Hocken. — On Literature in New Zealand. 479 



will perceive, by the copy of a hymn forwarded, that we 

 shall be able in a short time to manage it." There is some- 

 thing suspicious about this sentence ; at any rate, I have not 

 been able to learn from any source that their expectations of 

 use and economy were realised. Still, this has the fame of 

 being the first press, and Mr. Yate that of being the first 

 printer. This fact detracts nothing from the honour of 

 William Colenso, who, with his efficient press, arrived four 

 years later. 



What became of this old press? In a rare little pamphlet, 

 written nearly sixty years ago at Paramatta, entitled " A 

 Short Account; of the Eev. Samuel Marsden," etc., the last 

 paragraph reads as follows: "It is rather singular that this 

 little work respecting Mr. Marsden should have been printed 

 at that very press which that reverend gentleman introduced 

 into New Zealand. The press (in consequence of the arrival 

 of others better adapted for the Church mission) was sold by 

 the society to Mr. Isaacs, who brought it with him to Para- 

 matta." This Mr. Benjamin Isaacs was a printer, and, if I 

 mistake not, printed and edited one of the earliest New Zea- 

 land newspapers — the Bay of Islands Advocate, which com- 

 menced publication in November, 1843, at Kororareka, and 

 lived for about a year. The work of translation and revision 

 now proceeded rapidly, that of final revision being left in the 

 hands of the Revs. W. Williams and W. Yate and Mr. Puckey. 



Again Mr. Yate was sent to " the colony," in November, 

 1832, where he remained until the following August, returning 

 with a still more extensive freight. The scriptural portion of 

 it contained the first eight chapters of Genesis, the entire 

 Gospels of St. Matthew and St. John, the Acts, Romans, 

 and First Epistle to the Corinthians, all printed in double 

 columns, and forming an 8vo volume of 170 pages, printed by 

 Stevens and Stokes. Separately there was a 12mo, contain- 

 ing four catechisms, morning and evening prayers, sacramental 

 service, baptismal, marriage, churching, and burial services, 

 and twenty-seven hymns. In all there were 3,300 volumes, 

 and the cost was £500. Curiously enough, out of this large 

 number barely one is now to be found. In one of- these 

 little books — a catechism given to me some years ago by 

 Mr. Colenso — he writes, " Perhaps the only one existing ! 

 always for sixty years very scarce." It is plain that this 

 more complete version did not give unalloyed satisfaction, for 

 the Rev. Henry Williams says it "abounds in typographical 

 errors — not less, I should think, than two to a page. It 

 must not be offered without correction. So much for colonial 

 work; it is a sad place. The translation is very good, and in 

 many passages may be denominated elegant. This is prin- 

 cipally William's indefatigable work." 



