153-524: The Nelson Section was an isolated government-owned railway line between Nelson and Glenhope in the Tasman district of New Zealand 's South Island. While part of the New Zealand Government Railways , the section was never connected to the national railway network , although there were plans to do so. The line operated for 79 years between 1876 and 1955. Unusually for an isolated line, there were passenger and freight services for most of its existence, with freight outlasting passenger services by just
306-584: A "ramshackle" administration marked by "broken promises and outright betrayal" of Māori people. Grey's collection of Māori artefacts, one of the earliest from New Zealand and assembled during his first governorship, was donated to the British Museum in 1854. Grey was Governor of Cape Colony from 5 December 1854 to 15 August 1861. He founded Grey College, Bloemfontein in 1855 and Grey High School in Port Elizabeth in 1856. In 1859 he laid
459-816: A Māori attack on Nelson led to the formation of the Nelson Battalion of Militia in 1845. Nelson township was managed by the Nelson Provincial Council through a Board of Works constituted by the Provincial Government under the Nelson Improvement Act 1856 until 1874. It was proclaimed a Bishop's See and city under letters patent by Queen Victoria on 27 September 1858, the second New Zealand city proclaimed in this manner after Christchurch . Nelson only had some 5,000 residents at this time. Edmund Hobhouse
612-732: A belief that the Auckland was at risk from attack by the Waikato Māori. Governor Grey had to contend with newspapers that were unequivocal to their support of the interests of the settlers: the Auckland Times , Auckland Chronicle , The Southern Cross , which started by William Brown as a weekly paper in 1843 and The New Zealander , which was started in 1845 by John Williamson . These newspapers were known for their partisan editorial policies – both William Brown and John Williamson were aspiring politicians. The Southern Cross supported
765-592: A bill could now proceed through the House of Representatives. It was therefore with much delight in Nelson when the local newspaper, The Nelson Mail , announced on 10 November: We have great pleasure in announcing the fact that the construction of the Nelson and Foxhill Railway was yesterday agreed to in the House of Representatives by a majority of 33 to 4. By the end of the month, the Nelson section, along with 3 other lines, had been authorised by legislation. It would be
918-465: A cordial relationship with the powerful rangatira Pōtatau Te Wherowhero of Tainui , in order to deter Ngāpuhi from invading Auckland . He was knighted in 1848. In 1854, Grey was appointed Governor of Cape Colony in South Africa , where his resolution of hostilities between indigenous South Africans and European settlers was praised by both sides. After separating from his wife and developing
1071-620: A deputation from Nelson to make a decision. On 7 November the committee received a letter stating that the Jenkin's Hill route had been chosen. The contract for the Nelson – Stoke section was let on 16 March 1874 to the Bray Bros. on which they started work nine days later. One of the few noted benefits of this route was the discovery a month later in one of the cuttings of a small seam of coal. The line presented few engineering problems and included only one sizeable bridge, but by early 1875 there
1224-588: A dispatch to Earl Grey, Governor Grey stated that in implementing the Act, Her Majesty would not be giving the self-government that was intended, instead: "...she will give to a small fraction of her subjects of one race the power of governing the large majority of her subjects of a different race... there is no reason to think that they would be satisfied with, and submit to, the rule of a minority" Earl Grey agreed and in December 1847 introduced an Act suspending most of
1377-669: A few days after his father, Lieutenant-Colonel George Grey, was killed at the Battle of Badajoz in Spain. He was educated in England. After military service (1829–37) and two explorations in Western Australia (1837–39), Grey became Governor of South Australia in 1841. He oversaw the colony during a difficult formative period. Despite being less hands-on than his predecessor George Gawler , his fiscally responsible measures ensured
1530-573: A great impression on him. He was promoted lieutenant in 1833 and obtained a first-class certificate at the examinations of the Royal Military College, in 1836. In 1837, at the age of 25, Grey led an ill-prepared expedition that explored North-West Australia . British settlers in Australia at the time knew little of the region and only one member of Grey's party had been there before. It was believed possible at that time that one of
1683-667: A historical relic and the Songer Tree marks the site on Signal Hill of the original flagpole. The Nelson-Tasman area comprises two unitary authorities – Nelson City, administered by the Nelson City Council , and Tasman District , administered by the Tasman District Council , based in Richmond 15 kilometres (9 miles) to the southwest. It is between Marlborough , another unitary authority, to
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#17327905517961836-515: A major drawback: it lacked suitable arable land ; Nelson City stands right on the edge of a mountain range while the nearby Waimea Plains amount to only about 60,000 acres (240 km ), less than one third of the area required by the Company plans. The Company secured land from the Māori, that was not clearly defined, for £800: it included Nelson, Waimea, Motueka , Riwaka and Whakapuaka. This allowed
1989-516: A project to replace these sands was put in place and has so far proved a success, with the sand rising a considerable amount and the dunes continuing to grow. The Nelson territorial authority area is small (just 445 km ) and has four main waterways, the Whangamoa, Wakapuaka, Maitai and Roding Rivers. The Roding River, the southernmost in Nelson, arises in the hills between Mount Meares and Dun Mountain. From there it flows westward before entering
2142-468: A provision for the gifting of the coal mine, which the provincial council was reluctant to relinquish, nor was Wrigg included in the deputation that was sent to England to solicit interest in the project. John Morrison, a London-based businessman, was appointed by the council to act as their agent in accordance with the authorising Act. Assisted by former colonial governor Sir George Grey and engineer Fitzgibbon, he set about trying to find financiers to fund
2295-734: A severe opium addiction , Grey was again appointed Governor of New Zealand in 1861, three years after Te Wherowhero, who had established himself the first Māori King in Grey’s absence, had died. The Kiingitanga (Maori King) posed a significant challenge to the British push for sovereignty, and with his Ngāpuhi absent from the movement, Grey found himself challenged on two sides. He struggled to reuse his skills in negotiation to maintain peace with Māori, and his relationship with Te Wherowhero's successor Tāwhiao deeply soured. Turning on his former allies, Grey began an aggressive crackdown on Tainui and launched
2448-513: A small number of Bavarian Catholics . In 1892, the New Zealand Church Mission Society (NZCMS) was formed in a Nelson church hall. After a brief initial period of prosperity, the lack of land and of capital caught up with the settlement and it entered a prolonged period of relative depression. The labourers had to accept a cut in their wages. Organised immigration ceased (a state of affairs that continued until
2601-719: A surgeon and naturalist; and Corporals John Coles and Richard Auger of the Royal Sappers and Miners . Joining the party at Cape Town were Sapper Private Robert Mustard, J.C. Cox, Thomas Ruston, Evan Edwards, Henry Williams, and Robert Inglesby. In December they landed at Hanover Bay (west of Uwins Island in the Bonaparte Archipelago ). Travelling south, the party traced the course of the Glenelg River . After experiencing boat wrecks, near-drowning, becoming completely lost, and Grey himself being speared in
2754-521: A year before the Governor would officiate the "turning-of-the-first-sod" ceremony. Austin embarked on the process of preparing the working surveys and estimates, which would take him until August 1872 to complete. Despite this progress, there was unease within Nelson province with regard to the fact that contracts had yet to be awarded for work on the line. When it was announced on 10 August that nine contracts had been let for railway construction but that
2907-443: A year. This line is noteworthy for several reasons, including being the last completely isolated section of the government-owned railway network; gaining a reprieve after being closed for the first time until being closed for a second – and final – time; and, its route was chosen to serve existing communities in Nelson's hinterland rather than being constructed to open up new areas for development or serve specific industries. Nelson
3060-542: Is a consolidated city and unitary authority on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay at the top of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the oldest city in the South Island and the second-oldest settled city in the country; it was established in 1841 and became a city by British royal charter in 1858. It is the only consolidated city-region in the nation. Nelson City is bordered to the west and south-west by
3213-405: Is a public holiday observed in the northern half of the South Island of New Zealand, being the area's provincial anniversary day. It is observed throughout the historic Nelson Province, even though the provinces of New Zealand were abolished in 1876. The modern area of observation includes all of Nelson City and includes all of the present-day Buller, Kaikōura, Marlborough, Tasman districts as well as
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#17327905517963366-641: Is evidence that the earliest settlements in New Zealand were around the Nelson-Marlborough regions. Some of the earliest recorded iwi in the Nelson district are Ngāti Hāwea, Ngāti Wairangi, Waitaha and Kāti Māmoe . Waitaha people developed the land around the Waimea Gardens, are believed to have been the first people to quarry argillite in around Nelson. They also developed much of the Waimea Gardens complex – more than 400 hectares on
3519-418: Is no surprise that there was such little effort put into marking the occasion. There was even confusion as to the exact date of the opening, with various press reports mentioning both 29 and 31 January. It was later reported that the line was officially opened on the 29th, with regular services commencing the following Monday, the 31st. It was soon realised after the opening of the Nelson – Foxhill section that
3672-570: Is set up as a village filled with buildings set in a historical time, including well established gardens. Throughout the park, there are stories to be learned about the history of this town. The New Zealand Company in London planned the settlement of Nelson. They intended to buy from the Māori some 200,000 acres (810 km ) of land, which they planned to divide into one thousand lots and sell to intending settlers. The company earmarked profits to finance
3825-652: The Anglo-Maori Warder , which followed an editorial policy in opposition to Governor Grey. At the time of the northern war The Southern Cross and The New Zealander blamed Henry Williams and the other CMS missionaries for the Flagstaff War . The New Zealander newspaper in a thinly disguised reference to Henry Williams, with the reference to "their Rangatira pakeha [gentlemen] correspondents", went on to state: We consider these English traitors far more guilty and deserving of severe punishment than
3978-757: The Church Missionary Society (CMS) that was led by the Reverend Henry Williams . Williams attempted to interfere with the land purchasing practices of the company, which exacerbated the ill-will that was directed at the CMS by the Company in Wellington and the promoters of colonisation in Auckland who had access to the Governor and to the newspapers that had started publication. Unresolved land disputes that had resulted from New Zealand Company operations erupted into fighting in
4131-520: The French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Many roads and public areas around the city are named after people and ships associated with that battle. Inhabitants of the city are referred to as Nelsonians; Trafalgar Street is its main shopping axis. Nelson's Māori name, Whakatū, means 'construct', 'raise', or 'establish'. In an article to The Colonist newspaper on 16 July 1867, Francis Stevens described Nelson as "The Naples of
4284-551: The Hutt Valley in 1846. The Ngati Rangatahi were determined to retain possession of their land. They assembled a force of about 200 warriors led by Te Rangihaeata , Te Rauparaha 's nephew (son of his sister Waitohi, died 1839), also the person who had killed unarmed captives in Wairau Affray . Governor Grey moved troops into the area and by February had assembled nearly a thousand men together with some Māori allies from
4437-540: The Invasion of the Waikato in 1863, with 14,000 Imperial and colonial troops attacking 4,000 Māori and their families. Appointed in 1877, he served as Premier of New Zealand until 1879, where he remained a symbol of colonialism. By political philosophy a Gladstonian liberal and Georgist , Grey eschewed the class system to be part of Auckland's new governance he helped to establish. Cyril Hamshere argues that Grey
4590-631: The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 . Grey was briefly appointed Governor-in-Chief on 1 January 1848, while he oversaw the establishment of the first provinces of New Zealand , New Ulster and New Munster . In 1846, Lord Stanley , the British Colonial Secretary, who was a devout Anglican, three times British Prime Minister and oversaw the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 ,
4743-745: The Noongar language . Due to his interest in Aboriginal culture in July 1839, Grey was promoted to captain and appointed temporary Resident Magistrate at King George Sound , Western Australia, following the death of Sir Richard Spencer , the previous Resident Magistrate. On 2 November 1839 at King George Sound, Grey married Eliza Lucy Spencer (1822–1898), daughter of the late Government Resident, Sir Richard Spencer. Their only child, born in 1841 in South Australia, died aged five months and
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4896-626: The Southern Hemisphere ". Today, Nelson has the nicknames of "Sunny Nelson" due to its high sunshine hours per year or the "Top of the South" because of its geographic location. In New Zealand Sign Language , the name is signed by putting the index and middle fingers together which are raised to the nose until the fingertips touch the nose, then move the hand forward so that the fingers point slightly forward away from oneself. Settlement of Nelson began about 700 years ago by Māori. There
5049-661: The Tasman District and to the north-east, east and south-east by the Marlborough District . The Nelson urban area has a population of 51,300, making it New Zealand's 15th most populous urban area. Nelson is well known for its thriving local arts and crafts scene; each year, the city hosts events popular with locals and tourists alike, such as the Nelson Arts Festival. Nelson was named in honour of Admiral Horatio Nelson , who defeated both
5202-499: The Te Āti Awa hapu to begin the Hutt Valley campaign . Māori attacked Taita on 3 March 1846, but were repulsed by a company of the 96th Regiment. The same day Grey declared martial law in the Wellington area. Richard Taylor , a CMS missionary from Whanganui , attempted to persuade the Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Rangatahi to leave the disputed land. Eventually Grey paid compensation for
5355-648: The Union Jack was hoisted; hence the flagstaff symbolised the grievances of Heke and his ally Te Ruki Kawiti , as to changes that had followed the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi . There were many causes of the Flagstaff War and Heke had a number of grievances in relation to the Treaty of Waitangi . While land acquisition by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) were politicised, the rebellion led by Heke
5508-778: The Waimate Mission Station in November 1861. Also in 1861 Henry Williams' son Edward Marsh Williams was appointed by Sir George to be the Resident Magistrate for the Bay of Islands and Northern Districts. Following a campaign for self-government by settlers in 1846, the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed the New Zealand Constitution Act 1846 , granting the colony self-government for
5661-792: The Wharepapa / Arthur Range , including the Nettlebed Cave and some of the largest and deepest explored caverns in the Southern Hemisphere. Nelson is known for its great lakes, hikes and walks surrounding the town, the most popular being the Abel Tasman Coast Track , Abel Tasman National Park , and Heaphy Track . These tracks are also known for recreational activities. There are many huts and camping grounds in all three tracks for availability to stay in. There are places to fish, hunt and observe nature within
5814-640: The 1846 Constitution Act. Grey wrote a draft of a new Constitution Act while camping on Mount Ruapehu in 1851, forwarding this draft to the Colonial Office later that year. Grey's draft established both provincial and central representative assemblies, allowed for Māori districts and a Governor elected by the General Assembly. Only the latter proposal was rejected by the Parliament of the United Kingdom when it adopted Grey's constitution,
5967-483: The 1850s). By the end of 1843, artisans and labourers began leaving Nelson; by 1846, some 25% of the immigrants had moved away. The pressure to find more arable land became intense. To the south-east of Nelson lay the wide and fertile plains of the Wairau Valley. The New Zealand Company tried to claim that they had purchased the land. The Māori owners stated adamantly that the Wairau Valley had not formed part of
6120-464: The British could keep an army of nearly 1,000 soldiers in the field continuously. Heke's confidence waned after he was wounded in battle with Tāmati Wāka Nene and his warriors, and by the realisation that the British had far more resources than he could muster; his enemies included some Pākehā Māori supporting colonial forces. After the Battle of Ruapekapeka, Heke and Kawiti were ready for peace. It
6273-562: The Crown. The potential for conflict between the Māori and settlers was exacerbated as the British authorities progressively eased restrictions on land sales after an agreement at the end of 1840 between the company and Colonial Secretary Lord John Russell , which provided for land purchases by the New Zealand Company from the Crown at a discount price, and a charter to buy and sell land under government supervision. Money raised by
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6426-543: The Flagstaff War. In a letter of 25 June 1846 to William Ewart Gladstone , the Colonial Secretary in Sir Robert Peel 's government, Governor Grey referred to the land acquired by the CMS missionaries and commented that "Her Majesty's Government may also rest satisfied that these individuals cannot be put in possession of these tracts of land without a large expenditure of British blood and money". By
6579-459: The Governor and his representatives having the sole right to buy and sell land from the Māori. Māori were eager to sell land, and settlers eager to buy. Grey took pains to tell Māori that he had observed the terms of the Treaty of Waitangi , assuring them that their land rights would be fully recognised. In the Taranaki district, Māori were very reluctant to sell their land, but elsewhere Grey
6732-782: The Grey District north of the Grey River / Māwheranui and the Hurunui District north of the Hurunui River. The holiday usually falls on the Monday closest to 1 February, the anniversary of the arrival of the first New Zealand Company boat, the Fifeshire on 1 February 1842. Anniversary celebrations in the early years featured a sailing regatta, horse racing, running races, shooting and ploughing matches. In 1892,
6885-549: The Marsdens. Many of the rooms have been transformed into displays for the public to view. The restoration of Isel House is managed by Isel House Charitable trust under the supervision of Sally Papps, but the house and the park ground surrounding it are owned by the Nelson City Council. Founders Heritage Park is a local historical visit in Nelson. This interactive park shows visitors the history of Nelson. The park
7038-408: The Minister Roderick McKenzie obtained parliamentary authorisation for the work to continue and tried to ensure that progress was maintained on it. Despite his best efforts, the Kawatiri section was fraught with delays: work commenced in December 1912; work stopped in April 1913 due to a lack of funds; work resumed in November 1914, but because of the demands of the war, manpower gradually dwindled to
7191-450: The Māori. On 18 November 1845 George Grey arrived in New Zealand to take up his appointment as governor, where he was greeted by outgoing Governor FitzRoy, who worked amicably with Grey before departing in January 1846. At this time, Hōne Heke challenged the British authorities, beginning by cutting down the flagstaff on Flagstaff Hill at Kororareka . On this flagstaff the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand had previously flown; now
7344-402: The National Parks and Lakes. Nelson has a temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ), with cool winters and warm summers. Nelson has rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year and has fewer frosts due to the highly marine geography of New Zealand. Winter is the stormiest time, where gales and storms are more common. Nelson has one of the sunniest climates of all major New Zealand centres, earning
7497-441: The Nelson Chamber of Commerce dispatched 25 of its members to the camp at Kaka to see for themselves why progress was so slow. After being shown around the construction site at the Tadmor Saddle and listening to the troubles that had been encountered with the unstable ground and earthworks, they were assured that despite the amount of work remaining, the project was nearing completion. After several dates were suggested and rumoured,
7650-399: The Nelson Jubilee Celebration featured an official week-long programme with church services, sports, concerts, a ball and a grand display of fireworks. In 1858, the Nelson Provincial Council erected a time gun at the spot on Brittania Heights where, in 1841, Captain Wakefield erected his flagpole . The gun was fired each Saturday at noon to give the correct time. The gun is now preserved as
7803-431: The Nelson line was not among them, Nelsonians were left to wonder if the government had broken its promises. As it turned out, the problem for the authorities was in deciding on a route out of Nelson. While Austin was tasked with investigating the matter further, tenders were called for the 21 kilometres (13 mi) section from Stoke to Foxhill and steps were taken to acquire the necessary land. The successful tenderer for
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#17327905517967956-421: The New Zealand Company purported to purchase approximately 20 million acres (8 million hectares) in Nelson , Wellington, Whanganui and Taranaki . Disputes arose as to the validity of purchases of land, which remained unresolved when Grey became governor. The company saw itself as a prospective government of New Zealand and in 1845 and 1846 proposed splitting the colony in two, along a line from Mokau in
8109-429: The Saddle Hill area to its mouth at Cable Bay in North Nelson, has two main tributaries, the Lud and Teal Rivers. Entering Tasman Bay near Kokorua in the north of Nelson, the Whangamoa River is the longest waterway in Nelson. Smaller waterways in the south of Nelson include: Saxton Creek, Orchard Stream, Poorman Valley Stream, Arapiki Stream, Jenkins Creek and Maire Stream. The central city of Nelson, also referred to as
8262-467: The Tasman District where it eventually joins the Waimea River, which flows into Waimea Inlet near Rabbit Island. The Maitai River flows westward from the Dun Mountain area into the town centre of Nelson before entering the Nelson Haven then Tasman Bay via 'The Cut'. Major tributaries of the Maitai River are: York and Brook Streams plus Sharland , Packer, Groom , Glen, Neds, Sclanders, Beauchamp and Mill Creeks. The Wakapuaka River, which flows north from
8415-407: The Tasman District. Nelson is surrounded by mountains on three sides and Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere on the fourth, with its region acting as the gateway to the Abel Tasman , Kahurangi , and Nelson Lakes National Parks . It is a centre for both ecotourism and adventure tourism and has a high reputation among caving enthusiasts due to several prominent cave systems around Takaka Hill and
8568-719: The Waimea Plains near Nelson. In the early 1600s, Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri displaced other te Tau Ihu Māori , becoming the dominant tribe in the area until the early 1800s. Raids from northern tribes in the 1820s, led by Te Rauparaha and his Ngāti Toa , soon decimated the local population and quickly displaced them. Today there are eight mutually recognised tribes of the northernwestern region: Ngāti Kuia , Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō , Rangitāne , Ngāti Toarangatira , Ngāti Koata , Ngāti Rārua , Ngāti Tama and Te Atiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui . There are three main historic places located in Nelson. They are Broadgreen Historic House, Isel House, and Founders Heritage Park. The Broadgreen Historic House
8721-411: The Waimea contract was a local firm by the name of Scott and Robinson. Though the official turning of the first sod ceremony took place on 6 May 1873, sub-contractors who started at the end of the line began work a month earlier on 7 April. The official ceremony was officiated by Superintendent of the Nelson Province Oswald Curtis who declared the day to be a public holiday. Around 3,000 people attended
8874-412: The advantage of seeing the area at its worst. When he presented his report to the council the following 1 April, he enthusiastically supported the project and was confident that construction should take only three years with work starting simultaneously at Nelson, Cobden and Westport. Though the financial requirements of such a project were beyond the means of both the provincial and central governments at
9027-414: The almost complete Foxhill – Belgrove section be completed but that the Belgrove – Tophouse section be postponed. Formation work was completed by June 1880, at which time further contracts were let for plate laying and station buildings. When the new section opened for business on 25 July 1881, an adjusted timetable was introduced and the station that had previously been known as Foxhill became Wai-iti with
9180-422: The area. The Hutt Valley campaign was followed by the Wanganui campaign from April to July 1847. In January 1846 fifteen chiefs of the area, including Te Rauparaha, had sent a combined letter to the newly arrived Governor Grey, pledging their loyalty to the British Crown. After intercepting letters from Te Rauparaha , Grey realised he was playing a double game. He was receiving and sending secret instructions to
9333-420: The ballasting or plate laying of the formation completed thus far or the continuation of the line beyond the tunnel. The funds allocated to this section of the line had not been fully spent, yet the company in charge of the project was declared bankrupt. In a surprise move, the government seized the company's assets on 25 May 1895 and declared its intention to proceed with the contract on the company's behalf. It
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#17327905517969486-404: The brave natives whom they have advised and misled. Cowards and knaves in the full sense of the terms, they have pursued their traitorous schemes, afraid to risk their own persons, yet artfully sacrificing others for their own aggrandizement, while, probably at the same time, they were most hypocritically professing most zealous loyalty. Official communications also blamed the CMS missionaries for
9639-473: The bridge itself was finished in good time (in March 1904), it was to be the following October before the approaches were completed by the Public Works Department. The delays frustrated locals to the extent that they made representations to the government over their concerns at the lack of progress. The response was to the effect that there was a lack of resources – both men and money – for the government to devote to railway construction, especially considering all
9792-545: The central business district (CBD), is bounded by Halifax Street to the north, Rutherford Street to the west, Collingwood Street to the east, and Selwyn Place to the south. Other major streets within the CBD include Trafalgar Street, Bridge Street and Hardy Street. Suburbs within Nelson City's territorial area borders are grouped into four city districts: Nelson North : City Centre : Tāhunanui-Port Hills : Stoke : The Nelson commuter belt extends to Richmond , Brightwater , Hope , Māpua and Wakefield in
9945-460: The colony was in good shape by the time he departed for New Zealand in 1845. Grey was the most influential figure during the European settlement of New Zealand . Governor of New Zealand initially from 1845 to 1853, he was governor during the initial stages of the New Zealand Wars . Learning Māori to fluency, he became a scholar of Māori culture , compiling Māori mythology and oral history and publishing it in translation in London. He developed
10098-422: The completion of surveying work along the then planned route to Tophouse via Blue Glen. Following a change of government in late 1879, and with an approaching economic depression, two railways commissions were appointed in May 1880 and October 1882 to examine the future of railway lines around the country, both planned and in progress. In its report presented on 26 July 1880, the first commission recommended that
10251-402: The difficulty of the passage. A cut was later made in the bank in 1906 which allowed larger vessels access to the port. The creation of Rocks Road around the waterfront area after the Tāhunanui slump in 1892 increased the effects of the tide on Nelson city's beach, Tāhunanui, and removed sediment. This meant the popular beach and adjoining car park were being eroded (plus the sand dunes ) so
10404-531: The east, and the West Coast Regional Council to the west. For some while, there has been talk about amalgamating Nelson City and the Tasman District to streamline and render more financially economical the existing co-operation between the two councils, exemplified by the jointly owned Port Nelson and the creation of Nelson Tasman Tourism , a jointly owned tourism promotion organisation. However, an official poll conducted in April 2012 showed nearly three-quarters of those who voted in Richmond were opposed to
10557-404: The elected ministry, led by the Premier , controlled the colonial government's policy on Māori land. The short-term effect of the treaty was to prevent the sale of Māori land to anyone other than the Crown. This was intended to protect Māori from the kinds of shady land purchases which had alienated indigenous peoples in other parts of the world from their land with minimal compensation. Before
10710-492: The end of his first term as governor, Grey had changed his opinion as to the role of the CMS missionaries, which was limited to attempts to persuade Hōne Heke bring an end to the fighting with the British soldiers and the Ngāpuhi, led by Tāmati Wāka Nene , who remained loyal to the Crown. Grey was "shrewd and manipulative" and his main objective was to impose British sovereignty over New Zealand, which he did by force when he felt it necessary. But his first strategy to attain land
10863-409: The extension of the line from Tadmor. By 1908, ballasting and plate laying had reached Kiwi station. This section was handed over to the Railways Department on 18 December 1908. Of the three sections of the deviation, the last – to Glenhope – was considered to be the most difficult. It had to pass over the 453 metres (1,486 ft) Tadmor Saddle and cross numerous steep-sided creeks. In May 1911,
11016-436: The first time, requiring Māori to pass an English-language test to be able to participate in the new colonial government. In his instructions to Grey, Colonial Secretary Earl Grey (no relation to George Grey) sent the 1846 Constitution Act with instructions to implement self-government. George Grey responded to Earl Grey that the Act would lead to further hostilities and that the settlers were not ready for self-government. In
11169-646: The following year, including all the Gowanbridge station buildings and yard. Work did not stop at Gowanbridge, with the frenetic pace continuing on to the next section. Several new work camps were established beyond Gowanbridge, the largest of which was at Grassy Flat. Grassy Flat was where the busiest construction site was located, where a long embankment had to be built. Two shifts worked at this site both day and night. Large cuttings were being made at two other work sites, also employing night shifts. Nelson, New Zealand Nelson ( Māori : Whakatū )
11322-546: The free passage of artisans and labourers, with their families, and for the construction of public works. However, by September 1841 only about one third of the lots had sold. Despite this, the colony pushed ahead, and land was surveyed by Frederick Tuckett . Three ships, the Arrow , Whitby , and Will Watch , sailed from London commanded by Captain Arthur Wakefield . Arriving in New Zealand, they discovered that
11475-472: The government from sales to the company would be spent on assisting migration to New Zealand. The agreement was hailed by the company as "all that we could desire ... our Company is really to be the agent of the state for colonizing NZ." The Government waived its right of pre-emption in the Wellington region, Wanganui and New Plymouth in September 1841. Following his term as Governor of South Australia, Grey
11628-530: The government. Tāmihana returned to his rohe to stop a planned uprising. Tāmihana sold the Wairau land to the government for 3,000 pounds. Grey spoke to Te Rauaparaha and persuaded him to give up all outstanding claims to land in the Wairau valley. Then, realising he was old and sick he allowed Te Rauparaha to return to his people at Ōtaki in 1848. Auckland was made the new capital in March 1841 and by
11781-554: The governor, meaning control of Māori affairs and land remained outside of the elected ministry. This quickly became a point of contention between the Governor and the colonial parliament, who retained their own "Native Secretary" to advise them on "native affairs". In 1861, Governor Grey agreed to consult the ministers in relation to native affairs, but this position only lasted until his recall from office in 1867. Grey's successor as governor, George Bowen , took direct control of native affairs until his term ended in 1870. From then on,
11934-499: The hip during a skirmish with Aboriginal people , the party gave up. After being picked up by HMS Beagle and the schooner Lynher , they were taken to Mauritius to recover. Lieutenant Lushington was then mobilised to rejoin his regiment in the First Anglo-Afghan War . In September 1838 Grey sailed to Perth hoping to resume his adventures. In February 1839 Grey embarked on a second exploration expedition to
12087-577: The illegal retribution exacted by Major Thomas Shuldham O'Halloran on an Aboriginal tribe, some of whose members had murdered all 25 survivors of the Maria shipwreck. Grey was governor during another mass murder: the Rufus River Massacre , of at least 30 Aboriginals, by Europeans, on 27 August 1841. Governor Grey sharply cut spending. The colony soon had full employment, and exports of primary products were increasing. Systematic emigration
12240-471: The inconvenience of transferring goods traffic from trains to drays to transfer it to the port at Nelson station, was enough for many merchants in Nelson and surrounding areas to avoid the railway altogether and to ship their goods directly to the port by road. This loss of freight traffic from the railways gave sufficient motivation to the New Zealand Railways for them to make the port section
12393-540: The investors were no longer willing to commit to such an undertaking. In June, it was announced that the Colonial Treasurer, Sir Julius Vogel , planned to borrow £10,000,000 over ten years to finance the Great Public Works policy. It was expected that well-funded government contracts would soon be available thus depriving the Nelson scheme of its former lustre for the private investor. The line
12546-499: The land claimants, such as the New Zealand Company, and vigorously attacked Governor Grey's administration, while The New Zealander , supported the ordinary settler and the Māori. The northern war adversely affected business in Auckland, such that The Southern Cross stopped publishing from April 1845 to July 1847. Hugh Carleton , who also became a politician, was the editor of The New Zealander then later established
12699-564: The land in the Supreme Court, and when Williams refused to give up the land unless the charges were retracted, he was dismissed from the CMS in November 1849. Governor Grey's first term of office ended in 1853. In 1854 Williams was reinstated to CMS after Bishop Selwyn later regretted the position and George Grey addressed the committee of the CMS and requested his reinstatement. When he returned to New Zealand in 1861 for his second term as governor, Sir George and Henry Williams meet at
12852-562: The land usable, 15,000 cubic metres of fill was excavated from a hill off Hardy Street to form the yard. Once the land was prepared, sleepers and rails which had been in storage in St. Vincent Street were laid and a class 4 Vogel-type station building was erected. As the line neared completion, trial runs were conducted and on 17 November 1875 30 passengers were conveyed to the Wakefield terminus as guests of Austin. In early December, another group
13005-418: The line could reach Gowanbridge. With rumours in official circles that there was no desire for the line to be extended beyond Gowanbridge, the workforce dwindled to around 60 men in 1928. The project was revitalised, however, after the December elections when the new government promised to borrow £10,000,000 to complete unfinished railways. With the increased pace, the line was completed through to Gowanbridge
13158-546: The line to Glenhope was officially opened on 2 September 1912 at a ceremony organised by the Nelson Chamber of Commerce. It was attended by the new Ministers for Railways and for Public Works ( Roderick McKenzie ), as well as a large entourage of politicians from both houses of parliament. Also well represented were residents from all parts of the province, especially the Murchison district. Prior to leaving office,
13311-493: The line would run. This was to involve considerable additional expense and reclamation works, a cost which was sufficient for the government to be tardy in its progress. Although the Nelson Provincial Council had come to an agreement with the government for the extension to be built and had committed £8,000 to the project, the issue of widening Haven Road meant that there were insufficient funds to complete
13464-518: The line. Later that year, the General Assembly passed the Nelson, Cobden and Westport Railway Land Act, authorising the reservation of the necessary land. It was decided to engage the services of an expert to examine the matter. For this task, Henry Wrigg, an Auckland civil engineer, was hired to survey the 320 kilometres (200 mi) route. He completed the work between September 1867 and January 1868 in appalling weather, which did give him
13617-461: The local Māori who were attacking settlers. In a surprise attack on his pā at Taupo (now named Plimmerton ) at dawn on 23 July, Te Rauparaha, who was now quite elderly, was captured and taken prisoner. The justification given for his arrest was weapons supplied to Māori deemed to be in open rebellion against the Crown. However, charges were never laid against Te Rauparaha so his detention was declared unlawful. While Grey's declaration of Martial law
13770-530: The monument marks the "zero, zero" point to which the first geodetic surveys of New Zealand were referenced. These surveys were started in the 1870s by John Spence Browning, the Chief Surveyor for Nelson. From this 360-degree viewpoint, survey marks in neighbouring regions (including Wellington in the North Island) could be triangulated and the local surveys connected. In 1962, Dr Ian Reilly from
13923-585: The new Foxhill station established between Wai-iti and Belgrove. It was not until 9 September 1890 that the New Zealand Midland Railway Company put out a call for tenders for the construction of the next section of the line from Belgrove to the Motueka Valley. The successful tenderer was a Wellington-based contractor Allan Maguire, who was awarded the contract in early October. One local who took particular interest in
14076-471: The new Governor of the colony, William Hobson , would not give them a free hand to secure vast areas of land from the Māori or indeed to decide where to site the colony. However, after some delay, Hobson allowed the company to investigate the Tasman Bay area at the north end of the South Island. The Company selected the site now occupied by Nelson City because it had the best harbour in the area. But it had
14229-565: The new extension and 1899 before the entire Belgrove – Motupiko section was handed over to the Railways Department for normal services. The first official train for Motupiko departed Nelson on 2 March 1899 carrying Railways Department officials who inspected the line along the way. After interested parties in the Tadmor Valley successfully prevailed upon the government to choose a longer route through their area rather than
14382-410: The next to be added to the line. On an inquiry made on 1 June in parliament, it was made known that planning for the port section was in progress, but returns from the railway could not justify any further extension of the line to the south at that time. There were, however, complications that had slowed this process, primarily the insistence of the Nelson City Council on widening Haven Road along which
14535-437: The nickname 'Sunny Nelson' with an annual average total of over 2400 hours of sunshine. The highest recorded temperature in Nelson is 36.3 °C (97 °F), the lowest −6.6 °C (20 °F). Nelson has a monument on Botanical Hill, near the centre of the city. The walk to this is called the " Centre of New Zealand walk ". Despite the name, this monument does not mark the actual geographic centre of New Zealand. Instead,
14688-552: The north, where he was again wrecked with his party, again including Surgeon Walker, at Kalbarri . They were the first Europeans to see the Murchison River , but then had to walk to Perth , surviving the journey through the efforts of Kaiber, a Whadjuk Noongar man (that is, indigenous to the Perth region), who organised food and what water could be found (they survived by drinking liquid mud). At about this time, Grey learnt
14841-736: The now defunct Department of Scientific and Industrial Research calculated the geographic centre of New Zealand (including Stewart Island and some smaller islands in addition to the North and South Island, but excluding the Chathams ) to be in a forest in Spooners Range 35 mi (56 kilometres) southwest of Nelson at 41°30′S 172°50′E / 41.500°S 172.833°E / -41.500; 172.833 ( Geographical Centre of New Zealand ) . George Grey Sir George Grey , KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898)
14994-628: The number of Pākehā came to equal the number of Māori , at around 60,000 each. Settlers were keen to obtain land and some Māori were willing to sell, but there were also strong pressures to retain land – in particular from the Māori King Movement . Grey had to manage the demand for land for the settlers to farm and the commitments in the Treaty of Waitangi that the Māori chiefs retained full "exclusive and undisturbed possession of their Lands and Estates Forests Fisheries and other properties." The treaty also specifies that Māori will sell land only to
15147-436: The original land sale, and made it clear they would resist any attempts by the settlers to occupy the area. The Nelson settlers led by Arthur Wakefield and Henry Thompson attempted to do just that. This resulted in the Wairau Affray , where 22 settlers and 4 Māori died. The subsequent Government inquiry exonerated the Māori and found that the Nelson settlers had no legitimate claim to any land outside Tasman Bay. Public fears of
15300-404: The other railway projects under-way at the time and that Nelson would just have to wait its turn. The opening date for the section slipped several times, being planned for December 1905, Easter 1906 then 24 May ( Empire Day ) before finally being set for 6 August. The occasion was not considered to be an official opening, due to the lack of government (ministerial) representation, brought about by
15453-564: The point where work stopped again in February 1917 at which time a caretaker was appointed to maintain the site until such time as work resumed. In all, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of formation had been completed. Work resumed again in 1920, with a start made on the Kawatiri tunnel using crews based at a new construction camp at Woodhen Bend. Local enthusiasm did not translate into significant official support, with only 30 men beginning work on
15606-676: The potato crop they had planted on the land. He also gave them 300 acres at Kaiwharawhara by the modern ferry terminal. Chief Taringakuri agreed to these terms. But when the settlers tried to move onto the land they were frightened off. On 27 February the British and their Te Ati Awa allies burnt the Māori Pā at Maraenuku in the Hutt Valley, which had been built on land that the settlers claimed to own. The Ngati Rangatahi retaliated on 1 and 3 March by raiding settlers' farms, destroying furniture, smashing windows, killing pigs, and threatening
15759-571: The proceedings at Saxton's field, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) south of Stoke. The choice of a route for the line out of Nelson still had to be made and, though it was well known that the authorities favoured the Jenkin's Hill route, the Inland Communication Committee was convinced that the coastal route was the better option. In order to resolve the matter, the Minister of Public Works was prevailed upon on 28 July by
15912-490: The progress of construction was Francis Trask , Mayor of Nelson from December 1890 until 1900. From 1891, he arranged annual visits to the construction site for his councillors. By the time they visited the site in March 1892, the Spooners Range tunnel had been advanced to 640 metres (2,100 ft) at the northern end and 240 metres (790 ft) at the southern end with only 520 metres (1,710 ft) remaining. It
16065-497: The project. Though he met with much early disappointment and scepticism, he eventually found such a group headed by Alexander Brogden . Morrison wrote of the good news to Superintendent Oswald Curtis who was able to put the letter before the council two months later. This was as far as the project got thanks to the intervention of two unrelated events. On the day the contract was due to be signed, 19 July 1870, France declared war on Prussia , an event that caused such uncertainty that
16218-479: The proposal, with a narrow majority in favour. Nelson has beaches and a sheltered harbour. The harbour entrance is protected by a Boulder Bank , a natural, 13 km (8 miles) bank of rocks transported south from Mackay Bluff via longshore drift . The bank creates a perfect natural harbour which enticed the first settlers, although the entrance was narrow. The wreck of the Fifeshire on Arrow Rock (now called Fifeshire Rock in memory of this disaster) in 1842 proved
16371-459: The section would be ready by the end of June 1925, the Railways Department did not take control of it until May 1926. Construction of the Kawatiri – Gowan section began in 1924. About this time, the Pikomanu work camp was also relocated to Gowanbridge. Progress was steady, and by 1927 construction crews working along the whole of the planned route only had to complete a couple of cuttings before
16524-421: The settlement to begin, but the lack of definition would prove the source of much future conflict. The three colony ships sailed into Nelson Haven during the first week of November 1841. When the four first immigrant ships – Fifeshire , Mary-Ann , Lord Auckland and Lloyds – arrived three months later, they found the town already laid out with streets, some wooden houses, tents and rough sheds. The town
16677-427: The settlers with death if they gave the alarm. They murdered Andrew Gillespie and his son. 13 families of settlers moved into Wellington for safety. Governor Grey proclaimed martial law on 3 March. Sporadic fighting continued, including a major attack on a defended position at Boulcott's Farm on 6 May. On 6 August 1846, one of the last engagements was fought – the Battle of Battle Hill – after which Te Rangihaeata left
16830-628: The shorter route over the Hope Saddle selected by the Midland Railway Company, work began on the 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) section to Tadmor in July 1901. Locals expected rapid progress, as the only major work on this section was the Motueka River road-rail bridge. It was, however, this part of the job that was to be the source of considerable delays that prevented the opening of this section until August 1906. Though
16983-513: The time Grey was appointed governor in 1845, it had become a commercial centre as well as including the administrative institutions such as the Supreme Court . After the conclusion of the war in the north, government policy was to place a buffer zone of European settlement between the Ngāpuhi and the city of Auckland. The background to the Invasion of Waikato in 1863 also, in part, reflected
17136-484: The time he reported back to the Railway Committee on 21 June in favour of his preferred east coast route, Nelson authorities were already celebrating the fact that the contract for the 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) Foxhill – Belgrove section had been let to Peter Day on 26 May 1879. The Railway Committee was already making plans for the next 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) of the line beyond Belgrove in anticipation of
17289-463: The time, it was suggested that a British firm be engaged to finance, construct and own the line as had already been successfully done in other developing nations. As a further incentive, Wrigg suggested that the Brunner coal mine be given to the successful tenderer as an immediate and certain source of income. When the authorisation legislation was submitted to the General Assembly, it did not include
17442-453: The treaty had been finalised the New Zealand Company had made several hasty land deals and shipped settlers from Great Britain to New Zealand, hoping the British would be forced to accept its land claims as a fait accompli , in which it was largely successful. In part, the treaty was an attempt to establish a system of property rights for land with the Crown controlling and overseeing land sale to prevent abuse. Initially, this worked well with
17595-453: The tunnel and access bridges, and only primitive tools and methods available to start the work. The headings had to be driven for 60 metres (200 ft) before a compressor and pneumatic drill were provided. The 185 metres (607 ft) tunnel was finished in 1923, coinciding with the promised arrival of new construction crews fresh from working on the Otira tunnel . Despite expectations that
17748-446: The tunnel, a temporary station was established there, but it was obvious to all concerned that the line would need to be extended to a commercially useful centre beyond this point for the section beyond Belgrove to be viable. Various delays held up further progress, including obtaining records from the defunct New Zealand Midland Railway Company and deciding on the most suitable route, so it was not until November 1898 that trains could use
17901-407: The unexpected death of Premier of New Zealand Richard Seddon on 10 June 1906. The deviation of the line through the Tadmor Valley required three authorisations from the government before the work could proceed, those being: Motupiko – Tadmor, Tadmor – Tui, and Tui – Glenhope. A work camp was established at Kaka, including a school for the children, at which the men were based while they worked on
18054-506: The west to Cape Kidnappers in the east – with the north reserved for Māori and missionaries. The south would become a self-governing province, known as "New Victoria" and managed by the company for that purpose. Britain's Colonial Secretary rejected the proposal. The company was known for its vigorous attacks on those it perceived as its opponents – the British Colonial Office , successive governors of New Zealand, and
18207-531: The work to help cover the cost of widening the road and allowed the use of prison labour. Work began in July and the line was ready for use on 17 May 1880, coinciding with control of the Government Wharf passing to the Railways Department. In 1879, William Blair , Chief Engineer for the South Island, was asked to examine and report on proposals that had earlier been suggested by engineer Thomas Foy for connecting Picton and Blenheim to Canterbury . By
18360-420: The work. Negotiations to overcome the impasse continued through 1877 until May 1878 when it was announced that the project was to be suspended indefinitely. In response, a local deputation left for Wellington on 4 June to prevail upon the authorities the need for the extension and was rewarded the following day when a contract was awarded for the 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) of formation. The government-subsidised
18513-620: The world's largest rivers might drain into the Indian Ocean in North-West Australia; if that were found to be the case, the region it flowed through might be suitable for colonisation. Grey, with Lieutenant Franklin Lushington, of the 9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot , offered to explore the region. On 5 July 1837, they sailed from Plymouth in command of a party of five, the others being Lushington; Dr William Walker,
18666-653: Was John Gray , who was Owen Wynne Gray's son from his second marriage. Grey was sent to the Royal Grammar School, Guildford in Surrey, and was admitted to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1826. Early in 1830, he was gazetted ensign in the 83rd Regiment of Foot . In 1830, his regiment having been sent to Ireland, he developed much sympathy with the Irish peasantry whose misery made
18819-412: Was Tāmati Wāka Nene they approached to act as intermediary in negotiations with Governor Grey, who accepted the advice of Nene that Heke and Kawiti should not be punished for their rebellion. The fighting in the north ended and there was no punitive confiscation of Ngāpuhi land. Colonists arrived at Port Nicholson, Wellington in November 1839 in ships charted by the New Zealand Company . Within months
18972-464: Was a "great British proconsul", although he was also temperamental, demanding of associates, and lacking in some managerial abilities. For the wars of territorial expansion against Māori which he started, he remains a controversial and divisive figure in New Zealand. Grey was born in Lisbon , Portugal , the only son of Lieutenant-Colonel George Grey, of the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot , who
19125-459: Was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia , twice Governor of New Zealand , Governor of Cape Colony , and the 11th premier of New Zealand . He played a key role in the colonisation of New Zealand , and both the purchase and annexation of Māori land . Grey was born in Lisbon, Portugal, just
19278-526: Was appointed the third Governor of New Zealand in 1845. During the tenure of his predecessor, Robert FitzRoy , violence over land ownership had broken out in the Wairau Valley in the South Island in June 1843, in what became known as the Wairau Affray (FitzRoy was later dismissed from office by the Colonial Office for his handling of land issues). It was only in 1846 that the war leader Te Rauparaha
19431-430: Was appointed to do the work. He chose a route that had the line leaving Nelson via Jenkins Hill (modern-day Bishopdale), and also planned a branch line to the end of Parkers Road where he envisaged a branch line terminating at a port. Though the select committee examining the idea was left in no doubt as to the economic benefits of such a railway, they were equally cognizant of the debt that would be required to fund it. It
19584-453: Was arrested and imprisoned by Governor Grey without charge, which remained controversial amongst the Ngāti Toa people. In March 1845, Māori chief Hōne Heke began the Flagstaff War , the causes of which can be attributed to the conflict between what the Ngāpuhi understood to be the meaning of the Treaty of Waitangi (1840) and the actions of succeeding governors of asserting authority over
19737-454: Was asked by Governor Grey how far he was expected to abide by the Treaty of Waitangi . The direct response in the Queen's name was: You will honourably and scrupulously fulfil the conditions of the Treaty of Waitangi... Following the election of the first parliament in 1853, responsible government was instituted in 1856. The direction of "native affairs" was kept at the sole discretion of
19890-499: Was buried at the West Terrace Cemetery . It was not a happy marriage. Grey, obstinate in his domestic affairs as in his first expedition, accused his wife unjustly of flirting with Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Keppel on the voyage to Cape Town taken in 1860; he sent her away. Per her obituary, she was an avid walker, reader of literature, devout churchwoman, exceptional hostess and valued friend in her life away from him. It
20043-466: Was conveyed to Richmond to evaluate seven recently completed carriages. With only minor work still to be completed, the line was due to be opened in January 1876. There was little local enthusiasm, and with a Mail report on 27 January exclaiming: "People have been so deceived, misled and disappointed with regard to this line that its opening is not likely to call forth any great display of enthusiasm", it
20196-777: Was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (1848). When Grey was knighted he chose Tāmati Wāka Nene as one of his esquires. Grey gave land for the establishment of Auckland Grammar School in Newmarket , Auckland in 1850. The school was officially recognised as an educational establishment in 1868 through the Auckland Grammar School Appropriation Act of the Provincial Government . Chris Laidlaw concludes that Grey ran
20349-674: Was created to "facilitate the admission of the unsworn testimony of Aboriginal inhabitants of South Australia and parts adjacent", stipulated that unsworn testimony given by Australian Aboriginals would be inadmissible in court. A major consequence of the act in the following decades in Australian history was the frequent dismissal of evidence given by Indigenous Australians in massacres perpetrated against them by European settlers . Grey served as Governor of New Zealand twice: from 1845 to 1853 , and from 1861 to 1868. During this time, European settlement accelerated, and in 1859
20502-531: Was directed against the colonial forces with the CMS missionaries trying to persuade Heke to end the fighting. Despite the fact that Tāmati Wāka Nene and most of Ngāpuhi sided with the government, the small and ineptly led British had been beaten at Battle of Ohaeawai . Backed by financial support, far more troops, armed with 32-pounder cannons that had been denied to FitzRoy, Grey ordered the attack on Kawiti 's fortress at Ruapekapeka on 31 December 1845. This forced Kawiti to retreat. Ngāpuhi were astonished that
20655-457: Was done by August 1871, when the surveyor Albert Austin was able to forward his plans and estimates to the Colonial Secretary , William Gisborne . He attached an appraisal in which he noted that the Stoke – Foxhill section would present few problems and that the hard part would be in choosing a route out of Nelson, for which he had chosen two routes for consideration: On the basis of this survey,
20808-403: Was expected that the tunnel could be holed through by 24 May, but because of delays due to bad weather and a large landslide, this did not happen until 9 June. Work continued on the tunnel through into the following year, with the lining completed on 14 June 1893. The formation up to the tunnel was finished the following December. It was here that progress stopped. No contracts had been let for
20961-590: Was founded as a New Zealand Company settlement in 1842, and became the capital of the Nelson Province following the creation of the provinces of New Zealand in 1853. Initially, provincial councils were responsible for building railways, and the first in Nelson was the privately funded and constructed railway of the Dun Mountain Company , opening in 1862. The first steam-operated railway opened between Christchurch and Ferrymead in 1863. It
21114-454: Was killed at the Battle of Badajoz in Spain just a few days before. His mother, Elizabeth Anne née Vignoles , on the balcony of her hotel in Lisbon, overheard two officers speak of her husband's death and this brought on the premature birth of the child. She was the daughter of a retired soldier turned Irish clergyman, Major later Reverend John Vignoles. Grey's grandfather was Owen Wynne Gray ( c. 1745 – 6 January 1819). Grey's uncle
21267-459: Was laid out on a grid plan . Within 18 months, the company had sent out 18 ships with 1052 men, 872 women and 1384 children. However, fewer than ninety of the settlers had the capital to start as landowners. The early settlement of Nelson province included a proportion of German immigrants, who arrived on the ship Sankt Pauli and formed the nucleus of the villages of Sarau ( Upper Moutere ) and Neudorf. These were mostly Lutheran Protestants with
21420-533: Was much more successful, and nearly 33 million acres (130,000 km ) were purchased from Māori, with the result that British settlements expanded quickly. Grey was less successful in his efforts to assimilate Māori; he lacked the financial means to realise his plans. Although he subsidised mission schools, requiring them to teach in English, only a few hundred Māori children attended them at any one time. During Grey's first tenure as Governor of New Zealand, he
21573-428: Was not until November 1895 that work resumed when six men started preparations for the next stage of construction which started in March 1896. Forty men were assigned to complete the contract over the following year. A series of excursion trips were organised for 1 February 1897 to mark the occasion of trains being able to travel through the tunnel. Because the contracts that had been let thus far terminated just beyond
21726-445: Was noted that she had keen insight into character. After their separation, Grey began the habitual abuse of opium , and struggled to regain his tenacity in maintaining peace between indigenous people and British colonisers. Grey adopted Annie Maria Matthews (1853–1938) in 1861, following the death of her father, his half-brother, Sir Godfrey Thomas. She married Seymour Thorne George on 3 December 1872 on Kawau Island . Grey
21879-510: Was only later that, on reports of a gold rush on the west coast, the matter was considered again by the council, enthusiastically supported by Fedor Kelling. The committee decided on a line to Cobden, with a branch line to Westport , along the Buller River . Financing for the project was to come in part from a land grant scheme, whereby 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of land would be granted for every 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) of progress on
22032-414: Was opened in stages to regular traffic over a period of 50 years between 1876 and 1926. This included several periods of inactivity, as well as a change in the route after Belgrove had been reached. Before work could begin on the Nelson – Foxhill section of the route, it was necessary to pass through the General Assembly empowering legislation, which could not happen before a survey had been completed. This
22185-420: Was originally built in 1855 for Mr and Mrs Edmund Buxton, additionally with their six daughters. The house was later sold to a Fred Langbein in 1901, who lived there with his family until 1965. In 1965, the house was bought by the Nelson City Council and is now used operated a museum for the general public. Isel House is a local historical building located in Nelson. It was home to one of Nelson's first families,
22338-568: Was resumed at the end of 1844. Gawler, to whom Grey ascribed every problem in the colony, undertook projects to alleviate unemployment that were of lasting value. The real salvation of the colony's finances was the discovery of copper at Burra Burra in 1845. In 1844, Grey enacted a series ordinances and amendments first entitled the Aborigines' Evidence Act and later known as the Aboriginal Witnesses Act . The act, which
22491-494: Was still some formation work unfinished. By this time, however, rolling stock was being built, rails were being laid, and station buildings erected. Progress improved noticeably after the first engine was fired on 3 May and work trains could then be used to haul rails and ballast to the railhead as it advanced. The Nelson station was built where the Toi Toi and Washington Valleys met on what had been an undeveloped mudflat. To make
22644-709: Was the capital of Nelson Province . The province itself was much larger than present-day Nelson City and included all of the present-day Buller , Kaikōura , Marlborough , Nelson, and Tasman, as well as the Grey District north of the Grey River and the Hurunui District north of the Hurunui River . The Marlborough Province split from Nelson Province in October 1859. Nelson Anniversary Day
22797-682: Was the early success of the Dun Mountain Company that first prompted suggestions of a railway to link Nelson with the West Coast town of Cobden . In May 1862, Fedor Kelling , the Nelson Provincial Council member for Waimea West, requested a feasibility study for a line from Nelson to the Wairoa River bridge. When the council agreed, Abraham Fitzgibbon – previously associated with the Dun Mountain Railway –
22950-583: Was the first Bishop. The Municipal Corporations Act 1876 stated that Nelson was constituted a city on 30 March 1874. Nelson City has a coat of arms, obtained in 1958 from the College of Arms to mark the Centenary of Nelson as a City. The blazon of the arms is: Motto " Palmam qui meruit ferat " (Let him, who has earned it, bear the palm). This motto is the same as that of Lord Nelson . From 1853 until 1876, when provincial governments were abolished, Nelson
23103-475: Was the third Governor of South Australia , from May 1841 to October 1845. Secretary of State for the Colonies , Lord John Russell , was impressed by Grey's report on governing indigenous people. This led to Grey's appointment as governor. Grey replaced George Gawler , under whose stewardship the colony had become bankrupt through massive spending on public infrastructure. Gawler was also held responsible for
23256-418: Was to attack the close relationship between missionaries and Māori, including Henry Williams who had relationships with chiefs. In 1847 William Williams published a pamphlet that defended the role of the CMS in the years leading up to the war in the north. The first Anglican bishop of New Zealand , George Selwyn , took the side of Grey in relation to the purchase of the land. Grey twice failed to recover
23409-409: Was within his authority, internment without trial would only be lawful if it had been authorised by statute. Te Rauparaha was held prisoner on HMS Driver , then he was taken to Auckland on HMS Calliope where he remained imprisoned until January 1848. His son Tāmihana was studying Christianity in Auckland and Te Rauparaha gave him a solemn message that their iwi should not take utu against
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