Class: steerage
PPA Star (Christchurch), Issue 17931, 21 August 1926, Page 20
PIONEER TELLS OF WELLINGTON IN ?4O?S.
?QUAKES FRIGHTEN MIGRANTS HOME. Good tales of the* early struggles of New Zealand?s pioneers can be told by Mrs Emma Wadman, of Christchurch. who though in her eightyseventh year, has a clear memory of stirring times in Wellington during the ?forties. Mrs Wadman lives now at 402, Worcester Street, and she says that if she had her rights she would be the owner of Day?s Bay,* Wellington. Mrs Wadman was a datighter of Mr Day, who arrived in Wellington with his family late in the ?forties. At that time many emigrants were arriving in the colony and it was impossible to get accommodation in the Wellington Barracks. The result was that the Day family went out of the beaten ways and settled in the bay which now bears their name. Mr Day took charge of road work about Wellington, and the family remained there until the earthquakes of 1849 drove away. The earth at one stage was not still for a week, and there were many rumours "* of great openings in the earth. In this series of disturbances an officer and two chit dren were killed. These haiA>enir.gs made the new settlers uneasv, and many of them decided to turn back home. A ship leaving Wellington was rushed by migrants homeward bound, but leaving the perils of the land they were met by the perils of the sea. The ship was wrecked outside Wellington heads, but Mrs Wadman does not remember if any of the passengers were drowned.
The Wellington settlers had other cause for alarm besides the earthquakes when the Maori War broke out. There was fighting twelve miles from the Day headquarters, and any time a Maori raid was expected. With these dangers menacing the family decided to move south, and settled finally near Sumner in a bay at the foot of the bridle path. While there, Mrs Wadman?s father superintended the building of roads, the work being done by Maoris and prisoners. In those days, about the time of the arrival of the first four ships, the roads were not formed, and provisions had to be packed over the hills to Christchurch. ?We were like one big family in those days,? said Mrs Wadman. ?Often I had been out to the Deans?s homestead at Riccarton, and at that time Mr Deans had the oAly fruit trees in the town.? Mrs Wadmah still carries pleasant recollections of feasts of plums and peaches furnished by his orchard. ?In those days the people came out to New Zealand believing they would make a fortune. They seemed to imagine that coin just had to be picked up. Girls would get 10s a week for domestic services, and wages generally were proportionately low. Food was (correspondingly cheap, and it was possible to buy a leg of mutton weighing from 16 to 181 b for a shilling. Cheese then would almost fall to pieces it was so rich
?Once we became civilised a little we had jolly times,? said Mrs Wadman. However, there were many hardships to be endured before this civilising process was anything like completed. Mrs Wadman has recollection of several incidents which happened at Sumner during the early days. One of the most interesting tells the story of two girls who earned for themselves the names of Grace Darlings. A vessel crossing the Sumner bar got into difficulties, and it became appar ent that the small crew was in danger. Two of the men were drowning and men watching from the shore refused to go to their assistance on account of the rough sea. They said that it was no use risking life to no purpose. Th egirls disgusted at this, prepared to put out a boat themselves, and this roused the men. They went out and rescued one of the foundering crew, but two were drowned.
Mrs Wadman, and her first husband, Mr Keale, were going one day to the wedding of Archdeacon Dudley s daughter in the Valley, and as they were driving along the road in a deg cart they passed Archdeacon Mathias driving a cow in a spring drap. Progress in this conveyance was inevitably slow, and the Archdeacon told the Keales to make a progress report for him when they arrived at the gathering.
Among the men whom Mrs Wadman met- in the early days were Dr von Haast, Moorhouse. J. E. Fitzgerald, Mark Pringle, Stoddart and Sir Michael le Fleming.
Mrs Wadman is a sister of Pilot Day who was for many years stationed at Sumner. Another brother was Pilot George Day, of Kaiapoi. Emma Day had person sources.
5 She immigrated to ENG to NZ on the Arab arriving NZ 16/10/1841 on 3 June 1841.
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