An Ode to Tauranga

Photograph attributed to Charles Spencer, c. 1882, while Bodell was the proprietor
Image courtesy of the Tauranga Heritage Collection, Ref. 0134/10

In 1893 Tauranga resident and wine merchant, Samuel Webb, wrote a poem to celebrate the town’s charm. It was published in his pamphlet ‘Tauranga Handbook’. Webb’s aim was to promote Tauranga and hopefully stimulate its economy having sunk all his money into moving here and taking over Bellevue House in 1892. Unfortunately, New Zealand was in the grips of a long economic depression and the population of Tauranga declined by 10 percent between 1890 and 1895. Webb died in 1896 close to bankruptcy. 

Tauranga

Tauranga. Bay of Plenty town,
My rest and sweet repose,
What can I do to make thee known –
Thy natural charms disclose?
There’s not a spot on Zealand’s Isle,
Which can with thee compare.
All nature seems on thee to smile,
And breaths her purest air.
While all thy nymphs so hale and tall,
Born in this charming place,
For horsemanship surpasseth all
In comeliness and grace.
Nor is this all I have to tell
Of fair Tauranga’s charm’s –
All sick who come she soon makes well,
No poor apply for alms,
And look the sea so smooth and blue
Is rippling on the Strand,
Has also charms for ever new
And always close at hand,
Where you with pleasure there may float,
A rowing go or sail,
All happy in your well trim’d boat
In summer’s balmy gale,
Or, should you wish to go and fish,
Then take your hook and line
And you will have a dainty dish
On which you all may dine.
Come then, come all, yea every one
Who seeks for change and health,
There’s not a place beneath the sun
Which needs so little wealth.

A mounted albumen print showing a view of The Strand taken from the Town Wharf around the time Webb penned his poem. The photograph was printed by The National Photographic Company.
Image courtesy of the Tauranga Heritage Collection, Ref. 0431/08