The first giraffe in New Zealand

Image from Otago Witness, 20 January 1909.

The logistics of conveying exotic wild animals to places where money could be made by displaying them in the 19th century were both expensive and extremely difficult. While New Zealanders saw their first elephant on these shores in 1870-1871, it took nearly another 40 years before a firm of circus entrepreneurs achieved the feat of bringing the first giraffe here. The entrepreneurs were the Wirth Brothers, and the giraffe was one aged nearly three years old and purchased for £1000 from Karl Hagenbeck's Hamburg Zoo. The NZ press simply referred to it as "the £1000 giraffe", but it appears to have been named "Commonwealth" in Australia by a Mr. R. A. Price in May, 1908. (Adelaide Advertiser, 4 May 1908)

Commonwealth the giraffe arrived in New Zealand early in 1909, having already become the focus of attention due to the Wirths' canny advertising. The sheer logistics of transporting the animal fascinated as much as the oddity of the animal itself.

"The giraffe imported by Messrs. Wirth Bros, at a cost of over £1000 requires the careful and undivided attention of an attendant, who is always with it, even to occupying the same truck in the course of its transportation by rail. When the animal is carried on the railway it is placed in a telescopic cage in order to allow of its safe conveyance under bridges. The attendant lowers the roof of the adjustable cage, which reduces the height and compels the tall creature to bend its neck, so that the cage may pass under bridges and through tunnels in complete safety. The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world, and the specimen in question measures 15ft from hoof to head, and it is absolutely dumb. Careful attention must be given to its diet, which consists of porridge and milk, raw onions, salt, phosphates, oats, hay, and chaff. It is given six meals a day. Its natural method of feeding is high up, and when it picks up anything from the ground it is compelled to spread its front legs to enable it to get down."

(Evening Post, 30 January 1909)

Evening Post, 23 February 1909

The menagerie and circus, with giraffe, toured around New Zealand, reaching Auckland by late March 1909. Then, the circus packed up, boarded the steamer Marama, and headed back to Australia. Two animals, however, never made it back alive.

"The death of the giraffe on the Marama on the night preceding her arrival at Sydney was the subject of very general regret on the part of the passengers (says an exchange). It appears from the statement made as to the cause of the loss by one of Wirth Bros' managers that the animal was affected by the motion of the steamer, and seemed decidedly unhappy. It was standing up at the time and being unable to keep its feet fell down and sprawled about its cage. It could not recover itself, and, as Messrs Wirth's man expressed himself, "it was a timorous and nerveless animal, and after a minute's struggling it simply broke its heart." '

"This is an unlucky trip for us," he subsequently remarked, '"as the Polar bear died, on the first night out from Auckland, and we had to throw him overboard. The giraffe cost us £1000 so, you can see we are having a bad time of it." The giraffe was taken onto Sydney and will be stuffed and sent to Melbourne where it will be placed in Wirth's museum of animals that have died."

(Taranaki Herald, 14 April 1909)

So ended the life of the first giraffe to be seen in this country.

A JOURNALISTIC SCARE ON THE PACIFIC OCEAN.
Journalist Henry Brett (on board Sydney boat, waking up suddenly at remark from steward):
What's that, man? My pet "Graphic" dead?
Steward: No, sir; Wirth's Giraffe's dead.

Observer, 10 April 1909

The Prince's Elephant

In 1870, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and son of Queen Victoria, paid a visit on board his ship the Galatea to India and Sri Lanka. While there, he engaged in one of his favorite pastimes -- shooting elephants. The reigning head of Nepal at the time, Sir Jung Bahadoor, gave him what was probably, therefore, an appropriate gift: a young, four-year-old elephant.

"The young elephant that was presented by Sir Jung Bahadoor to the Duke of Edinburgh has not been allowed to lead an idle life on board the Galatea. His services were utilised at Galle [Sri Lanka] for the purpose of hauling in some 300 tons of coal, which would otherwise have employed upwards of thirty men. He rather objected to the occupation at first, but a little coaxing and quiet treatment soon reconciled him to his fate, and he cheerfully went through his task to the great delight of the Jack Tars."

(The Hull Packet and East Riding Times, England, 24 June 1870)

Continuing on his journeys, the Prince stopped off at Auckland for the second and final time in his life. His previous visit, in 1867, had been a resounding success. This time, the visit was supposed to be more low-key, as it wasn't so much a state visit by a member of the Royal Family as it was just a ship of the Royal Navy calling into port. I'd say his elephant took a lot of the weight of publicity from his shoulders. By this time, the elphant was referred to as coming from Ceylon, rather than Nepal.

"H.M. ship Galatea arrived in harbour yesterday morning, having on board H.R.H the Duke of Edinburgh. On his former visit he came as a member of the .Royal family, but this time he simply comes as a captain in the British navy …

Amongst the stock on board the Galatea, is a live elephant, which, although not fully grown, is yet from six to seven feet in height. During the lengthened stay in this port, we understand that it is intended to land the elephant, and quarter him for some time in the Albert Barracks."

(Southern Cross, 9 December 1870)

"The Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes as follows: —

"Tom," the Duke's four-year-old Ceylon elephant and his inseparable companion a tortoise, were conveyed to Albert Barrack Grounds on the 9th. These grounds being well grassed, and enclosed by a substantial stone wall, may be looked upon as forming a small park of about 50 acres. Tom is of a reddish-brown colour, and wears silver rings in his huge flapping ears. He is large for such a mere baby in years, and is of a most gentle, playful disposition. As he is the first of his species that ever visited New Zealand, I have to note his peculiar idiosyncrasies.

In the first place, he is not a teetotaller, for on the way to his present quarters he stopped at a public-house and took a hearty draught of colonial beer with much apparent satisfaction. Later in the day, he indulged in alcoholic stimulants, of which, a temperance advocate might say, he was by far too fond. He likes buns, but does not despise plain bread and butter, and his infantine instincts are displayed by a decided penchant for lollies, with which, and every variety of comestibles, he is liberally supplied by a crowd of juvenile admirers.

He is ridden Mahout fashion by a handsome young servant of the Duke, at whose orders he kneels down for the rider to ascend or get off his neck, performs on his trumpet, and makes fair attempts to master such interjections as ha ! ho ! he! The youngsters take advantage of his good nature sometimes. For instance, not content with hanging on to his tail, feeling his feet and trunk, and taking similar harmless liberties, a crowd of young ragamuffins on the day of his arrival wanted to get on his back, where Tom is not wont to be ridden. Two had mounted the dangerous elevation, upon which others commenced hooting and twisting the poor brute's tail. This was adding insult to injury, and shows how true it is that " familiarity breeds contempt."

For a time, Tom peered round appealingly to his puny tormentors, but getting no redress, and being as is thought a little tipsy, he suddenly blew his trumpet, threw his riders, and rushed after his enemies, who fled in all directions, appalled by the unusual, and to them dreadful sounds. Scattered through the barrack grounds were a number of ladies and gentlemen, who, like the youngsters, quickly absconded. One boy ran between the great stone barrack buildings, and emerged, as he thought, safe. He met Tom face to face in a narrow passage, who overthrow him by a stroke of his trunk. Another boy he pushed over, whilst two urchins who were with him crawled under a wooden building. Tom thought to extract them from their retreat by feeling for them under the house with his trunk. Failing to get them, he bid defiance to all and sundry, by " casting dirt " on the crowd. Fortunately, the arrival of his keeper immediately restored peace, and it was touching to see how poor Tom ran to his friend and embraced him with his strange projection; five minutes later, the children were playing with him the same as before. He has taught them a lesson, however, which is likely to have good results.

Strange to say, no one was even slightly injured, from which I inferred that Tom really had no desire to hurt his foes, otherwise, a stamp or two with his hoofs might have sufficed to crush any one of them to a jelly. On the same night, he broke out of his strong lodgings twice. The first time, he made for some clothes hanging to dry, and which belonged to some of his shipmates of the Galatea. A strong mutual attachment exists between the sailors and Tom, whose aid in hauling on ropes is said to be equivalent to that of twenty men. It seemed hardly fair of him to "rend their garments," but they don't mind it a bit, and say, " It's only Tom's fun."

The second time he got out he went to the residence of a General Government official, and tried to open the door with his trunk, but not succeeding, kept sentry on the verandah all night. The tortoise is a beautifully marked specimen of his genus, and chiefly serves as a pedestal for children to stand upon all day. For that matter, he appears willing enough to fulfill the office of a pedestal in one particular spot for ever. There are several other living curiosities on board the Galatea, amongst them an ethereal looking Chinese boy, and a minute, jet black, negro sailor. They generally run in couples."

(Christchurch Star, 23 December 1870)

"About 6 o'clock yesterday evening the Duke of Edinburgh's elephant was ridden down the Barrack Hill, and past the Mechanics' Institute, into Queen-street, by a marine. The distinguished stranger was accompanied by a numerous concourse of children, who thronged about him, and displayed the very liveliest interest in his movements. Some of the more forward colonial youths ventured to stroke the animal's ponderous legs or to pull his tail, and many of them walked in dangerous proximity to his feet. The tractability of the creature was very remarkable, in the midst of the noisy gesticulating crowd of children. When the driver got into Queen-street, he proceeded along the footpath as far as the Exchange Hotel. Here, however, the elephant was confronted by two of Mr. Branigan's constables, who seemed about to take him into custody, but happily an understanding was come to, the elephant thenceforth proceeding along the roadway. Had the driver been summoned for a breach of the Municipal Police Act, the charge would certainly have been a novel one. Driving an elephant on the footpath is a kind of offence which is not likely to come before our local Bench; indeed, we doubt very much whether such an offence is provided against under the Municipal Police Act. The elephant afterwards went up Edwards-street, and on into Symonds-street. In the former an enthusiastic Maori woman purchased a loaf of bread, which the elephant disposed of as a delicate morsel. A man, apparently under the impression that the animal was thirsty, brought a pint of beer, which the elephant, to the scandal of teetotallers, appeared to "suck up" with the taste of a confirmed toper. A great many other interesting incidents occurred on the way, which was like a triumphal march."

(Southern Cross, 13 December 1870)

"We have a letter from "The Elephant", in answer to the charges made against him and his driver of becoming a nuisance. He contends "that he cannot be answerable for the safety of all who clamber on to his back; and, if people or children cannot hold on, they had much better keep off. He regrets that the other night, from this cause, a little boy was injured, by half-a-dozen men 'slithering' off at his tail on to the little boy. This accident did not arise from having partaken of too much beer, as he is limited to one quart a day. He is always anxious to amuse the children, and feels pleasure in carrying them on his back about the streets."

(Southern Cross, 15 December 1870)

Even when it came to the serious business of governing the Province -- if an elephant was happening to go by at the time, all proceedings ceased for a time in the Provincial Council, as the members scampered like the children they once were to see this strange marvel.

"At this stage of the proceedings some confusion was observable in the Council, hon. members rushing to the windows, and Dr. Nicholson was heard to move that the Speaker leave the chair in order to allow hon. members an opportunity of seeing the elephant, which, it appears was passing at the time."

(Southern Cross, 16 December 1870)

"The Galatea arrived on the 8th, at daylight, whilst yet this city lay buried in profound repose … At 8 a.m., the Galatea band played " God save the Queen," as St. George's red cross unfolded its snowy field to the morning breeze. At nine the Duke of Edinburgh landed, and proceeded to Government House, where he remained until 11 a.m., when he returned to his ship. The remainder of the day, until sunset, was occupied on board the Galatea with getting down royal and topgallant masts, yards, and rigging; the Blanche, at the same time getting up hers, in accordance with orders brought by the Duke for her to proceed forty-eight hours later for Hobart Town. After dark, the Galatea crew amused themselves with singing, loud enough to be heard at a great distance.

Next morning, Tom, the Duke's Ceylon elephant, and a fine tortoise, Tom's chum, were taken to the grassy walled-in space at Albert Barracks, where they will remain during their owner's visit ; there is good feed there since the late rains, and plenty of water, and the place is secure and well- adapted for Tom's recreation. Tom is large, for a four-year elephant, and is the first of his species that has paid a visit to New Zealand. He is so gentle that ladies and children constantly ride him; of the latter I have seen eight at once on his back — he kneels for his riders to mount, and lifts his near fore foot as a step to descend by. He permits juveniles to play with his tail, feet, and trunk ad libitum, as long as they take no unfair advantage; he is very popular, and, I suppose, has visited most parts of the town and its suburbs during his daily rambles; He is partial to buns, biscuits, and jam, and is anything but a teetotaler-— last Sunday he visited various public houses and drank four gallons of beer, besides a respectable modicum of spirits (for an elephant). I never see him without a small crowd of admirers, and sometime their name is " legion." He never has to go far for food, for he is exceedingly well patronised by high and low ; his great ears are adorned with silver rings, and he peers out of his little eyes with a most benevolent expression at his visitors.

It is very amusing to watch the way he cuts his grass, using his trunk as a hand and his foot for a scythe. Like some great men we know, he has no objection "to blow his own trumpet," but, unlike them, he almost always waits until he is desired to do so. I think he can do nearly everything but talk, and in fact he does speak a little, that is to say he has quite mastered such interjections as "Ha!" "Oh!" "Eh?" The sailors idolise him, for he plays with them like an immense kitten, and is ever ready to lend a trunk when it is needful to give a "long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether "; but he got angry once since his arrival at Albert Barracks— and not without reasonable excuse. The fact is that the juvenile raggamuffins of Auckland was offering him stones when he looked for bread, not content with which, his young tormentors must needs twist his tail according to the approved mode in vogue for making sulky cows " bail up "; they even pelted the popular idol. He, mild beast, uncomplainingly endured unmerited ignominy and prosecution until fairly wearied. At last he declared war by blowing his trumpet and rushing at his enemies, who fled in dire dismay at the terrific sounds and fierce aspect of the whilom tenant of the jungle — such a screaming and scampering all ways at once. By slight blows of Tom's trunk, two of his foes were immediately stretched supine on mother earth, [an]other two crept for safety under a house, but like crabs went backwards in still further when Tom's trunk appeared with a view of pulling them out.

Fortunately, no one was even slightly injured, and it has been thought that he had no actual desire to do mischief; at any rate, his wrath, real or pretended, vanished the moment his friend the keeper put in an appearance; five minutes after, the elephant was playing with the youngsters the same as ever. "

(Hawke's Bay Herald, 23 December 1870)

"Anyone who visited the Domain on Monday, and witnessed such a large gathering of children from the Auckland Sunday-schools, ! would have come to the conclusion that all i of them had turned out on one occasion j but, as was abundantly proved yesterday, this was not the case …

The presence of the Prince's elephant was again an immense source of enjoyment by the juveniles. Its keeper did all he could to gratify the aspirations of such as desired a "lift” (to the intense delight of not a few) now and then the good-tempered animal would, in obedience to a certain sign, raise itself on its hindlegs, and down would slide half-a-dozen boys— just when they least expected it. Its "salaams" before departing were performed in as polite a way as the elephant knew how ; and it is needless to say that so great a favourite was not forgotten when the eatables were unpacked."

(Southern Cross, 4 January 1871)

On 16 January, the Galatea left Auckland, and headed back to England.

"Tom the elephant, came to the Galatea's port gangway and bade us farewell in a series of grand salaams. He was answered with loud and reiterated cheers."

(Christchurch Star , 30 January 1871)

Once in England, and on the way to his new home at Regent's Park Zoo, tragedy struck.

"The elephant presented to the Duke of Edinburgh in India, and brought home by His Royal Highness in the Galatea, was being conveyed to London last Friday night by the mail train from Plymouth, when it attempted to get out of the horse-box in which it was placed. Its keeper, a corporal of the Royal Marines, while endeavouring to prevent it’s doing so, was knelt upon by the animal and crushed to death …

His Royal Highness, who expressed great regret at the accident to the keeper of his elephant on Friday, directed that the train should be detained a short time at Newton, to give him time to enquire into the circumstances of the accident. The Duke had just bought the deceased, formerly Corporal Paton, of the Royal Marine Artillery, out of the service so that he might remain keeper of the elephant. An official from the Zoological Gardens, Regent’s-Park, arrived at Plymouth on Friday, accompanied by a keeper from that establishment, to assist in conveying the animal to the Gardens. The official did not at first intend to travel with the elephant, but noticing before the train started that the animal appeared restless, stationed himself in the horse van along with the two keepers. The deceased, from his previous knowledge of the elephant in cases of its being conveyed by railway, also remarked that he should have trouble with it for the first twenty miles. The survivors in the van went on with the elephant, which was to proceed from the Gardens to Sandringham."

(The Era (London, England), Sunday, June 4, 1871)

By June 1872, the elephant's home was across another sea, this time in Dublin's Zoo at Phoenix Park, where he was recorded as giving rides to children.

I don't know, at this stage, what finally became of Tom, the second ever elephant seen in New Zealand.

Update 31 January 2011: Liz found Tom, known in Dublin Zoo as "Prince Tommy".

"Tom was known as Prince Tommy he died in 1882.  According the stuff on the Elephant Data Base Tom spent his last years in confinement. His skeleton is now at Trinity College Zoological Museum."

Thanks, Liz. If the early reports were accurate as to his age, he was only 16 years old when he died.

Update 9 November 2012: Initially, I had thought that Tom was the first elephant in New Zealand -- but he had been pre-dated by at least one other, a female Asiatic elephant which arrived in Otago from Hobart in 1868. Liz found this one, and told me tonight.

Performing Elephant.
The public were admitted on Saturday afternoon to view the elephant advertised under the above title, which is now on view at Hurst's Stables, Liverpool-street. The animal is little if it all short of the height of eight feet ascribed to it by its owner, and is evidently quite docile and obedient to the orders given to it. In addition to its interest as a living specimen of the remarkable class in natural history to which it belongs, it possesses, according to the statement of its keeper, the additional attraction of having been, though in a subordinate capacity, an actor in the great Indian mutiny. According to his verbal description it was employed by some of the rebellious sopoys as a boast of burthen, that whilst serving as such it was struck by two musket balls, and that it was subsequently captured by the British troops. In corroboration of this statement he points out two marks on the animal's hide, which present all the appearances of having had their origin in the manner described. Beyond displays of its distinctive natural characteristics in the use of the proboscis as a means of conveying food to the mouth, and brushing flies off its skin with a cloth, both of which actions were per- formed spontaneously, the elephant was not called upon to exhibit any of its peculiar powers; and of the extent to which its intelligence has been cultivated artificially visitors have consequently not yet an opportunity of forming any opinion.

Hobart Mercury 4 November 1867

An elephant has also been a show during the week it goes through the usual menagerie tricks pretty fairly. The animal was imported from Hobart Town in the brigantine Swordfish.

Grey River Argus 7 March 1868

It seems that, whatever her identity, the elephant was reduced to being a sideshow-style attraction for pubgoers. Even then -- she may not have been a successful attraction

GREAT BARGAIN. For Sale, Cheap, the Female Elephant now exhibited at the Hibernian Hotel, George-street. Apply to the proprietor, at the Hotel.

Otago Daily Times 16 March 1868

WANTED TO SELL, Cheap, Elephant, with waggon, before leaving for Christchurch. Apply Smith's Stables, Maclaggan-street.

Otago Daily Times 25 March 1868

And then, she met her death, by poisoning. A death reported from Otago to Auckland as the telegraph keys clacked and word spread from port to port.

An Elephant Killed at the Waitaki.— On Sunday the 21st instant, an elephant which was travelling overland with its keeper from Oamaru to Timaru was killed at the Waitaki very suddenly by eating tutu. From what we can learn the elephant had been exhibited in the Otago province, and the owner arrived with it at the Waitaki about mid-day, intending to cross the river the same evening. For some reason the man was unable to cross the elephant, and had therefore to turn it loose. Soon after being turned out it eat [sic] heartily of tutu and died in less than three hours.

Timaru Herald 29 April 1868 

So -- alive, this likely first ever elephant here created hardly a ripple. Dead, she became a two to three month long sensation. Then forgotten, until Tom the elephant arrived.

America’s man in Auckland: John D’Arcy Connolly

Image from Cyclopedia of New Zealand (1902)

Researching for the post on the Leading Wind fire and aftermath, and reading the somewhat fiery letter to the NZ Herald editor by the then American consul, I started wondering just what lay behind Mr. Connolly of the U.S. Diplomatic Service. Quite a bit, as I’ve found out. He certainly sounds like one of our country’s forgotten friends.

John D’Arcy Connolly was born in 1854 in County Galway, Ireland. The Connolly family had to leave Ireland in 1867, on account of John’s father Daniel’s affiliation with the Fenian movement, and they journeyed to America. There, John Connolly found work in the coal mines of Pennsylvania, on steam boats and railroad-building in the middle west of the country. Travelling to California, he eventually took charge of the railroad section at Occidental, in California and married Georgina Gilman Blaney. The couple had three daughters.

Connolly’s career of public service began in 1884 with his appointment by the Californian Governor to a vacancy on the board of supervisors of Sonoma County. He served until January 1889 when President Grover Cleveland sent his name for appointment as the United States consul to New Zealand. On the promotion of J. T. Campbell to a post on China, Connolly succeeded him as the American consul based in Auckland from early 1889. (Evening Post, 7 February 1889) He arrived on the Mariposa at Auckland on 31 March 1889, and provisionally recognised by the Government as United States Consul for New Zealand at Auckland in April.

According to a history of Sonoma County, compiled in 1911 (which included a chapter on him):

“Mr. Connolly’s official career in the Antipodes is an honorable and successful one. Starting in on his new duties, he appreciated the responsibility of the position. All his life his days had been passed in a struggle with adversity. He did not have even a fair common school training, and, as he says, about all he knew was how to tackle a job of hard work. His knowledge of diplomacy and statecraft was exceedingly vague, and he was not asleep to the fact that the British Colonials are far advanced in the science of practical government … Here was a delicate situation for an untrained man, and a place where an injudicious act might place himself and his government in a false position.”

Still, Connolly didn’t do a bad job at all of keeping to the diplomatic middle-ground. While he was of Irish birth and descent (and with his father having had a background with the Fenians), Connolly maintained as much of a diplomatic line in the murky waters of the Home Rule question as possible.

“A committee meeting of the Irish Delegates Reception Committee] was held in the Catholic Institute last evening [May 22], and was numerously attended …

The following letter from the American Consul was read :— Auckland, N.Z. May 18th, 1889. Messrs M. J. Sheehan and Wm. Jennings, Hon. Secretaries, etc. Gentlemen, — Your kind note of the 16th inst. at hand, requesting permission to add my name to the Reception Committee, who are to receive the Irish delegates upon their arrival in Auckland. I wish you would express my sincere thanks to the members of the Committee for their kind consideration. Under ordinary circumstances, I certainly would esteem it an honour to have my name identified among the gentlemen who have been appointed to receive the illustrious "Irish Patriots," who are about to visit New Zealand. I regret exceedingly that l am compelled (for obvious reasons) to fore go the honour and pleasure the granting of such a simple request would undoubtedly afford me. I am here the humble representative of a people and a country who, I presume, it is unnecessary for me to state, has always taken a keen interest in the welfare of Ireland, and who has contributed materially toward whatever success may have attended the efforts of those who have been and are to-day doing battle in their country's cause. Rest assured that the sympathy shown by the American people in the past for the oppressed in Ireland will continue unabated. But while the Americans generally entertain the liveliest interest in your ultimate success, the settled policy of the Government is that of non-interference on the part of its representatives abroad with the social or political affairs of the countries to which they may be accredited. Therefore I deem it advisable and prudent (though I do so regretfully) to respectfully decline, lest acquiescence on my part might be misconstrued and thereby lead to unnecessary and unpleasant complications. Were l in the capacity of a private citizen I could gladly and cheerfully accept an invitation to honour and welcome Mr Dillon and his distinguished compatriots, or any man who has the cause of long-suffering Ireland at heart. These gentlemen are devoting their lives and their fortunes in laudable efforts to ameliorate the condition of their unhappy countrymen. Truly they are deserving of such a reception and kind treatment as only the generous and liberty loving people of Auckland can, and will I am sure, afford them. I trust that every man, not only in Auckland, but throughout New Zealand generally, who has the cause of human liberty in their breast, will not only lend their presence on such occasions as may be offered them to hear those distinguished gentlemen in other parts of the colony, but will also contribute of their means. And I sincerely hope the day may not be far distant when peace, happiness, and contentment will reign in Ireland where utter wretchedness, ill treatment, poverty and misrule has so long hold sway. — I have the honour to be, gentlemen, faithfully yours, Jno. D. Connolly, U.S. Consul.”

(Te Aroha News, 25 May 1889)

Still, Connolly’s actions and words in the British colonies attracted some doubts in his own homeland.

“Referring to the sympathy publicly shown by the United States Consul of Auckland to the Irish National League, the Republican Standard of New Bedford, Mass. Writes: “Evidently Mr Connolly is more of an Irishman than an American, and however much we may sympathise with the Irish in their endeavours to gain Home Rule for their country; we think that the representatives of the American nation should hold themselves aloof from anything tending to show a partiality in a matter concerning the politics of the country in which they hold office."

(Bruce Herald, 6 September 1889)

But in Auckland, in the main, he was well liked.

“With this issue we present our readers with an excellent portrait of Mr John D'Arcy Connolly, the United States Consul for Auckland. He arrived in the colony on the 30th March last, and in the interim has done good service for New Zealand by sending home most complimentary, reports on her vast resources, which should do much towards increasing the trade between this colony and the land of the Stars and Stripes. Mr Connolly hails from California, where his wife and family reside, but as his name implies, is of Irish parentage. He is a comparatively young man, being only 34 years of age, and is brimful of energy or "get " as our "Murkan " friends would term it. He is an ardent admirer of Home Rule for Ireland, and thinks the day is not far distant when such a result will come about. In American politics Mr Connolly is what is known as a Democrat, but this is his first appointment in the Consular .ervices, although he has ably filled other State positions. In manner he is one of the most unobtrusive of men, and should make heaps of friends in New Zealand.”

(Observer, 5 October 1889)

Part of his popularity may well have been derived from the several glowing reports to his bosses in Washington as to the state of the colony here. New Zealanders have always warmed to those who say nice things about us.

"Consul Connolly, in his report to the United States Government, says :— " I have no hesitancy in saying that I believe New Zealand will in a few years rank first among the colonies of Australasia owing to her wonderful natural resources and climate." So mote it be! "

(Observer, 16 November 1889)

“Mr J. D. Connolly, the American Consul at Auckland, reporting to the United States Government on the commerce and resources of this Colony, states in the chapter devoted to trade that "the advance is indicative of a healthier and more satisfactory condition of trade than has existed for several years past. For a man with a little capital desirous of taking up land, I know of no better country. There is a healthy and perceptible reaction setting in. Confidence and self-reliance are doing for the people of New Zealand now what the Government sought to do for them, and did to some extent — viz., the building up of a great and prosperous people in this the richest and fairest Colony of them all, and the development of her wonderful natural resources. All that is required is capital to develop these latent resources, and a healthy system of immigration to settle upon the lands, together with continued economy in the administration of governmental affairs. I have no hesitancy in saying that I believe New Zealand will in a few years rank first among the Colonies of Australasia, owing to her wonderful natural resources and climate." The report is supplemented by numerous statistical tables. It is apparent that Consul Connolly intends to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor.”

(Christchurch Star, 25 November 1889)

The Leading Wind incident in 1891 and his reactions to it, however, did not enamour him in the eyes of some here in NZ.

“TERRIBLE OUTRAGE ON AMERICAN FEELING.
An international difficulty between Now Zealand and the United States, diplomatic relations strained, and the Stars and Stripes insulted ! This seems to be the result of the recent outbreak of fire on the American ship Leading Wind, in Auckland. A firm of "durned colonial Britishers" has dared to invoke the aid of the law to enforce security for a debt claimed from an American citizen, and to use legal process to prevent his giving leg bail. This outrageous proceeding has wounded the tender national susceptibilities of the American Consul, Mr. Connolly, and has led him to modify the opinions he had, he informs us, formed as to the friendly sentiments between the people of New Zealand and those of his great country. We feel deeply grieved at this. There is nothing that New Zealand values higher, we are sure, than Mr. Connolly's good opinion. Our future fate hangs upon it, and we can only hope that His Excellency the Governor will at once tender to Mr. Connolly his personal apologies, as well as those of the Sovereign he represents, and the colony be governs, for the outrage committed in allowing a Colonial Sheriff to lay sacreligious hands on the sacred person of a Yankee skipper.

Unfortunately, "it's a way we have in the colony" of letting the law take its ordinary course, irrespective of persons. We trust to writs and sheriffs, instead of to Judge Lynch. Perhaps it might have been more in accord with Mr. Consul Connolly's ideas of the fitness of things had the Christchurch merchants taken the law into their own hands to obtain payment or security from Captain Hinckley. But he was treated just as a British captain or a member of any other nationality would be treated under similar circumstances. This is the head and front of our offending, and this is what has wounded the national susceptibilities of Mr. Consul Connolly. The idea that the feelings of the respective peoples of New Zealand and the United States of America are involved or represented in this transaction is really too good. It is simply delicious. Captain Hinckley may be a smart man, although in this case the Britisher has succeeded in inflicting upon him the indignity of being held to bail; but Mr. Connolly has fairly written himself down— a Consul. Roman history, we believe, furnishes a very near precedent for the office being so filled. A certain Emperor made his horse a Consul. The United States has appointed Mr. Connolly."

(Evening Post, 27 April 1891)

Still, he was a part of NZ society, controversies or no. He attended meetings of the Auckland Rowing Club, gave addresses to members of the St. Patrick’s Literary Society, and was even, for a time, President and Steward of the Auckland Trotting Club. The Sonoma County history says that “twice the Liberal and Labor committees visited him at the consulate and wanted him to resign his position and stand for Parliament for the city of Auckland. He was given to understand that in the race he would be unopposed and would be offered a portfolio in the New Zealand Ministry within three months after his election. But the Irish-American citizen, though taking an intense unofficial interest in English-Colonial affairs, preferred Uncle Sam to Queen Victoria.”

Yet another report to the US (possibly a bit on the propoganda side):

“Mr Connolly, U.S. Consul at Auckland, contributes to his Government a report on "Organised Labour in New Zealand." He summarises the condition of labour, the legislation relating thereto, the position and influence of unions, and comes to the conclusion that the New Zealand labourer is, "perhaps as comfortable as any of his class in the world . . . He works less hours m the week and receives more pay in proportion to the number of hours than he would in most countries. He is well housed and clothed; in fact, he is well provided for in every respect. He is not degraded because he toils for a livelihood. His children are educated at the expense of the State."

(Timaru Herald, 28 May 1891)

Through Connolly, the American government were even apprised of details of Hannaford’s lighthouse design.

"In the American Exporter for October last, published at New York, there is a leading article on ' Electric Lighthouses,' which is entirely devoted to a consideration of the Hannaford Light.

From that article we learn that the U.S. Department of State had instructed Consul Connolly of Auckland to keep it posted on the progress of the invention, and we quote from a report made by Mr Connolly in June last: —

'”It appears that Mr Hannaford had not patented his invention at the time of his death, but would have done so had be been possessed of the means necessary to defray the expenses. It also appears that, owing to the death of the inventor, some minor details remain unperfected. . . His widow exhibited the working model, but there were none of the mechanical appliances attached except the bell and windmill ; the former sounds an alarm at each revolution of the windmill. Should the other portions of the mechanism prove as satisfactory as the windmill and bell, there can be little doubt as to its practicability. . . I may say in conclusion that 'the iron tower windmill and bell appeared to be feasible, cheap, and easily erected. Should the electrical feature prove satisfactory,' success is almost certain.”

As we always stood up for the merits of Mr Hannaford's invention, it gives us pleasure to find those merits recognised by the 'cute’ Americans. No doubt, a lighthouse on Hannaford's principle will soon be an accomplished fact."

(Observer, 1 January 1892)

Connolly’s comments on New Zealand’s land laws were contained in a private letter to a friend in America, published in the States, then republished here in 1895.

“NEW ZEALAND LAWS.
THE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THIS COLONY.
The following interesting letter, written by Mr J. D. Connolly, United States Consul at Auckland, was sent as a private communication to America to a friend there, who had it published, however, m the columns of the American press : — "The land laws of this country are unique, having no parallel in the modern world, that I am aware of. Of the extension of the franchise to women I can only say that the experiment has proved eminently successful, even beyond the thoughts of the most enthusiastic advocates. Her first effort has raised the moral tone and purified to a large extent the moral atmosphere of politics. Woman has demonstrated here that she is disinterested, unselfish and worthy of the political confidence reposed in her.

As to the country having drifted into Socialism, as you seem to think, it is only fair to say that there is very little need, of apprehension m that respect, at least for the present. At the same time it cannot be denied that the tendency, of legislation appears to be pointing that way. If it be Socialism to relieve the poor, the working man, the artisan and the struggling small farmer and the mechanic from the burdens of taxation as much as possible, and compel the monopolist, the land-grabber, the purse-proud and the affluent members of society to bear the weight of the expense of government, then Socialism is certainly is full swing here.

If it be Socialism to shorten the hours of labour to eight per day, and give him a half holiday in every week, besides at least half-a-dozen full holidays m the year under full pay, thus affording him more time for rest, recreation, and intellectual development than is enjoyed by his fellow-workers m any part of the world, then, indeed, it is undeniable that Socialism is rampant in New Zealand. If it be Socialism to compel the admission of more pure air and genial sunshine into the workroom and factory, under Government supervision, to teach the labourers their rights and how to lawfully and peaceably obtain them, to force the, earth-grabber to either sell, subdivide or improve his land so it will produce what nature intended it should thereby administering to the wants of the people, or place the land within the reach of those who desire homes—if this be Socialism then indeed are the people of this country blessed beyond all other for all I have enumerated, and more, are they enjoying to the fullest extent today.

There is a general diffusion of wealth, no great poverty, and not a single millionaire so far as I know. Although legislation does not directly interfere with the laudable accumulation of thrift and industry, yet there is no denying that the general tendency is towards checking, if not absolutely preventing, the acquisition of vast estates in the hands of individuals or companies to the detriment of the people. This cannot in any sense be called Socialism. The men who have inaugurated these honest, Christian reforms are not animated by any spirit of Socialism, but by a sincere desire to promote the universal welfare, to resist the aggression of the strong and lend a helping hand to the weak and lowly. You may call these principles by that name if you choose, but the facts are as herein stated."

(Timaru Herald, 16 April 1895)

Connolly made a formal consular report on the “Land, Labor and Taxation Laws of New Zealand”, which, according to the Sonoma County history, “attracted world-wide attention.” It led to calls in the U.S. for Connolly’s removal as Consul, but his defenders in Washington fought back, singing his praises. He left New Zealand finally in 1897, lamented by many, including the Catholic NZ Tablet newspaper.

“[30 September] Mr. John D’arcy Connolly, United States Consul in Auckland, to-day relinquishes his office to his successor, Mr. Dillingham. For the last eight years he carried out his consular duties in Auckland. A profound feeling of sorrow and regret at the loss of Mr. Connolly has been manifested by the general public of all classes to whom he has endeared himself by his sterling manliness and unflinching' adherence at all times to his principles. To the old Faith he is inseparably bound, and to the land of his birth, dear old Ireland, he is equally attached. A democrat amongst democrats, he places implicit reliance upon the masses. He will be sadly missed in Auckland, where it will be a long time before an equal to him can be found. To Auckland, and the Colony generally, he has been of incalculable service by reason of his clear and intelligent consular reports in which Maoriland has been repeatedly and eloquently lauded. Though kind to us our climate has been cruel to him, because his health has suffered severely. Mr. Connolly stays with us until the end of the present year when he leaves for his home in Sonoma County, California.”

(New Zealand Tablet, 8 October 1897)

According to Connolly, he once overheard a NZ MHR, an absentee landlord at a time when Connolly was making his views on such things known in Wellington. The unnamed MHR is said to have said:

“This man Connolly is a blawsted hanerchist, and ‘as through ‘is writings and damned-fool speeches raised more ‘ell in New Zealand than all the others put together. ‘E ‘as the ear of this fool government and can get anything ‘e wants. The fellow ‘ad ought to be recalled and deported. ‘E is a menace and a disturbing element.”

The history (in .pdf) goes on: “After ten years’ service in Auckland Mr. Connolly was relieved during the McKinley administration by Frank Dillingham … When the experts of the Treasury Department had cast up his accounts for ten years it was found that eight cents were due him. This he received in a treasury draft, and his bondsmen … were discharged. That eight cents can be said to be Mr. Connolly’s net earnings from his official employment in the diplomatic service of the United States, but while he returned poorer, he returned wiser than when he went away; and he also returned with the love and friendship of thousands of people he met in the far Antipodes.” Poorer in some ways, perhaps, but while he was here, he took out 500 shares in at least one NZ goldmining company.

He ran for office under the Democrat ticket for the Californian assembly, but was defeated. He went on to become the host of the Altamont Hotel in Occidental, Sonoma County, and died in 1920. He lies buried at Druids Cemetery, Occidental.

(From the Observer, 17 August 1895)

The Missing Word

Click on image to enlarge.

On 11 March 1893, the Observer held this particular "missing word" competition -- on the topic of female suffrage.

"Our second Missing Word Competition is now open. Competition No. 1 was a much greater success than we anticipated it would be. But we fully expect our second competition to result in at least twice as many guesses coming to hand. Any purchaser of the Observer who can correctly supply the word missing from the paragraph on the subjoined coupon — which coupon is to be cut out and forwarded to the Observer, accompanied by one shilling-— will be paid the total amount received in response to this advertisement. Should there be more than one successful competitor, the total amount received will be divided amongst such successful competitors pro rata. The missing word is placed in a sealed envelope in the custody of the manager of the National Bank of New Zealand, Auckland, and the contents are known only to the Editor of this paper. When the prizes are awarded, the winning word and the names and addresses of the successful competitors will be published in the Observer. Should it happen that no one succeeds in naming the word, the whole of the money will be added to that of the succeeding competition, particulars of which will duly appear. The sum of one shilling may be forwarded by Post-office order, postal note, or stamps ; when the latter are sent, an additional penny to be added for exchange."

(18 March 1893)

The topic wasn't what caused a ruckus at the time (although, if held today, it would have) -- it was the nature of the competition itself. The newspaper ran into a spot of legal bother by early April as it was seen by the authorities as being a lottery and a form of illicit gambling. Both of which were frowned upon in an era of gambling crackdown.

"In reference to Mr. Justice Stirling's judgment the Daily Graphic says :— At last it has been judicially decided that " missing word" competitions are an infringement of the Statute against Lotteries. It is difficult to understand how anyone could have seriously maintained the contrary opinion. The competitors were desired to complete a sentence by the addition not of the most appropriate word, but of a word selected at random, and upon no intelligible system, by the stakeholder ; and, as a matter of fact, the winning word in the particular contest considered by the Court of Chancery was almost the least appropriate that could have been selected. Something or other was " most unaccountable;" but unaccountable is an adjective which does not admit of degree, and the particular phenomenon to which it was arbitrarily applied can be accounted for without any difficulty whatever. The competition, therefore, was a game of chance, if ever there was one ; and, as it was a kind of game that brought speculation within the reach of tho poorest and the youngest, and held out strong and peculiar temptations to petty larceny, most people will agree that the country is well rid of it."

(Evening Post, 18 April 1893)

"Readers will look in vain for our missing word coupon this week. The fact is that the head of the police department in Wellington has given us the choice of leaving it out of the paper or testing the legality of the missing word competition in a court of law. We are satisfied that the competition is not contrary to law, but at the same time we derive no benefit from it, and consequently don't feel disposed to go to the expense of fighting a case in Court. The test would cost us a great deal; it would cost the other side nothing. We shall keep faith with our readers in terms of Previous announcements. All the letters received up till Saturday night will be opened next week and the names of the winners in what must be our last competition announced in our next issue."

(8 April 1893)

And the answer?

"Our last missing word competition having closed, Mr A. E. Devore opened the sealed envelopes on Monday afternoon and found the word to be "odd". A total of 375 coupons were sent in, of which eight were correct. The dividend is therefore £2 6s 10 1/2 d. A. White, care of T. Bishop, Ponsonby, sent in no less than three correct coupons. The other winners were: H. W. Varley, Waierangahika, Grisborne ; F. G. Henry, Mount Eden ; R. Falcon, Grey-street, Auckland ; A. Harris, Wellington ; Miss E. Hetherington, Scarboro' Terrace, Parnell. No further competition will take place for reasons already stated."

(15 April 1893)

"Our last missing word competition was very interesting in so far as it tended to show the feelings of many of our subscribers concerning female suffrage. The preponderating weight of opinion was against woman's franchise, and quite a number of people risked their shillings to give expression to their belief that the result would probably be disastrous. Quite a number thought the result would be prohibition."

(15 April 1893)

It sounded all a bit like the old "Spot the Ball" competitions to me, really ...

Incivility at a Post Office in Huntly, 1891

If anyone thinks that customer service is at times somewhat lacking from today's government departments, spare a thought for the hierarchical attitude to service shown by some civil servants in late Victorian colonial New Zealand. This is a letter published by the NZ Herald, 31 March 1891.

"Sir, -

The incivility and abruptness of Government officials reaches an absurd point at times. To-day I went with a friend to the post office. After waiting ten minutes the head and chief, who is also station master, came forward to see what we wanted. My friend asked for a postal note, putting down the rerquired amount. He was informed that he could not get it as there was too much to do.

My friend then explained that he wanted to catch the mail leaving here at a quarter past two p.m., and it would put him to great inconvenience if he missed it.

"It cannot be helped," said the official; "I have too much to do."

We then asked for any letters and papers for ourselves, which we got. The head official left us, and a junior coming up to the counter, we asked him to attend to us. He coolly said, "Mr. Duncan has gone out, and you will have to wait until a quarter past two o'clock, and then he will attend to you." This was at half-past one p.m.

Fancy anyone being put off for an hour (for it was twenty minutes past one when we first arrived at the post office) to obtain a postal note and then miss the mail into the bargain. Mr friend immediately wrote to the Chief Postmaster at Auckland about the matter. It appears it is not the first time people have been put to inconvenience and trouble through the inattention of the post officials here.

I am, &c., L., Huntly, March 28th, 1891."

A singular fire: horse tram blaze, Epsom, 1891

This from the NZ Herald, 6 April 1891.

A singular fire took place shortly after midnight on Friday at the Potter's Paddock tramway depot [today's Alexandra Park raceway] of the Auckland Tramway Company.

It appears that the late car was run in in a siding at fifty-five minutes past eleven, and the lamp left turned down so as to show as a danger signal if any trap or person came near. The night stableman (John Sayers) went on with his duty of washing down the cars, and the night watchman (Mills) was also engaged inside the depot.

While they were busy one of Ambury and English's milkmen came past and informed the men that the car outside the shed was on fire and blazing away.

They rushed out to see what steps could be taken to suppress the fire, but they were unable to do anything as the car was blazing furiously and the water supply at a distance. It is believed that, owing to the very gusty weather that night, the flame was driven down the lamp, causing it to explode, and as the carriage was of American make, of white pine, it at once went like matchwood. Little is left save the flooring.

Fortunately, the car is covered by insurance in the New Zealand Insurance Company's office. A new one will be at once built. The moral of the incident is -- insure, for it is the unexpected that happens."

Blogs about Auckland's buses and trains

Having a bit of a nosey at the Eye on Auckland blog just now, I found a link to the Auckland Trains blog (with a history page on our region's patchy rail story), and from there I've found a blog about stories by an Auckland bus user, Auckland Bus Stories.

Both worth a look.

Fire on the "Leading Wind", 1891

Image from Barnstable and Yarmouth, sea captains and ship owners (1913), by Frank William Sprague & Leavitt Sprague.

Fire, flax, scuttling, and a (nearly) international diplomatic incident – this is the story of the Leading Wind in Auckland in 1891.

At around 11.30 on the night of 22 January that year, a fire was first noticed amongst the gum and flax bales in the cargo hold of an American-owned full-rigged 1,128 ton ship, launched 1874 in Maine, named the Leading Wind. At the time, the Leading Wind was still in the process, since earlier that month, of being loaded at the No. 2 Jetty at Queen Street Wharf. Captain Francis M Hinckley from New York, one of the ship’s owners, had retired to his berth half an hour before, but finding he wasn’t sleepy, got up again and, as luck would have it, was just heading back to the cabin when a member of the crew gave the alarm. Smoke was seen “rising up from the fore-hold, oozing through the hatchway.” Customs, Auckland Harbour Board officials and fire brigade members were soon on the scene. The usual crowd of onlookers was evident at the wharf, but a fire in the small hours of early morning meant the numbers weren’t as high as they might have been.

With 3,500 bales of flax and about 700 cases of kauri gum on board, all the firemen could do was remove the fore-hatch and pour as much water down into the hold as possible – so much so that the ship began to list about 25 degrees away from the wharf. Still the fire raged down below, no amount of pumped water able to get to the seat of the flames. After a couple of hours, a hurried consultation between Captain Hinckley, Mr. C. V. Houghton of the NZ Shipping Company (the local agents for the Leading Wind), and the harbourmaster Captain Burgess that the best action to take would be to scuttle the ship. Superintendent Hughes of the fire brigade was alone in the opinion that the ship should be scuttled where she was at the wharf, in 26 feet of water, but Captain Burgess was concerned in case the fire should spread to Harbour Board property at the wharf. The Calliope Dock at Devonport was one suggested site for the scuttling, but time was against that option.

At 5 o’clock in the morning, nearly six hours after the fire was first reported, the Leading Wind was hauled out from the wharf into the stream by the P.S. Victoria, the tug Rotoiti and the S.S. Despatch, past the end of Hobson Street wharf, and out to the entrance of Freeman’s Bay. The P. S. Brittania joined the scene, and there, once the tugs were clear of the ship, the ship’s carpenter and others from shore began to cut holes in the hull. After another couple of hours, “a great hole four feet long by three or four inches wide on the starboard side aft had been cut, and this was the first to admit the water, which began to pour into the hold steadily and in considerable volume. With all speed four other holes were cut, two on her port and two on her starboard side, of considerable size, and the ship began slowly but surely to settle down. Being of wood it took only a comparatively short time to scuttle her.”

By ten o’clock the Leading Wind reached the harbour’s bottom, with most of the fire extinguished – except for part forward of the fore-hatch, which still smouldered through the afternoon, until the high tide finished it off. At five pm, tenders were called for the refloating and salvage work. The Leading Wind was successfully refloated three days later. By the beginning of April, she had been sold to a Captain Savory for £2150, and set sail again two weeks later.

A coronial inquiry into the cause of the fire on board the Leading Wind was supposed to have been held sometime towards the end of January or early February. Inexplicably, the official inquiry didn’t take place until 20 April, after the ship had been raised, repaired, sold, and Captain Hinckley had sorted out all but one of the local interests in the ship and its damaged cargo. Even then, the only verdict was an open one, possibly spontaneous combustion of improperly treated flax, but even that option was ruled out later by government analysts. All bills of lading for the cargo, except one, were by April deposited in New York, awaiting final accounting with regard to insurances.

The one exception was Wood, Shand & Co of Christchurch, who had arranged shipment of 1,298 bales of flax on the Leading Wind in January, valued at £3,100. They demanded not only the proceeds of the sale of their damaged stock, but also a further £1,200 from the general insurance average upon the ship. On 25 April, they applied in the Auckland Supreme Court for a writ of arrest against Captain Hinckley to prevent him from leaving the colony until he had provided security of payment.

In fiery response, the American Consul in Auckland at the time, John D. Connolly, wrote the following letter to the NZ Herald:

“Sir, --

“During my brief stay in Auckland I have endeavoured to the utmost of my ability, to promote the most friendly commercial relations between this colony and the country I have the honour to represent. I have upon all occasions when could honourably and consistently do so, written and spoken in the most favourable terms of New Zealand. I have done this from a sense of duty, believing as I do, that every effort should be made by the people of both hemispheres to encourage those sentiments of friendship and mutual esteem which should ever characterise the actions of those through whose veins courses the blood of a common ancestry.I regret to say that recent events compel me to modify my opinions as to the existence here of those friendly sentiments I have just mentioned …

“I have refrained as far as possible from unnecessarily obtruding in the adjustment of this most unfortunate affair, believing the honour and keen sense of justice of those concerned would aid them in determining the proper and most honourable course for them to pursue. In this I am exceedingly sorry to say I was mistaken; nor is it to the credit of those through whose practice I am forced to this conclusion. In most civilised countries, when such misfortune befalls a vessel belonging to a friendly people, every facility and kindness is afforded the master or owner to get him out of his difficulty as pleasantly and agreeably as possible. In this case, however, it is positively painful to observe the treatment Captain Hinckley has received at the hands of the Auckland Underwriters Association, and I may as well include the New Zealand Shipping Company who, by the way, were acting as agents for the Leading Wind …

“Instead of that sympathetic and courteous assistance which an American naturally expects from a British community under such trying circumstances, Captain Hinckley was harrassed, obstructed, and annoyed at every conceivable point, and finally to cap the climax, a summons has been issued from the Supreme Court, praying for his arrest and imprisonment unless he performs certain acts which at this late date are entirely beyond his power … This is friendship with a vengeance! I hope this is not a true Briton’s idea of justice. If it is, I confess it is wholly at variance with the high opinion I have heretofore entertained of his sense of fairplay.”

A day after Connolly wrote his lengthy plea for British fairplay in Auckland, Captain Hinckley was arrested and detained on Saturday 25 April 1891, with Connolly being a vociferous and protesting witness to the whole affair. Captain Hinckley was boarding the mail steamer Alameda at the time, to return to America with his wife.

The Observer described the whole saga as a farce.

“I was a stranger and ye run me in !' Such may be the exclamation of Capt. Hinckley of the ship Leading Wind, as he summarises the treatment he has received in Auckland. He has been violently arrested when about to leave the colony, because a civil claim for damages was laid against him, three months after the fire on board his ship in Auckland Harbour ; and in addition to the bad impression which a stranger thus obtains of Colonial manners and customs, there will in all likelihood be an international difficulty created, which will lead to considerable trouble and expense to all concerned.

“From the time of the fire down to the present moment, all connected with the Leading Wind has been a comedy of errors. The holding of an inquest three months after the fire was in itself a farce, made of the ' screaming ' order by the fact of a medical coroner and a jury of grocers, tailors, &c., inquiring into an occurrence that required all the acumen of nautical experts to unravel. Some of the men connected with the ship lost good situations by being detained to give evidence, and of course the jury could only find that the fire took place by the visitation of God, or something of that sort.

“I really wonder that the intelligent jury did not fall back on the ‘incendiary rat ' theory, which has often proved so useful at inquests on Auckland fires. They got the straight tip, but obstinately refused to smell a rat. Robert Moore, a lumper employed loading the vessel, stated that on the 22nd January, about ten o'clock in the morning, he saw a rat come out from the lower hold. The animal seemed quite stupid, so much so that one of the men picked it up. The hair was all turned the wrong way, and it was quite wet as from sweat apparently. Mr. Moore's evidence ended with the statement that the fire broke out that very night.

“Now, I have no doubt that, had he been cross-examined with a small modicum of acuteness, he would have added that the rat had a prophetic air about it — that it strove to speak, but could only articulate ' Ugg, ugg, ugg,’ or words to that effect, that it then turned pale, gazed vacantly into space, and wrapping itself in the Stars and Stripes gave up the ghost. That rat was a loyal American rat, and it wanted to save Captain Hinckley and his men from all the annoyance that has come upon them through a fire caused by a band of low colonial rats. I am a New Zealander, but in this case my sympathies are with the American citizens who have been so harshly dealt with. “

(2 May 1891)

Eventually, a security was lodged, and Captain and Mrs. Hinckley finally left Auckland on 23 May.

Some interesting link found while gathering info for this post:

Ships on Fire (from Rootsweb)

Barnstable and Yarmouth, sea captains and ship owners (1913), Frank William Sprague & Leavitt Sprague.

Captain Hinckley came from a long line of sea captains from Barnstable, Maine, and surrounding areas. At the time of the Leading Wind saga, he already had at least three decades of experience under his belt as a ship’s master.

“Captain Francis M. Hinckley, of Barnstable, was Master of ships Winged Hunter, Ocean Queen, Leading Wind, Star of Peace, and Arabia. While crossing the Indian Ocean on a voyage to Singapore, in the latter, the cargo of coal with which the ship was loaded, caught fire by spontaneous combustion. He succeeded in safely bringing his ship to Singapore. For this the China Marine Insurance Company presented Captain Hinckley with a gold watch and chain. The inscription on the watch is as follows:

‘Captain Francis M. Hinckley, for his brave and skillful conduct in subduing a fire in the cargo of coals on board ship Arabia, on voyage to Singapore, A.D. 1869.’ …

Captain Hinckley was in command of the ship Star of Peace when she was burned by the [Confederate commerce raider] Florida, March 6 1863.”

(Sprague & Sprague, p. 30)

“Francis Hinckley was told by the owners of the Arabia to use thinner paper when he wrote from New Zealand to save money.”(Images of America: Barnstable Village, West Barnstable, and Sandy Neck, Edward O. Handy Jr., p. 60)

Other sources used included Papers Past, Auckland Star and NZ Herald.

Eye on Auckland blog

Sydney from the Eye on Auckland blog stopped by and left a comment to my post on the Dawn Persson boardwalk -- so, I thought I'd head on over to his blog to check it out. Well, the result was another link added to the growing list at the left. Sydney's blog is excellent -- it gives you a feel of Auckland's present and what may come, along with a bit of Auckland's past, such as the post there on the Deloitte Centre and Tower. This is a new building on the old site of the Victoria Arcade (one of Auckland's late lamented 19th century gems) and the Jean Batten State Building.

Sydney asked if his timeline for the landuse of the site is correct: looks like it is. The former Chief Post Office in Auckland between Shortland and Fort Streets from 1867 was indeed on the site of the original Government Store in Auckland, itself built on the muddy beach. By the 1930s, it had been replaced by the grander Chief Post Office at Britomart, and during that last decade part of the site was further cut into by the establishment of Jean Batten Place by the Auckland City Council (laid out in an effort to alleviate traffic problems on Queen Street). The new Departmental State Building which replaced the old post office (built from 1937-1941) was later named not directly in honour of Jean Batten as many believe, but from the name of the new street along its eastern facade.

I remember, in 2001, heading into the BNZ building which replaced the Victoria Arcade. I was after information from the bank's archives on the history of the BNZ in Avondale. It was a spooky experience; I had to wait in a hallway with locked doors all around, while first one person appeared through one door to ask what I wanted, then back back behind a locked door, and then another door opened and I was handed a small photocopy of an index card listing Avondale's BNZ agencies and banks. It was handy information -- but definitely one of the oddest ways I've ever collected data.

Dawn Persson Boadwalk, Whau River

This is the Dawn Persson Boardwalk, at the end of Ash Street and just beside the Ash-Rata bridge across the Whau River. It was dedicated to Dawn Persson, a community stalwart, serving 10 years on the Community Board, as well as a raft of other community positions in Avondale. She died in October 1999, just two months after this was named in her honour.

This part of the Whau sees ducks ...

... as well as a hawk (flies over on the New Lynn/Kelston side, I saw it on Friday when I took these shots) and lots of pigeons (hawk food, I'd say).

This is the only place where anyone can see what the boardwalk's name is, or a mention of Dawn Persson. Bit of a shame.

Pollution still seeping into the Whau after all these years -- possibly from an old rubbish tip, judging by the rusty, oily water. This spill is close to where the plaque is.

A City Council sign left lying in the mud and mangroves, after giving up the fight to be seen through the coating of tags.

This is where the main interpretive sign for the walk is supposed to be. Lost to vandals and grafitti, some time past.

A view of the river looking towards the Waitemata Harbour ...

... underneath the Ash-Rata bridge ...

... and the other side, looking upriver towards the older Great North Road bridge.

Update, 31 July 2009: See Phil Hanson's comment below. He took this shot of the state of the rubbish along the boardwalk.

Update on the Medico-Dental building

I've added an update to the original post, namely, this photo which I managed to take a few days ago. I reckon this building is one of my favourites in central Auckland. The colouring of the architectural details is probably why (makes it look like a cool 3-D architectural plan).

Brick & Pipe Makers mural, New Lynn

This time when I went past this control box in New Lynn yesterday, although it was raining, I had my trusty camera with me. Corner Hugh Brown Drive and Great North Road.

Brick and pipe manufacture being so much a part of the heritage of both Avondale and New Lynn -- I had to capture the image.