Letters from Nathaniel Kettle, 3 Priory Terrace, Dover, Kent to the NZ Company Secretary in London
1839/21 - 26 May 1839 Application for Agency
1839/272 Received from Mr F. Hight of Dover an application for land and deposit of £10
1839/274 Received from Mr W. Morford of Folkstone an application for land and deposit of £10
1839/529 Received Mr Hayward's deposit for one section of land
1839/530 Sends £10 received from P. Hayward; Mr Hunter confirmed in his three sections
1839/803 Advising that Hight and Morfords deposit had not been collected by NZ Co.
1839/1024
£27 deposited with bank being the amount of passage money paid by emigrants for nine children:
William Welch (6 - £18), Richard Ferrard (1 - £3), John Baker (1 - £3), Peter Holes (1 - £3)
1839/1384 Received application for 3 sections of land from Mr Hunter of Hackney Grove, London
1840/255 Mr Dunn who has thoughts of emigrating to NZ is a very respectable man
1840/366
Forwards application of Mrs Tenney and her family for a free passage to New Zealand;
the single man, Henry Kingsford Hobday is likely to marry Maria Day
1840/852
Mrs Tenney declines going out this summer as her son with the other young man being out of employ and being tired of waiting are gone out to the East Indies. When they return she has no doubt but they will go to New Zealand.
1840/1118 Received William Barham's emigration order
1840/1168
Received emigration order for Mrs Welsh and family; there is an omission of one; you will find in the application the name of Eliza age 12yrs which with your permission I will insert.
1840/1180
Mrs Welsh and family are well spoken of and if it could be arranged for them to go in the first ship it would be a great favour as her son's wife is far advanced in pregnancy and they fear she would not be able to go when the next ship sails. With respect to Mrs Tenney & family she still wishes to go out at the same time with Mrs Welsh if she would be accepted feeling quite certain her son and Kingsford will follow her when they return from India.
1840/1318 Family in Dover - 3 purchasers for 4 sections each - can the sections be adjacent to each other?; Mrs Bur of Buckland
1840/1361
Mr Barham is likely to be a defaulter in going out in the London to NZ. He sold his furniture and provided his family with necessaries. He left home without any notice to his family and has not been heard of since. Mrs Welsh and family leave Dover for Deptford.
1840/1714
Application for free passage from William Giles, his wife and one child and one for his sister Frances Lipard who is living with him.
1840/1997 William Giles & family & sister to go via Lady Nugent which had already gone?
1840/2198
1841/1299
Encloses letters from friends of families who emigrated from here to New Zealand. More have been received but the parties are unwilling to allow them to be read by strangers. Wishes Company to send letter enclosed to C. Kettle, Port Nicholson.
1841/2064 Seeks continuance of agency after being considered void.
1841/2077
Having heard of the death of E. B. Hopper by drowning I shall esteem it a great favour if you will write by return of post if the Company have received my official account of the same as I am greatly interested. My youngest son went out to New Zealand under his care we were great friends. I am anxious to know the truth be what it may.
1841/4245 Seeks payment for agency services.
1842/286
1842/656 Acknowledging receipt of commission.
1842/1467 Awaiting balance of commission from the New Zealand Company.
1842/1542 Acknowledges receipt of balance of commission.
1842/3470 Forwarding box to son in New Zealand.
1842/4247
Writing from Bowling Street, Sandwich: Acknowledges receipt of the views of Wellington and Nelson and explains that circumstances have rendered it necessary for me to fix my residence at Sandwich.
Charles Henry Kettle: Correspondence
1843/121
1843/1897 Charles H. Kettle, Liverpool 23 Aug 1843
I have this evening arrived from New Zealand via South America having with me a bag of despatches from Colonel Wakefield.
1843/2027 Charles H. Kettle, Sandwich 07 Sep 1843 - enclosure contains salary details
1843/2054 Charles H. Kettle, Sandwich 10 Sep 1843 - mentions expenses incurred in NZ Co's service since been in England
1843/2094 Charles H. Kettle, Sandwich 13 Sep 1843 - Mr Rennie intends to proceed to Scotland; Kettle requests advance
1843/2306 Charles H. Kettle, 21 South St, Andrew St, Edinburgh 16 Oct 1843
Returned from Aberdeen with Mr Rennie. I don't think there will be much emigration from the vicinity of Aberdeen. Since the communication by steam had been open between that city and London, the country around has been in a rapid improving state. The consequence is that all the small farmers are doing better there than in any other part of Scotland; and therefore have not that desire to emigrate that so many farther south have...
It is from the vicinity of Edinburgh and Sterling that the tide of emigration will mostly flow. A great number of men with small capitals have determined on going out, and are at present time disposing of their property as fast as possible to enable them to pay for their land. I am endeavouring to impress on the minds of these people the necessity of going to work on their land immediately on their arrival in the Colony, for I am fully persuaded that if the majority of them do so, they will at the expiration of the first year, be able to produce more than they require for the consumption of the settlement; and consequently be able to export their surplus produce to the other settlement or supply the shipping that may resort to the port for supplies.
I should be sorry to see New Edinburgh so studded with stores and shops as Wellington now is - many there would be glad to get on their land, but are so entangled in business that they are not able to extricate themselves from it...
Before we went to Glasgow there seemed to be but little known about this new colony. We got some of the views &c of New Zealand put up in a prominent position in the windows of a respectable shop and I am sure they could not have been there five minutes before I saw quite a crowd of people looking at them intently... Altogether, I have no doubt that we shall have a considerable body of people from Scotland - men that I consider admirably suited for a colony who will not flinch at trifles...
With regard to the maps, I have been able to do but little, as my time has been so much taken up in various ways since I have been here. If you wish me to make a large map of New Zealand, I should wish to get all the marine surveys of harbours &c that have been made by different parties, that I might have everything as accurate as possible.
1843/2308 George Rennie, Edinburgh 16 Oct 1843
Mentions: Editor of the Aberdeen Constitutional, Mr Dowling's journal, the importance of a schoolmaster; competition from the South Australian Company. Will visit Perth, Stirling and Falkirk
1843/2315 Charles H. Kettle, 21 South St, Andrew St, Edinburgh 17 Oct 1843
A Mr Lumsden of Glasgow has called on me this morning. He is the proprietor of a large quantity of land in the Settlement of Wellington and will I think, purchase in that of New Edinburgh. I wish to give him some information respecting his land at Wellington; and if you will be so kind as to request one of the clerks to inform me as soon as possible from your books of reference the locality of the country sections corresponding to the following orders of choice, I shall feel greatly obliged. I should wish for the number on the map and the district for orders of choice 782, 784, 973, 980, 1075. - Reply attached:... No.782 stands in the name of John Fleming of Glasgow the original purchaser. Mr Lumsden holds No.971 transferred to him by Right Hon Henry Dunlop.
1843/2483 Charles H. Kettle, 21 South St, Andrew St, Edinburgh 28 Oct 1843
Requests advance of £20. I returned from Glasgow on Friday morning. Mr Lumsden who is to elected Lord Provost for that City next week seems to think that an advantageous meeting might be had with the farmers of Kilmarnock. Should you think it worth my while to go there, he has kindly offered to go with me and use his influence. I am getting on with the map and will shortly have it completed.
1843/2654 Charles H. Kettle, 21 South St, Andrew St, Edinburgh 11 Nov 1843
I am happy to inform you that I have completed the map, which I send you today by the steamer Adelaide... I enclose you the District of Wellington reduced to the scale of 10 miles to an inch, so that you may judge how it would show on a map of the islands on that scale... I did not go to Kilmarnock on Friday as it was the day on which Mr Lumsden was to be made Lord Provost of Glasgow. I have arranged to go next Friday and Dr Perry will also accompany us. Dr Perry will make it publicly known previously to our going there and I have no doubt but we shall have a strong meeting of the farmers.
1843/2706 Charles H. Kettle, 21 South St, Andrew St, Edinburgh 18 Nov 1843
Glad to find that you have received the map safely and that it is what you wished for. I trust the Directors will also be pleased with it. I have since made a sketch map of Bank's Peninsula and some of the coast to the south shewing the large plains as far back as the snowy mountains. I have collected the information from the reports of Messrs Duppa & Daniell and Captain Smith. It is drawn on the same scale as the map I have sent you. This I have put up in the Colonists room here. I am now making another one... On these maps I write all the information respecting the soil features and produce of the country from the above reports, so that the enquirer may understand the nature of the country in a much shorter time... Something occurred to prevent Mr Lumsden going with me to Kilmarnock last Friday...
1843/2756 Charles H. Kettle, 21 South St, Andrew St, Edinburgh 27 Nov 1843
Enclosed I send you a note from Mr Lumsden, the Provost of Glasgor, requesting a section of land formerly belonging to his son now deceased to be transferred to the name of William Perry... I will send you the sketch map of Bank's Peninsula by Wednesday's steamer...
Lumsden's note enclosed: The section of land held in the name of William Lumsden No.444 my son now deceased - you will transfer in the Company's register to William Lumsden Perry son of Dr Robert Perry, Glasgow. Any expence or fee of transfer will be settled by Mr Kettle.
1843/2907 Charles H. Kettle, 21 South St, Andrew St, Edinburgh 13 Dec 1843
Encloses receipt of £10 from Mr Rennie on 20 October. I am getting on very fast with the large map and would be much obliged if you will send me by Saturday's steamer all those sketches of the harbours on the Southern Island by Captain Smith - also the Charts of Bay of Islands, Firth of Thames, Manakau Harbour, Kaipara Harbour and River, Hokianga river, South Point of Te Avi Poenammoo with plan of Dusky bay... I am also making a smaller map of the Islands at the request of Mr Rennie for his use when he holds public meetings here. I have lately been talking to several persons who seem determined to go out and all, I think, the best class of people I have seen yet. I rather think there is a survey of Akaroa published from the French. If so it would be very valuable to me. I will take care not to omit Port Somes in my map.
1843/2951
Charles H. Kettle, 21 South St, Andrew St, Edinburgh 23 Dec 1843
I wrote to you some days ago for some charts, sketches etc. I expected them this week but the have not arrived. I have got the large map completed as far as I well can without them. I hope to receive them by the next steamer when I shall have it finished in a day or two. Requests advance of £20. What to you want me to do next month?
1844/43
1844/147
1844/296 Charles H. Kettle, Sandwich 13 Feb 1844
I left London in a great hurry, but intended to have returned almost immediately. My time however has been so taken up with my friends that I could not get away from them; but I hope to be in London this week.
1844/733 Charles H. Kettle, Sandwich 12 May 1844
I understand from Mr Dowling that he has been directed to close the office at Edinburgh but that he has written to you suggesting the propriety of keeping it open a short time longer and, in case the Directors should not deem this necessary, he also informs me he has applied for two or three weeks leave of absence. I intend to go to Edinburgh on Wednesday next if Mr Dowling is to remain there and as I cannot hear from him in time to deter me from proceeding in case he should be obliged to return to London immediately, I have taken the liberty of writing to you to know what your may have been, so that I may be able to know what to do.
I am afraid our New Zealand prospects are but gloomy, and I am sorry that I came home to get re-appointed. However, I have strong hope that things may end well yet. I am preparing a series of papers to be entitled "Adventures in New Zealand" and shall publish them in one of our periodicals as soon as something more decisive is known with regard to the determination of the Government.
1844/866 Charles H. Kettle, New Zealand House 26 Jun 1844
I have made the calculations you required: The whole length of the Islands 1200 miles; the length from Auckland to the northernmost point 200 miles; number of acres in North Island 31,174,400; number of acres in Middle Island 46,126,080; number of acres in Stewart Island 1,152,000 - total 78,452,480; number of acres north of 38o of Latitude 7,942,400.
Johnston has put 50,000,000 on his map as the acreage of the Islands; but I think he must have been using Geographical instead of English miles when he made his calculation. I am going to Sandwich tomorrow and shall most probably remain there for some time.
1844/985 Charles H. Kettle, Sandwich, 09 Jul 1844
As I am now busily engaged in writing my adventures in New Zealand, I wish to trace in them the gradual rise of the Colony; and as I do not remember some of the dates exactly, I should feel much obliged if you could lend me some of the New Zealand Gazettes of about the date when Shortland was sent to Wellington in May or June 1840 and also the time when the Town lands were given out. I intend adding to my work, by way of Appendix a description of the Hutt, Ohariu, Porrirua &c districts and the different sections in them, so as to make it form a king of key to the published map, which I think would be of great use to the landholders in England for a reference, as so few of them know the nature of the land which they possess. If you would request Bowler to send me the above papers as soon as possible, I shall feel much obliged.
1845/23 Charles H. Kettle, Sandwich 17 Jan 1845
A friend of mine has a relative on the Nelson surveying staff. I believe he went out as one of the Cadets with Mr Tucket, and as the time of his engagement is now expired I wish to let my friend know whether he is re-engaged or is likely to be so, by the Company. The young man's name is Boys. He is of a highly respectable family in Kent. I have not got appointed, as yet, to the line of railroad in Scotland, but shall, in all probability, as soon as the Bill is procured. I suppose New Zealand is at as great a stagnation as ever. There is an old saying, that "as soon as things get to the worst they begin to mend." Such I hope will be the case with New Zealand for I long to get back to the delightful country. I expect to see my friend again in a day or two...
1845/104 Charles H. Kettle, Sandwich 29 Jan 1845
I wrote to you some days ago, being desirous of knowing whether Mr Boys, of the Nelson surveying staff, has been retained in his appointment by the Company after the expiration of the three years for which he was previously engaged, or whether he is likely to be...
1845/270 Charles H. Kettle, New Zealand House, London 28 Mar 1845
I am about to become a candidate for the appointment of Mathematical Master in the Royal Naval College at Deptford; and as I think a letter from this House would be of great service to me, I venture to solicit a testimonial from the Board of Directors. An extract from the letter which I brought home with me from Colonel Wakefield to the late Secretary of the New Zealand Company would be very useful, if it were appended. I wish the Directors to understand that I shall still be happy to return to New Zealand in their service as soon as they find themselves in a position to employ me after an amicable arrangement of their affairs with the Government. It is necessary for me to have my Testimonials lodged by the 21st of April... PS If I could be allowed the use of three or four maps of my own Surveys for a few days for me to place with my Testimonials I would take the greatest care of them and see them safely returned.
1845/769 To C. H. Kettle 11 Sep 1845
Having laid before the Court your letter of the 2nd instant I am instructed, with reference to the several interviews which you have had with the Directors, to transmit to you the accompanying extract of a Despatch which has been this day addressed to Colonel Wakefield, and in which I believe that answers are given, in accordance with those interviews, to the several questions which you letter contains. If these are satisfactory to you, I am to request that you will lose no time in executing the agreement which has been prepared by this Company's Solicitors, and a copy of which, duly sealed by order of the Court will therefore be delivered to you; that you will take charge of and deliver to Colonel Wakefield the three cases of surveying instruments and drawing materials, which have been procured according to your estimate and placed on board the Mary Catherine addressed to yourself; and that on arriving at Wellington you will place yourself under the orders of Colonel Wakefield, from the date of doing which your salary will commence.
1845/788 List of Surveying Instruments absolutely necessary to carry on the surveys of New Edinburgh
1845/803 Charles H. Kettle, New Zealand House 11 Sep 1845
Could I have a cheque given me for £136 making with what I had previously £150 as an advance out of my first year's salary? I find in my hurry I have much mis-calculated my expences.
NZ Company Emigration Superintendent to Nathaniel Kettle, Dover, Kent
Page 87 - 02 Apr 1840
The applications for a free passage to New Zealand for Mrs Tenny and her family, forwarded by you, have been received and will be laid before the Board for their approval.
Page 155 - 15 Jun 1840
I have to request you will ascertain whether Widow Tenney and her family whose application you forwarded in April last will be prepared to sail by the Ship that will leave London on the 1st August.
Page 163 - 19 Jun 1840
I have to acknowledge your letter of the 18th instant and I am sorry to learn that Tenny family cannot take advantage for the present of a passage to New Zealand. In cases where the applicants are really eligible and families not too numerous, the Directors will remit the payment for the passage of Children and you may perhaps find this will remove the difficulties of the families you mention in Margate and Ramsgate.
Page 192 - 14 Jul 1840
I presume from your letter of yesterday's date that I am to understand that William Barham will be at the Depot at the time named in the Embarkation Order. No applications have been received from the Parties you refer to at Ramsgate.
Page 199 - 17 Jul 1840
I have received your letter together with the application of Widow Welch and family and if you are satisfied with respect to their character, they will be registered for a free passage by the Slains Castle which will sail from London on the 10th September. They appear to be very suitable Emigrants.
Page 202 - 20 Jul 1840
I have received your letter dated 20th instant with reference to Mrs Welch and family and I am to inform you that a family of the same size, who were to have gone by the London, having been prevented, she can have a passage in that Ship and I can forward you her embarkation order. There will not be a vacant berth for Mrs Tenney in the London, and I do not think the Directors will give her a passage without her family.
Page 207 - 22 Jul 1840
In reply to your letter of the 21st instant I have to inform you that the name of Eliza Welsh aged 12 years was inadvertantly omitted in the Embarkation order sent for Mr Welsh's family and I shall be obliged by your correcting the mistake.
Page 45 - 28 Sep 1840
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th instant with applications for a free passage from William Giles and his family with his sister Frances Lepard and I am informed that a passage will be granted them in the next ship but the Directors have not yet determined the period for the sailing of their next ship.
Page 60 - 15 Oct 1840
In reply to your letter of the 14th instant I beg to explain that when I wrote to you on the 28th ultimo the number of Emigrants intended for the Lady Nugent was complete and their Embarkation Orders had been issued same day and therefore a passage could only be given to Giles and his family by the next ship. The 1st of December is the day appointed for the sailing of the Company's next vessel and the Embarkation Order for Giles and his sister and family will be forwarded you very soon that they may be prepared to be at the Depot before the end of the month.
Charles Henry Kettle: Maps
[1] Jan 1842 Chart of the River Manawatu
Provides sailing directions and shows beacons. Two pas shown: Te Warangi and Papangaio, Te Wakapuni stream
[2] May-Jun 1842 Reconnaissance up the River Manawatu, through the Wairarapa Valley, and down the River Hutt
Three pieces - named features: Puketoi Mountains, Ruawahine Range, Riwa Riwa, Kare Kare, Toi toi flat, Te Mangatainoka, Te Makakahi, Te Moawango, Pa Puketotara, Pa Hahimate, Pa Kopuanui, Tararua Mountains, Porirua Bay, Port Nicholson, Erritounga or Hutt, Remutaka Range, Wairarapa Lake, Pa Tapuahururu, Ruamahanga River, Maungaraki Range, Palliser Bay, Cook's Strait, Haurangi Range
[3] Nov 1843 Settlements of Wellington, Nelson, New Plymouth, Petre, Manawatu and Port Cooper, & intended state of New Edinburgh
Three pieces - some named features: Otumatua Pa, Tangahoi Pa, Mr Kebble's Saw Mill, Pari-pari, Kapiti or Entry Island, Mana or Table Island, Evan's Island, Gibraltar Rock, Pawai-tangi-Mu, Mangaroa Upper Hutt, Motuaka, Pepin Island, Astrolabe Road, Kai-kora or Lookers-on Mountains, Port Ashley, Wai Makariri
[4] May 1846 Chart of the harbour of Otakou - two pieces; provides sailing directions
[5] 1846 Plan of the port and town of New Edinburgh
[6] 1847 Plan of the town of Dunedin, Otakou - three peices; shows section numbers
[7] Feb 1850 Plan of the district of Taieri and sections of road lines crossing the plain, with other information respecting drainage
Includes two sketches - Mr Carnegie's station at the foot of Saddle Hill showing buildings and a view of the district from the hills at the head of the Plain. Other named features: Mr Lee's Station, West Taieri; Wainutaka Creek; Reserve for Village; Moraki Bush
[7] Map of the town of Port Chalmers, Otago - shows section numbers
[8] Chart of the entrance of the River Manawatu - three pieces
Pa Papangaio, Creek Wakapuni, North and South Beacons, Pa Te Warangi, Sailing Directions
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