HocKEN. — Early New Zealand Literature. 101 



by the New Zealand Company ; their interests clashed, and 

 bitter feeling and jealousy resulted. In its columns the 

 company was. warmly defended against its enemies, and 

 the Wakefield system of colonisation had no more constant 

 and able exponent. In these two features of its policy 

 rested the germs of the paper's final decay and death. Its 

 pages contain quite a mine of historical incident, gathered 

 chiefly by scissors and paste from all parts of the young 

 colony, and give another instance, if that were needed, of the 

 necessity of preserving newspaper records containing, as they 

 do, so many side lights of history and glimpses of a life so 

 different from that of the present. From time to time the 

 journals of exploration into the unknown country around are 

 given at length, and occasionally there are articles on the 

 natural history and productions of New Zealand, for amongst 

 the early settlers were a few men of scientific mark. Dr. Fre- 

 derick Knox, the well-known brother of the eminent Edin- 

 burgh anatomist, and Mr. Swainson, F.K.S., so celebrated as 

 a naturalist, are examples. 



Then came a time when the community ceased to thrive, 

 misfortunes befell it, and discontent prevailed. From causes 

 partly beyond its control the New Zealand Company showed 

 diminished interest in its emigrants, and especially failed to 

 place them in possession of the lands they supposed them- 

 selves to have purchased prior to leaving the Home-country, 

 and it was then contended that the Gazette neither expressed 

 the sentiments nor advocated the interests of the community. 

 Such loss of confidence meant failure and invitation for a 

 rival, and so on the 25th September, 1844, in its 363rd 

 number, this interesting pioneer of New Zealand journalism 

 closed its existence. I am inclined to think that Mr. Kevans 

 himself was not an inconsolable mourner. Long he had 

 fought an uphill game, and frequently had deplored his 

 diminished advertisements and his forgetful subscribers. 

 After this he commenced sheep-farming in the Wairarapa 

 in conjuction with his old friend Captain Smith, formerly 

 the company's chief surveyor. But his life was destined 

 yet to continue one of change and vicissitude. In 1851 

 he left for California, when the "diggings" were at 

 their height, taking with him merchandise of timber and 

 potatoes ; but, like so many who abandon dissatisfied these 

 happy shores, he speedily returned, never again to leave them. 

 For a time he represented his district in the old Provincial 

 Council of Wellington, but gradually he withdrew from public 

 life, confining himself to farming pursuits, and died at Grey- 

 town on the 14th July, 1888, at the age of eighty years, un- 

 married. I can recall him as one of my first acquaintances 

 in this country. Impelled by that special curiosity which 



