Friday 22 March 2024

History of Karewa Island - Part 2

The Tuatara Collectors
(contd from Part 1)

Karewa Island is a pest free wildlife sanctuary, administered by the Department of Conservation. Inhabited by fur seals, tītī (mutton birds) and other seafaring birds. It is also the home of tuatara (Hatteria punctata).  For Tauranga’s iwi, the island was an important, traditional harvesting place for tītī, paua and koura (crayfish). Karewa’s tuatara were, and remain, creatures of great cultural significance for Tauranga Māori. Viewed variously as mythological ancestors and kaitiaki or guardians of knowledge, misfortune, calamities and death might also be attributed to tuatara, which during the 1800s, often horrified the Māori who saw them.1

Departing Tauranga for the Bay of Islands on the little schooner Glatton in March 1838, the missionary William Wade said of tuatara:

The island Karewa, off Tauranga, is said to swarm with them. Although perfectly harmless, the lizard is held in great abhorrence by the New Zealanders, who say it is the form or resemblance of Wiro, the evil Spirit.2

Karewa, as seen by voyagers approaching the Island and Tauranga from the north-east

Karewa’s tuatara were frequently collected by visiting overseas scientists as specimens for study, and for exhibition in public and private museums, and zoos. As noted in Part One, German naturalist Ernest Dieffenbach failed to personally obtain a tuatara from the island due to bad weather in June 1841. He eventually acquired a specimen in Auckland, originally obtained from Karewa by Rev James Stack who was based at the Te Papa mission station.3 Dieffenbach later gifted the ‘Tuatera’ to the British Museum, though whether alive or dead is not clear.

Twenty tuatara were taken to Europe by the German geologist Julius Von Haast, who, along with fellow geologist Ferdinand Von Hochstetter, visited Tauranga in May 1859. All are believed to have been taken from Karewa Island, and all survived the homeward voyage. Six were presented to the King of Belgium and fourteen placed in the Berlin and Vienna Zoological Gardens.4

Ferdinand Von Hochstetter

In 1873, Tauranga resident and colonial soldier Gilbert Mair sent two tuatara from Karewa to the British Museum, though sending them by post was not without its risks.5 In 1868, Major St John of the 1st Waikato Regiment reported from a sunny hillside overlooking Tauranga harbour.

Lying lazily on the clover covered ground, and well shaded by a big "rimu," we had a perfect panorama before us. Tauranga harbour and the coast line, northward and southward for many miles could be all taken in at almost one glance; and out at sea rose several islands: the Great Barrier, a mountainous mass; Motiti, or Flat Island; and, nearest of all, Karewa, a rocky islet abounding in obsidian, and the home of a peculiar lizard, something like a small iguana. They are not handsome beasts these lizards, but they are pretty tenacious of life. One was sent a long distance by post, and arrived safe at his journey's end; another, I was assured, had eaten nothing for three weeks, and I was invited to go and look at it; in this case however, the fast had proved too protracted, and, when the box was opened, the brute was as dead as Julius Caesar.6

Major John Henry Herbert St John of the 1st Waikato Regiment

Andreas Reischek, an Austrian taxidermist, naturalist, ornithologist and collector, undertook extensive collecting expeditions throughout New Zealand. He was also notorious for robbing Māori graves and the treasures of their occupants during his expeditions. Living in New Zealand from 1877 to 1889, the specimens of fauna and flora that he collected for New Zealand and overseas museums and private collections included tuatara, on which he reported:

On all the larger islands they live principally on insectivorous foods, such as beetles, grubs, wetas, grasshoppers, flies, etc., which I found on dissecting. I think where such food — which they prefer even in confinement — is plentiful, they will not prey on birds.

But on my visit to Karewa Island, at the beginning of 1885, I saw many young birds with their heads off, and I followed one of these lizards with a bird of considerable size in its mouth, which tried to escape in a burrow, but got stuck at the entrance. They catch the bird by its head, and then chew until it is devoured. My opinion is that, as this island is small, and these lizards so numerous, this is the reason they prey upon birds.

On December 10, the boatman informed me that we should have to leave these islands, as bad weather was expected. I left unwillingly, for time had been all too short.7

Andreas Reischek

Māori were not alone in finding tuatara strange and sinister creatures. In May 1876, the Evening Post recorded considerable public interest in thirteen recently acquired living tuatara at Wellington’s Colonial Museum:

Some were almost two feet in length, described as ‘having an exceedingly sinister aspect, strongly resembling crocodiles with spiky backs and extensive smiles. However, they are quite harmless and very gentle, the thirteen living peacefully together; quite a happy family amongst their artificial rockwork, grazing pastorally on the worms, with which they are liberally supplied.’ People were startled by their sudden movement after seeing them completely motionless.8

While safe from the introduced pigs and ships’ rats that killed off their mainland relatives, Karewa’s tuatara were regularly captured by well-meaning locals and amateur naturalists.

Two specimens taken from the Island were donated to the Auckland Institute by H. T. Clarke, almost certainly Henry Tacey Clarke (1825-1902), the son of missionary George Clarke. Henry ‘served in the military, spoke fluent Maori, was a registered interpreter, a Native Land Court Judge, and Commissioner of Tauranga’.9 The anonymous writer, who contributed an article titled ‘A North Island Trip’ in the Cromwell Argus in 1880, mentioned that in 1873 he had visited Karewa Island, ‘home of the giant lizard,’ to obtain specimens.10

Tuatara were also taken from Karewa by some of Tauranga’s early European settlers, who kept them as novel garden pets and conversation pieces - sometime held  in place with a light chain around their necks.11 As late as 1908, the New Zealand Herald reported how a Mr G. Norris, who had kept ‘a large collection of these strange pets’ at Tauranga had moved to Dunedin taking some of his tuatara with him.  Mr Norris ‘stated that he had kept tuataras ever since he could remember and had so many in his possession at one time, that he was in a position to speak with some authority about their habits’.12

Sketched by J. Ernest Tinne, an English tourist at an unidentified location in 1873, these tuatara have been chained in place in a garden

In January 1914, the Herald reported on another ‘gentleman at Tauranga [who] has had a number of tuatara in his garden for many years, brought from Karewa’.13 An Auckland naturalist once took 12 tuatara from Karewa Island, for study and as pets for his Ponsonby garden. They caused a short lived, local sensation one morning in March 1887, when they were seen and reported by a panic-stricken milkman who mistook them for snakes.14

 

In 1895, tuatara were protected by law, one of New Zealand’s first native species to be so safeguarded, but they were still poached and continue to be poached for private collections.15 Today, Karewa’s predator free 3.5 hectares are administered by the Department of Conservation (DOC) in close co-operation with Tauranga tangata whenua, who own the island. In recognition of its important cultural values and status as a pest free wildlife sanctuary, landing on the island is prohibited without a DOC permit. Additionally, access is by boat and visitors must be accompanied by DOC staff after going through biosecurity checks.16

A Karewa Island tuatara from Andreas Reischeck’s book Yesterdays in Maoriland

References

 

1 Thomson, Arthur, The Story of New Zealand, Vol 1, John Murray, London, 1859: 29. Best Elsdon, Maori Religion and Mythology, Part 1, Wellington, Government Printer, 1982: 460.

2 Wade, William, Journey in the North Island of New Zealand, George Rolwegan, Hobart, 1842: 178.

3 Von Hochstetter, Ferdinand, New Zealand: Its Physical Geography, Geology and Natural History, J.G. Cotta, Stuttgart, 1867: 442.

4 Bay of Plenty Times, 4 May 1936: 2.

5 Tinne, J; The Wonderland of the Antipodes, Sampson Low, Marston, Low, and Searle, London, 1873: 84.

6 St John, J.H.H. Pakeha Rambles in Maori Lands, Robert Burrett, Wellington, 1873: 123.

7 Andreas Reischek, Yesterdays In Maoriland: New Zealand in the Eighties, Wilson and Horton, Auckland, 1930: 100.

8 Evening Post, 12 May 1876: 2.

9 Edwards, Vivien, A Dinosaur From Karewa, Friday, 18 October 2021, Tauranga Historical Society

10 Ibid.

11 Tinne, 1873: 84.

12 New Zealand Herald, 11 November 1908: 5.

13 Ibid: 31 January 1914: 1.

14 Auckland Star, 1 March 1887: 3.

15 Tuatara: New Zealand reptiles DOC. https://www.doc.govt.nz › nature › reptiles-and-frogs

16  Site 68. Karewa Island Risk Ranking, https ://www.boprc.govt.nz › media › karewa

Images

Sladden Bernard, 1879-1961, Karewa Island, Ms 33/5/84, photographic collection, Pae Koroki, Tauranga City Libraries.

Photographer unknown, Ferdinand von Hochstetter, circa. 1865, Website Naturhistorisches, Museum, Wien, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_von_Hochstetter

Photographer unknown. Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Herbert St John. Ref: 1/2-028459-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

Photographer unknown, Andreas Reischeck, 1902, Wikipedia, http://wikipedia.org/wiji/andreasreischek

Tinne, J; The Wonderland of the Antipodes, Sampson Low, Marston, Low, and Searle, London, 1873: 84.

Reischek, Andreas, Yesterdays In Maoriland: New Zealand in the Eighties, Wilson and Horton, Auckland, 1930: 100.

Friday 15 March 2024

SS Ngapuhi

SS Ngapuhi berthing at wharf, Tauranga, c. 1920
Real photo postcard, photographed by Henry Winkelmann, published as ‘Tourist Series. 1000’
Collection of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-517

The people of Tauranga were delighted to hear that the Northern Steamship Company’s steamer SS Ngapuhi would be replacing the Aupouri on the Tauranga-Auckland service. Even more pleasing was the fact that Captain Haultain would be in command. A letter to the Bay of Plenty Times on 1 July 1912 asked the Northern Steamship Company to accede to the travelling public’s wish that Captain Haultain be appointed. The letter goes on to say that he is a careful and experienced navigator and practically knows every inch of the ocean between Tauranga and Auckland. More importantly he is always considerate to the public, who have complete confidence in him.

Before starting her service, the Town Wharf needed to be extended by about 40 feet so she would be able to work both her hatches simultaneously, as only working one hatch would mean more expense and loss of time. Since a Harbour Board had not yet been formed the cost would be the Council’s responsibility.

SS Ngapuhi (left) and Faulkner’s ferry Ruru (right) at Tauranga Wharf, c. 1920s
Black-and-white print by unidentified photographer
Collection of Tauranga City Libraries, Pae Korokī Ref. 04-515

At 7:00 am on October 12 1912 the Ngapuhi arrived in Tauranga on her maiden trip for the Tauranga-Auckland run.

Her length is 190 feet, beam 30 feet, depth of hold 13 feet and her registered tonnage 691. She has excellent passenger accommodation with thirteen two berth and three four berth cabins. Extra berths can be made up in the saloon, social hall and smoking room. The ladies cabin is an airy, well situated apartment and has berths for fourteen so that all passengers can be accommodated in the first class. There are two bathrooms with hot and cold water. She generally travels at about 12 knots per hour but her 1200 h.p engines are capable of 16 knots if needed. The steerage has comfortable quarters for thirty passengers and there is a separate apartment for 10 ladies. Overall she has a deserved reputation for speed, comfort and sea going qualities, especially in bad weather.

During the morning notable members of the public visited the ship and she left that evening with about forty passengers aboard. Several hundred people assembled on the wharf to watch her departure and cheer her on her way.

SS Ngapuhi at Tauranga Wharf, c. 1910s
 Real photo postcard, unidentified photographer, published by Frank Duncan & Co. as ‘Tourist Series. 266’
Collection of Justine Neal

The Ngapuhi transported livestock as well as passengers and on 22 January 1916 the Close Brothers of Te Puna shipped twenty three light artillery and remount horses to Auckland. The horses had all been bred in the Bay of Plenty and had been purchased by the Defence Department.

From the Bay of Plenty Times 25 July 1917:

“The nearer to tragedy the greater the comedy” was exemplified on the Wharf last evening as the Ngapuhi was leaving. A young lady rushed on board as the gangway was being lowered, but her companion just missed. He hesitated to throw a “considerable” dress basket aboard, but the distress plainly to be seen on the young lady’s face was too much for a gallant who stood nearby. He pounced on the offending luggage and with a mighty heave landed it on the ship’s rail, where it was secured. The assembled and admiring crowd watched with breathless silence and as it saw the basket secured, turned its eyes on the “sport,” who b this time was balancing in mid-air. He had lost his balance and with arms waving plunged headlong into the harbour. A splash, a short silence, then a shout from the dark waters announced his reappearance. A rope and a little exertion landed him on the Wharf, where he was promptly offered a match, for he still held in his teeth the pipe he had been smoking before immersion.

In March 1929 the Ngapuhi’s timetable was, “Leave Tauranga Tuesday and Friday 7.00pm. Leave Auckland Monday and Thursday 6.30pm. Single fare 17/6   Return 32/6.”

The SS Ngapuhi served Tauranga faithfully for 17 years and on Wednesday 3 April 1929 she made her final trip in the Auckland-Tauranga service. A large crowd gathered on the wharf to bid the ship farewell. As the moorings were cast off at 7.00pm a cheer went up from the crowd which was returned by the crew and passengers. Several blasts of the ship’s whistle were blown as the Ngapuhi pulled away on her last trip much to the regret of the public.

References

Papers Past, Bay of Plenty Times