1814: A Verifiable Date For White Settlement in NZ

“I have tried to confirm this as family settled on both islands early, pre – 1855! And I think possibly earlier, however there is such a divided opinion from people who seem to have a vested interest I am hopeful that you may have a correct timeframe, cheers”

“A verifiable date for white settlement in NZ” most certainly beats the socks off 1855. Systematic Colonisation occurred from 1840 which is what attracted Government to follow close behind now there was somebody and something for it to take over.

Prior to that, sealers and whalers had already decided to settle permanent stations in New Zealand: Towns. Their land deeds were annulled when Hobson seized power and the names of their towns changed from being for their founders to being homage to some politician or other. (Ref. Invercargill)

Prior to that we have Marsden’s Missionaries who established themselves in 1814. Prior to that there were a few stations (eg. Dusky Sound, 1792) and bases, castaways and slaves to Maoris, but that doesn’t count as a settlement or one that persisted.

New Zealand might have been settled much sooner by Anglo Saxons had it not been for the East India Company holding monopoly rights. The ‘East’ in their charter included our islands. So, thanks to the Government, settlement was held back until that charter ended in 1801. Soon after that, 1803, George Bass tried to set up a colony out of Southland but he vanished in the process never to be seen again.

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Image ref. Remains of a sealers shelter c.1810 on Taumaka Island. Discovered by B and C St Clair in 1989; Museum of New Zealand