouth. Willie Webster served in the the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers during the Taranaki Campaign and with his brother Frederick Lewis Webster became a leading mercahant and business man in the Province. He was the first to export potatoes to Australia. His own published recollection sof early New Plymouth are offered.

I was born at sea on the “Amelia Thompson” on the 15th April, 1841. On first landing in New Plymouth my father and mother occupied a small raupo whare, just before where the Post Office Buildings now stand, near the Mangutuku Stream. This improvised home, of a single room, was divided into two by a ship’s sail, kindly lent by the Captain. Some of the timber was brought out from Home. A portion of the house is yet standing in another part of the town. My father, James Webster occupied the position of first Postmaster in New Plymouth, and was later a Justice of the Peace.

I have a distinct recollection of the Huatoki Stream in my early days. It was very much larger and deeper than it is at the present time. The opening up of the drainage of the country has caused it to silt up. When I was about nine or ten years old I used to pull up that river for about a quarter of a mile quite easily and the natives from the Mokau and Kawhia frequented New Plymouth, coming up in large canoes and bringing produce, such as wheat, apples, peaches and maize. The apples were of a really beautiful quality. They came from trees planted by the very early Missionaries, more especially in Kawhia. The natives took back with them stores purchased in New Plymouth. The canoes were about 40ft long by 4 ft 6 inches wide, with a capacity of from 3 to 4 tons. In the early settlement of New Plymouth the natives were exceedingly friendly and many of the early settlers in the district have occasion to remember the great kindnesses bestowed on them by the natives.

While speaking of the native character I may say that personally I have deep admiration for the old time Maori. They were a fine race of people, brave and valiant in war and frequently generous to their foes. As bearing on the size of the river in early days, I may mention that a small vessel came from Wellington, landing fifteen tons of flour for the use of the settlers, sailing right into the centre of the town. The “Phenetta”, Captain Samuel Teague, entered the Huatoki and discharged the flour where Mr Newton King’s office now stands that there having upon it a bakers shop,

In the first days of the settlement the traffic with the outside world was carried on by small schooners, trading from Wellington, and the cargo inwards and outwards by means of large cargo boats. That was before there was any sign of the erection of a breakwater. The late Mr John Watson, my wife’s father, was the first pilot, and later Harbour Master in New Plymouth. He held the office for many years, and during that time not a single ship was lost on this coast. The first wooden dwelling house that was built In New Plymouth was my father’s. There was an ambuscade laid on the site where my house stands. The ambuscade was laid on what is now my garden, probably about 1830. A most desperate battle was fought between opposing tribes of natives. My father’s timber house stood in Vivian Street and contained five rooms. It was considered in those days, the ballroom of New Plymouth. I have seen Sir George Grey dancing there, the only music being that of a fiddle.

The first school in New Plymouth was a portion of the building now used as a Sunday School, and standing immediately opposite St. Mary’s Church. The first Superintendent of the School was Miss Newland.

The only means of getting supplies of goods from the beach was by a team of goats harnessed to a sleigh. The enterprising settler owning the turn out was Mr S. Joll. This team ran for several years.

As affording a slight idea of the changes that have occurred in New Plymouth since its early settlement, I may mention that the site of the present Railway Station was formed by levelling a spacious hill of some 30 to 40 ft in height. It was named Mount Eliot. For many years erected on that bill was the flagstaff from which signals were sent to vessels coming in to the roadstead. For quite a number of years a gun was fired at 12 noon sharp to denote the time to the townspeople.

Before Europeans came to New Zealand Mt Eliot was a fortfied Pa, and very sanguinary battles took place between it and Marsland Hill. Before the Sixties Marsland Hill was 40 ft higher than it is now, and on the extreme summit were many Maori pits, used as larders, as was customary with the natives.

Business, in the early days of the settlers, was no sinecure, up to the year 1855 one of the chief difficulties was the finding of a food market for our produce, when by means of sailing vessels trade was opened up with the Australian Colonies, chiefly with Sydney and Melbourne. To the latter port considerable quantities of potatoes were exported, to supply the Victorian diggings. So small were the vessels trading between New Plymouth and Wellington that cabin sleeping accommodation was impossible. It has been told, that often on one of these vessels, the “The Carbiu”, sleeping space was provided for one passenger, and some bags of flour forming the bulkhead between cabin and hold had to be pulled down so cramped were the quarters.

The late Archdeacon Govett, for fifty years in charge of St. Mary’s Church, brought his bride back from Wellington in a small vessel named the “Catherine Johnson”, commonly known as “Kitty”.

During the settlers war with the natives a large number of women and children were deported to Nelson, as the town was very crowded and diptheria broke out. One of the Taranaki settlers who was thus deported to Nelson, returned to New Plymouth clad in Maori clothing and remained undetected for some considerable time. She stowed herself away on board ship. This lady came out as Amelia Parker in the Blenheim 1842 and afterwards became Mrs Bullot. With regard to some of the privations of the early settlers, it is worth mentioning that in very early days the price of flour was £2.10.0 to £3.0.0. per 100 lb bag, and it was at times very difficult to get it even at that price.

I have had occasion to mention the name of Archdeacon Govett, so that, it may interest some readers to know that his old schoolmate was the late Rev. William Bolland — the Rev. Govett took over the duties of Mr Bolland on the latters death. When the Archdeacon himself died, his remains, by his own instructions, were laid beside those of his old friend. Mr Bolland’s memory was so widely esteemed that after his death one of the Parishioners offered her tribute of flowers every Sunday morning without intermission for over 20 years. Surely this lady’s grave should not be flowerless!

• reply