Hill. — Early Printing in New Zealand. 417 



covered, but the years 1836-38 are perhaps among the worst 

 and most lawless through which natives and colonials have 

 passed ; and perhaps the assent of the British Government 

 had not been received by the Eesident to the claims set up 

 by the natives. Comparatively little printing was done at the 

 missionary press beyond what was required for the instruc- 

 tion of the natives, but there are several important excep- 

 tions, such as the following : In May, 1836, the state of 

 things in and about the Settlement of Kororareka had be- 

 come so dreadful that a few of the better class, who had 

 not lost all sense of decency and self-respect, determined to 

 do something to stem the tide of disorder and drunkenness 

 that dominated the whole, or nearly the whole, of the popu- 

 lation such as had gathered together in the vicinity of the 

 shipping-places in the Bay of Islands. In May, 1834, it was 

 decided to call a public meeting at Kororareka for the pur- 

 pose of establishing a temperance society, and the following 

 placard — the first issued in English in New Zealand — was 



published : — 



Temperance Society. 



On Wednesday, the 11th day of May inst., 



A 



Public Meeting 



Will be held in the 



Church at Kororareka 



For the purpose of establishing a 



Temperance Society. 



The attendance of all Persons desirous of promoting Peace, Order, 



and Sobriety is most earnestly requested, 



The British Resident will take the chair at 12 o'cock. 



Dated May 4th, 1836. 



Paihia: Printed at the Press of the Church Missionary Society. 



The above is a literal copy of the placard I have, and 

 which is the only copy known as far as I can gather. I 

 remember that Mr. Colenso, a short time before his death, 

 related the circumstances of the placard and of the printing of 

 the first English book, which was a report of the New Zea- 

 land Temperance Society. A brief reference to each of these 

 publications will be found on page 12 of Mr. Colenso's Jubilee 

 paper, "Fifty Years Ago in New Zealand," a paper of sur- 

 passing interest to students of early history and settlement. 



On the 5th October, 1836, the following entry occurs in 

 the " Day- and Waste-book " : — 



James Busby, Esq., British Resident : Printing 75 folio copies fools 

 cap circulars relating to Baron de Thierry, £1 Is. 



And on the 12th October : — 



James Busby, Esq. : Compositing and printing 70 foolscap 4to circu- 

 lars in native language relative to Baron de Thierry, 10s. 6d. 



27 



