| Notes |
- A letter from James Bell (1818-1902) to Colonel Wakefield.
This was supplied by Adrian Bell of Kaiapoi.
Wellington, 15th December.
Colonel Wakefield Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company [presumably Edward Gibbon Wakefield]
Sir,
I beg leave to apply to you as Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company to know what lies in your power to assist me in my claim to obtain redress for injuries sustained from the natives during my residence (Wawanui) near Mangaroa in the month of last. I have applied to the late Governor through Mr. Barton for compensation for the loss I sustained, but Mr. Barton informed me that Captain Fitzroy refused to acknowledge my claim in consequence of the Natives having stated that I was the aggressor – I will not trouble you now by entering into any explanation of the affair, as you were made acquaint-ed with the facts of the case at the time I made my deposition before yourself and Mr. Clifford in last.
I would most respectfully beg to call your attention to the justice of my claim, and should it be in your power to give me any assistance in obtaining the object I have in view you will be conferring a great benefit on me and for which I shall be extremely grateful. I am Sir
Yours faithfully, (James Bell)
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This was an application for redress by James Bell for losses sustained when occupying the property now known as White Rock Station. Copied from the original by the said L.J. Bell, grandson of the original James Bell, a son of William Gordon Bell. James Bell, the applicant, sustained loss when he, with Barton, originally took up the White Rock Station in the Wairarapa, Bell narrowly escaping with his life.
The following is copied from The Autobiography of Leo James Bell. It describes the affair that James Bell was referring to:
“About the year 1845 James became associated with a Mr Barton with whom he had an interest in land in the Wairarapa area. This station is known today as ‘White Rock Station’.
James Bell, as already recorded, had some experience as a surveyor and was engaged in this work at the station above referred to. They had some sheep on this run and kept a quantity of tobacco in stock for the purpose of dipping the sheep to prevent scab, a virulent skin disease affecting sheep at that time.
It appears that the Maoris were sometimes given tobacco, which they had learned to smoke from having been employed at times by the whalers. On this occasion when they requested tobacco, my grandfather refused to give them any as his supply was getting short.
There were two others on the station at the time of which I have record. They were a half caste Maori called Charlie Jones, and a Pakeha named Jim Cameron. As a result of the moody state of mind of the natives at being refused tobacco, and some of their trivialities, the chief and Jones came to holts.
The following is an account of what happened as dictated by my grandfather himself and chronicled by his daughter Mrs L. Palmer of Waimea West prior to her death in 1902.
“Charlie Jones and Jim Cameron were mates. Charlie Jones and the chief had a row; the chief was hurt. He rubbed him with turpentine. Cameron, who understood their language said, “From what they are saying, I think the sooner we get away the better. He went off, ostensibly to milk the cow but he never returned.
It was raining very heavily at the time. A number of Maoris crowded into my whare. I was lying on my bunk reading my Bible at the time. A daughter of the chief, friendly with me, came into the hut – crying. The Maoris then withdrew and she told me that they were going to kill and eat me, and that she could do nothing to save me. They had already lighted a fire under a three-legged tripot. One or two natives then re-entered the whare; the chief sitting on a box and whetting a tomahawk.
I reached a boarding pike I had near my bunk, striking the Maori with it, cutting his head and ear. The Maoris fell on me and tied me up, binding my hands and my feet. They then hung me up to the ridge pole. As the father of the young chief I had wounded was absent at another part, they sent for him to come to kill me by way of utu. I was hanging up from 2 o’clock until 7.30 pm. Jones, the half caste told them I would die if they left me hanging and the chief would lose his utu. They then cut the flax and let me hang head downwards.
I became unconscious, and lest I should die before utu was satisfied, they removed me to a whare, and kept me bound hand and foot. A visiting Maori of another tribe stole into the whare at night and cut my bonds, and told me to get away at once, or if it was found that he had freed me, they would kill him. I crawled into the bush as I could not stand for a time.
I stole away during the night, and lost no time in heading for Wellington. The next day I was fortunate in meeting a Mr Smith, a surveyor from Wellington. I was without clothes. Mr Smith put me on his horse and he walked by my side.”
This would be about the year 1845 when James arrived at the Thistle Inn, Wellington.
We hear no more of James’s activities until 1846 when we hear of him as assisting in the survey of Dunedin.
The Bell Family Affair. Newsletter No. 52.
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1817 - 1902 (85 years)
