Hill. — Early Printing in Neio Zealand. 425 



Entries of this kind might be indefinitely extended, but 

 these are given to show the new influences that were begin- 

 ning to act upon the new colony. 



It has already been explained that the years 1839-40 

 were years of remarkable activity in connection with the 

 printing-press, of which Mr. Colenso was at this time the 

 superintendent. Quite a staff of printers appear to have been 

 at work, and soon new buildings were needed, and new presses 

 to complete the many publications that were deemed neces- 

 sary to supply to the natives. The removal of the press, 

 cases, type, &c, to the new printing-office took place in 

 March, 1840, and the following curious entries appear in the 

 "Dav-book" ;— 



March 21. By paid Tame, one guernsey frock, 3s. 9d. ; paid Pua, one 

 guernsey frock, 3s. 9d. ; paid Hoka, one guernsey frock, 3s. 9d. ; 

 paid Ruru, one flushing jacket, 5s. ; paid Baker's lads, in soap, 

 tobacco, and pipes, for assisting in removing press, &c, Is. 6d. 



For the five months ending May, 1840, over seventy thou- 

 sand copies of different tracts, prayers, catechisms, &c, were 

 issued and ready for distribution, and the entries showing the 

 districts to which the several publications were sent from 

 time to time show also the movements of the missionaries 

 over the different portions of the North Island. 



By the end of 1842 all parts of the Island had been visited, 

 and new forces were beginning to operate in the work of 

 settlement and civilisation. It would prove an interesting 

 chapter in the history of New Zealand to deal with the 

 opposing forces that came into play immediately following 

 the Treaty of Waitangi, but my purpose is merely to trace as 

 briefly as may be the part played by Mr. Colenso as the first 

 printer in New Zealand. 



The arrival of Bishop Selwyn in 1842 altered the course of 

 Mr. Colenso's life, and, although he continued to play an im- 

 portant part in the history of the colony, Mr. Colenso ceased 

 to have anything to do with the press after July, 1843, the 

 last entry in the "Day-book" being the 24th July. From 

 this date Mr. John Telford became press superintendent ; but 

 the subsequent events at Kororareka and elsewhere in the 

 Bay of Islands, and the establishment of Auckland as the 

 capital town of the colony in September, 1840, eventually 

 caused the removal of the Church Missionary Society's press 

 to Auckland. Mr. Colenso's work as a printer had been done. 



It seems but yesterday since we had Mr. Colenso with 

 us — a man whose noble bearing won the respect and ad- 

 miration of all. When he came to New Zealand at the end 

 of 1834 the population other than natives consisted of only a 

 few hundred persons, made up mostly of whalers, run-away 

 sailors, ex-convicts, and nondescripts from New South Wales. 



