Wesleyan Mission History at Aotea – By C.G.Hunt
These notes are based on information gleaned from diaries and documents kindly lent to me by descentants of the missionaries mentioned.
Further information has been obtained from Morley’s “HISTORY OF METHODISM IN NEW ZEALAND” and from “BRETT’S HISTORICAL SERIES” of 1890.
More recent facts have been obtained from local Maoris, notably Mrs Paewai Raumaka, and from my own observations in the locality. Local settlers too have been most helpful.
THE BEGINNINGS
The first Wesleyan Mission in New Zealand was established by the Rev. Samuel Leigh at Whangaroa in 1822. Ill health forced the Rev.Leigh to return to Australia and, shortly afterwards, the hostility of the Maoris forced the abandonment of the Mission which was ultimately destroyed.
Some months later a fresh start was made at Mangungu on the Hokianga Harbour and from then on the project flourished so much so that, by 1834, a number of Missions had been established north of the isthmus where Auckland now stands.
EXTENSIONS SOUTHWARD
Early in January 1834 the Rev. John Whiteley was sent on a reconnaisance to as far south as Kawhia. On his return to North Auckland he reported favourably on the prospects of extending the Society’s activities to the southward and, at a meeting held on the 13th and 14th of February 1834, it was decided to establish missions at Raglan and Kawhia.
In August 1834 the C.M.S. had also sent a reconnaisance expedition into South Auckland and had reached Maungapouri on the junction of the Waipa and Puniu rivers where the first of their southern missions were later established. There was no disagreement among the Missionaries of the two Societies in New Zealand about these extensions and active steps were taken to establish the new Mission Stations pending approval from their respective missionary Committees in England.
The Rev. William Woon was sent to Kawhia in November 1834 and, a few months later, he was followed by the Revs. Whiteley and Wallis.
Whiteley moved to Kawhia South and Wallis proceeded by canoe and on foot to Raglan where he established his Mission on the north side of the harbour entrance which was then thickly populated by Maoris living in the vicinity of the Horea Pa; After a hut had been built for him by the natives he was joined by Mrs Wallis who was carried from Kawhia to Raglan in an improvised sedan chair.
Early in 1836 word was received from England that the Wesleyan Missions on the west coast were in Church Missionary ” Society territory and had to be closed. Whiteley, Woon and Wallis withdrew to North Auckland and the Missions which they had established were abandoned much to their regret and to the Missionaries of the Church Missionary Society who were not in a position to take them over.
At a meeting held in North Auckland in October 1838 these territorial differences were amicably settled and Whiteley returned to Kawhia. Wallis also returned to Raglan but this time built his Mission on the south side of the harbour entrance at Nihinihi.
MISSION SHIP AND EXTRA HELPERS
The expansion of the Missions southward placed a great burden on the missioners available as the means of travel were very limited and distances becoming greater every year. Accordingly the Wesleyan Missionary Society in England decided to purchase a ship to transport personnel and goods to the various stations in the South Seas.
This ship, the TRITON, sailed from Bristol on September 14th 1839 bearing a large quantity of goods and a number of additional Mission helpers. She arrived at Mangungu on May 9th, 1840.
The Journal of the voyage of the TRITON to New Zealand is now in the possession of one of the descendants of the Rev. Gideon Smales who was a passenger on board and it it records not only the events of the trip but also the names of all those on board, both passengers, and crew.
In addition to the Rev. Gideon Smales, who was then a single man, the passenger list includes the names of the Rev. and Mrs. H.H. Turton and the Rev. and Mrs. T. Buddle.
The Rev. H. Hansen Turton is described in the “HISTORY OF METHODISM IN NEW ZEALAND” as a man of good presence, pleasant address, and somewhat scholarly tastes. These attributes enabled him later to distinguish himself in a public controversy with Bishop Selwyn on “Sacerdotal Assumptions” He served at a number of Mission stations in New Zealand and became such a master of the Maori language that he later entered the Government service as an interpreter.
The Rev. Gideon Smales was born at Whitby – Yorkshire, on October 26th 1817, ordained as a Minister of the Wesleyan Church at the Liverpool Conference in 1837. He arrived in New Zealand in May 1840 and, later in the same year, married Mary Anna Bumby, the sister of the Rev. John Bumby who had been tragically drowned near. Tamaki on June 26th, 1840.
The Rev. Thomas Buddle was a native of the County of Durham who was converted when in his teens and became a preacher shortly afterwards.
Acquiring a knowledge of the Maori language very quickly he later aided in the revision of the Maori translation of the Scriptures. Though he served as a Missioner for only about five years he became one of the foremost Church leaders in the Colony at a later period and never lost his interest in the Maori people.
APPOINTMENTS
At the English Conference of 1839 the new recruits who were to sail on the TRITON were provisionally appointed to various stations in the South Seas.
Among these appointments the Rev. H. H. Turton was to go to Waima: the Rev. G. Smales to Orangatta: and the Rev. T. Buddle to Whaingaroa (now Raglan).
There were already resident Missioners at these stations and it was felt that, by this means, the new helpers could learn the Maori language and acc ustom themselves to the new way of life before being sent to charges of their own.
After the arrival of the TRITON these appointments were altered and one of the last acts performed by the Rev. John Bumby as Superintendent before his tragic death were the fOllowing re-arrangements.
The Rev. G. Smales was posted to Hokianga while the original appointment of the Rev. T. Buddle to Whaingaroa was confirmed.
After some months with the Rev. James Wallis at the later station the Rev. Mrs. Buddle proceeded inland to the Waipa River where it had been decided to open a new station. The first site chosen for this new station proved to be on tapu ground, so this was abandoned and land, bought at Te Kopua further south.
While the Superintendent was in Kawhia prior to starting on his overland journey which proved to end so tragically, he was approached by a chief from Aotea who entreated him to send a missionary to that district.
Though an experienced man was not available, the chief pleaded his causeso well that the superintendant appointed the newcomer, Rev. H.H. Turton, to that post. Turton had only been in the country a few weeks and had little opportunity of aquiring a knowledge of the Maori language or of native customs.
He was in no position to erect a mission station, but by travelling back and forth between Raglan and Kawhia, where he could get advice and assistance from more experienced missionaries, he laid the foundations for a mission which brought peace and prosperity to the district until the outbreak of the Maori wars of the 60’s.
The SMALES FAMILY
Mary Anna Bumby was born at Thirsk, Yorkshire in 1811 and, in 1838, set out for New Zealand with her brother John Buniby who was to become the new Superintendent of Missions in that country.
Her diary covering the period from the day she left her Yorkshire home to the time when her eldest son was born in New Zealand has heen preserved by a descendant and makes fascinating reading But here we are only concerned with that part of it which has some bearing on the events leading up to the establishment of the Mission Station at Aotea.
Leaving her home on August 16th, 1838, she and her brother embarked on the sailing ship ” JAMES” at Gravesend which left for New Zealand on September 20th 1838. The vessel reached the Hokianga River on March 18th 1839 and the diary gives a graphic account of Miss Bumby’s first impressions of the country in those early days.
As mentioned earlier the “TRITON” arrived in May of the following year bringing among others a young single missionary named Gideon Smales. On June 1st Miss Bumby made this entry in her diary.
“Had a note from Mr. S. offering me his hand and heart. Know not what to think of it, as I dont wish to make any engagement of that kind.”
At this time her brother was on a tour of southern missions stations and Miss Bumby appears to have been very concerned for his health and safety. She must have had some premonition of impending disaster because, on June 9th she made this entry.
“About two o’ clock this morning I was awoke by the voice of my brother calling me by my name. I feel very unhappy about him as I am afraid all is not well with him. I thought I saw him standing by my room door, but the moment I looked up he was gone. This appears very strange to me, I hope the Lord will be his keeper and that he will come back in safety.”
As mentioned previously the Rev. John Bumby Was drowned on June. 26th, and Gideon Smales had the painful task of accompanying the Rev. John Hobbs to Waitemata in an effort to recover the body but they were unsuccessful.
Miss Bumby was grief stricken and, under the sad circumstances, it is not surprising that she did not give Gideon Smales his answer to a proposal of marriage until December 22nd, when she made this entry:-
“Well I have made up my mind after much consideration and prayer to become a Missionary’s wife. My soul is deeply humiliated at the thought of the responsibility of such a situation.”
And so on December 29th 1840 Mary Anna Bumby was married to Gideon Smales by the Rev. J.Waterhouse at Hokianga.
The young couple were posted to the Mission Station at Pakanae and, on October 21st 1841 this entry was made:-
“By the blessing of God, I was safely delivered of a son. Mr S.and Mrs Young were my only attendants. Mr Smales sent for a doctor who lives about 10 miles off, but he was 2 hours behind time. I had no nurse for the lst 3 days except Mr Smales and then I had Mrs F White who spent a week with me.”
There is only one more entry in the diary relating to a friend who was taking letters to England and then the diary ends though the book is only quarter filled. Apparently the care of children and the work of a missionary’s wife left no time for the keeping of a diary.
Mrs Smales served her Church, her husband and her family faithfully for 21 more years and died at sea on her way to England on March 22nd, 1862.
Their eldest son was christened John Bumby Smales and accompanied his parents to Aotea where he received his early education at their hands. A boy of some talent he painted in 1855 a very clear little water colour of the buildings at his parents Mission Station.
This painting is still in the possession of a descendant and is probably the only picture of that station in existence. Later John Smales went to Cambridge University and graduated as a Master of Arts, which was a remarkable achievement for a lad brought up in the wilds of early New Zealand. He died at Whitby, Yorkshire; on September 16th, 1869.
A second son, Horatio Hewgill Smales was born to the missionary couple at Hokianga on December 14th, 1842. This boy also accompanied his parents when they sailed from Hokianga to Kawhia prior to taking over the Aotea circuit from the Rev. H.H. Turton. A severe storm was encountered on the way and the cabins were flooded. As a result young Horatio caught a chill and he died at Kawhia on December 1st 1843.
In Memoriam cards in the possession of descendants show that the Smales eldest daughter, Mary Anna, was born at Aotea in September 1844. Later she married a Mr. Samuel Chadwick and died at Hampton Park, East Tamaki on August 29th 1871. Another In Memoriam card Shows that another daughter, Susannah Jane (Rosie),was born at Aotea on May 12th 1847. Both are buried in the family vault in St. John’s Church.
A son , Gideon Hewgill, was born at Aotea on October 31st 1848. He was thrown from his horse and killed at Hampton Park, East Tamaki and is buried in the family vault.
The third daughter, Felicia Clementina, was born at Aotea on July 11th 1850. She died at huckland on August 30th 1880 and is buried in the family vault at East Tamaki. The fourth daughter, Sophia Elizabeth, was born at Aotea on April 28th 1852. She married Charles Overton and died at Waipapa, Canterbury, N.Z. on August 18th 1866. She was buried in the Prebbleton Cemetery and a son and a daughter are still living in Christchurch.
An autograph album belonging to Mrs. Smales has been preserved and this records the following entry:
“The writer is struck with the fact that ten years have past away since first he penned a few lines in this memorial. The rush of numerous years has made a great change in his old friend now surrounded by five interesting children. May each succeeding year as it passes away find her increasing in meekness for the inheritance of the saints of light.
There may she and her beloved family at last meet to tell the wonders of redeeming love, long as eternal ages roll. Wesleyan Mission House Aotea Waikato N.Z. Dec 27th 1850.”
A NEW MISSION STATION BUILT
While the preliminary work of establishing a Mission Station at Aotea was being done by the Rev. H.H. Turton, his fellow passenger on the “Triton”, the Rev.
Gideon Smales was posted to assist at various missions in North Auckland where he rapidly acquired a knowledge of the Maori language, and the New Zealand way of life.
He also spent a short time at Porirua. Eventually, in 1843, he was appointed to relieve Turton and sailed from the Hokianga Harbour for Kawhia accompanied by his wife and two small sons.
On his arrival at Kawhia the Rev. Gideon Smales immediately set about raising funds with which to erect a Mission Station at Aotea.
Travelling up and down the coast from Raglan in the north to Nga Motu (now New Plymouth) in the south, he collected subscriptions ranging from 1/- to £10. Being a man of some means he contributed the £10 himself, all the other donations being of not more than £1.
The Original subscription list is still preserved by a descendant and it carefully lists not only the subscribers but also their place of residence. It is a matter of note that, with four exceptions, the £120 subscribed was donated by Maoris the four exceptions being the Revs. Smales, Whiteley and Ironside and a Mr. John Lawrie of Kawhia.
With these funds Smales was ready to proceed with his plans, and he landed on the Aotea harbour on January 29th 1844 at a place called Rauraukauere where he proceeded to erect his station which he called “Beechamdale” after one of the Secretaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society in England.
THE NEW MISSION PROSPERS
The family documents kindly made available to me by descendants contain little information relating to the early trials and tribulation of the Missionary and his family but, three years later, the Rev. Smales sent a full report of his activities to his principals in England and this report was published in the WESLEYAN MISSIONARY NOTICES of January 1848. “NEW ZEALAND Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Gideon Smalesd ated Beecham-Dale, Aotea, January 29th, 1847.
It is three years today since we landed at Aotea; and I think I could not do better than employ a part of this anniversary by giving you a brief review of the progress of religion and civilizaton in the Circuit during that time.
PROGRESS OF RELIGION
Religion, as a system, had been received at Aotea, as in most other parts of New Zealand, prior to 1844, by the majority of the people. A great number, however, still stood aloof: amongst those were some of the most superstitious and degraded in Heathenism. The darkness of their hearts appeared to resist the most convincing appeals of divine truth.
But even the strongest prejudices and the vilest of Heathenism are made to give way to the power of the Gospel. To the praise of the Lord be it spoken, out of those the most hardened and deluded, we have, during the three years, baptized upwards of a hundre apparent increase of the vital power of religion enjoyed in the arts of the people.
This has exhibited itself in a greater attention to all the means of grace, especially to public and private prayer, in the frequent and earnest inquiries of “What must I do to be saved?” and in an anxiety to walk by the infallible rule of Gods word.
We have endeavoured to teach them the important lesson, which human nature here, as well as in every other part of the world, is so averse to learn, that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; “the Holy Spirit has applied the word; and in many instances correspondent fruit begins to appear.
PROGRESS OF EDUCATION
In 1844, I am not aware that there was one native in the circuit that understood the “multiplication table”, now have many of our young men learned not only that, but also most of the other “tables,” as taught from the system of arithmetic used in the public schools, at home, and work with ease questions in “long division”, “practice,” and so forth.
Some of them are very apt, and all are highly interested in arithmetical exercises. There is no doubt that you will not have to wait long before you hear of the New Zealander working the problems of Euclid. Many are learning the English language, which even two years ago appeared to them such a profound gibberish of iss-iss-issing, that they seemed to thirik that they would require certain additions to their physical nature ere it could be attempted.
Their knowledge of the sacred Scriptures has been and is still distinguished. At our public examination, in 1845, a large body of the natives repeated from memory the four first chapters of st. Pauls Epistle to the Hebrews and some few even ten chapters.
At the examination of 1846, they repeated in the same way the eight first chapters of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans; and for the coming examination they have already learned the fifth and four following chapters of st. Matthew’s Gospel. A knowledge of the sacred Scriptures is quite popular amongst the natives; their inquiries after the meaning and import of divine truth are incessant.
PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION
Stock
Two years .ago, we had neither horse nor sheep in the c ircuit. We have now twenty-one sheep, and six horses, about a dozen head of horned cattle, and a great number of goats.
And as s tock increases very rapidly in New Zealand, having made a beginning, it will not be long before the natives have wherewith to purchase themselves clothes, and various other requisites, of which the progress of civilization is making them feel the necessity.
I hope too, that the introduction of horses and cattle will soon supersede the abominable practice of treating the female part of the population l ike beasts of burden than anything else.
Food
The natives formerly lived principally on fern and other roots, including the kumera; latterly on these valuable esculent ones, the kumera and potato.
They have suffered greatly in their strength by confining themselves so uniformly to so unsubstantial a diet. Wheat is now approved of; and the prospect is, that the natives will be provided with a stronger “staff of life” than they have lately had to support them.
In 1844, they reaped throughout the Circuit not more than twenty acres of wheat…in 1845, about eighty…in 1846, one hundred and fifty…and this year they will reap about two hundred acres of wheat besides a small patch of oats, and another of barley.
A good portion of their wheat has been sold to traders for calico, and print, and sent to Auckland, and other Anglo-New Zealand towns by small vessels. They have used what they retained for their own consumption, in some cases, by simply boiling the wheat; in others, as rororirori, or boiled flour and water; (with sugar, when it could be obtained) and very often in the form of bread.
Water flour-mill
To grind their wheat, the labour and expense of handmills was found to be too heavy; and during last year, we managed to erect an excellent little water flour-mill. This is the first thing of.the kind that has been erected for the natives of New Zealand; and I am glad to learn that other three parties are now arranging to follow this praiseworthy example of our people.
The expense of the labour of the mill-wright alone was eighty pounds, which amount they paid with an ox and pigs; a large sum for so poor a people. Many of them have had to shiver out the whole winter in their tattered blankets, in consequence of this, to them, extraordinary effort.
But the result is interesting.. It is extremely gratifying to see two or three old veterans in barbarous life sitting for hours near the water-wheel; its brisk, rattling noise seems to impart a new life into their stupified souls.
And as if just awakened from the long sleep of barbarism,the sudden turn of civilization appears to impart a vivacity, and cheerfulness to which they have hitherto, been strangers. They chat with a new interest and vigour around the machinery, whilst the water dashes and foams beneath their feet.
Inumerable are the advantages resulting from the progress of christianity here, as in other parts. I am not aware that there has been a single case either of infanticide or murder, as the consequence of withcraft, in the circuit, since the beginning of 1844.
These were crimes of every day occurrence not many years back; and the latter, I am sorry to say, still exists in several places on the island.
The 2nd letter relates to the question of employing local Maori labour on the repair job, and reads as follows:-
“Sir, To answer your Questions as to what the Natives employed in erecting the Wesleyan Chapel, Aotea, are worth per diem, as Carpenters, would not be a difficult matter, for they have not the most distant idea how any of the work should be done and in general are so very irregular in all their movements, that I do not consciensiously consider their services as Carpenters to be worth more than one shilling per day…Aotea – November 6th, 1852
There is the liberty given to nearly all the slaves, who have returned to their native homes; and there is the peace and good feeling which prevails.
They have not only been able amicably to settle all their own disputes which have arisen during this time among themselves; (disputes about women, pigs and land, three of the most fruitful sources of native quarrels) but they have, on more than one occasion, been of service in settling the disputes of other tribes.
A great transformation is taking place in their moral constitution. Scenes in which they lately delighted are becoming more and more revolting to them.
Their tastes and prejudices are being enlightened; their feelings and habits are becoming civilized; and the dreary melancholy which pervaded the former scenes of the incantations, tapus, witchcraft, and suicides of Heathenism is giving way to the delightful gladness arising from Christian worship, the sense of sins forgiven, and the blessed hope of everlasting life.
From this report it is clear that the Mission was firmly established and prospering. A visit to the district enabled me to examine the remains of the buildings which appear to have been built of pit sawn timber with shingle roofs.
A substantial brick chimney was installed in one building and, while it is obvious that the bricks are hand made, I do not think that they were made locally but probably in the Auckland district and transported south by cutter or schooner.
By 1852 the roofs and other parts of the buildings were falling into a state of disrepair and the documents lent to me contain two interesting letters from a local builder relating to repairs.
The first is a report on the state of the buildings and is as follows:
“At Mr. Smales request, I have examined the Mission House Aotea, and find the shingling so much blown off and dilapidated by the weather and length of time as to render it absolutely necessary for the preservation of the building as well as the safety of the residents that it should be shingled as soon as possible…Aotea – W.W.Dixon – Builder – October 26th, 1852
His third wife was Miss Elizabeth Tayler. There were seven children of this marriage of whom a son and three daughters are still living in New Zealand. He died on October 5th 1894 and is buried at st. John’s Church, East Tamaki, N.Z. RELICS
There are many relics extant of this notable man and his work in New Zealand. At East Tamaki the Church which he built still stands and is still used as a place of worship. There are memorial tablets to the deceased members of the family in the Church where many of them are buried in the family vault.
The Home Institute is still standing in Thames but is no longer used for the purposes for which it was erected. It is locally known as “Smales Folly” but I can never understand why, because it was no folly but a genuine effort by a Christian gentleman to improve the lot of the young miners.
In the possession of Mrs. H. Brusey, Lower Hutt, are the Journal of the Missionary Ship “TRITON”, the survey maps of the land ceded by the Maoris, the list of subscriptions towards the cost of erecting the Aotea Mission and numerous diaries and documents. Mrs A.E.D. Grant, East Tamaki, has the water-colour painting of the Aotea Mission done by John Bumby Smales and also other relics.
A meerschaum pipe once the property of Gideon Smales is now in the pipe collection owned by Mr. Geo. Wilkins of Hamilton.
Some of the joinery and woodwork from the original Mission building at Aotea has been salvaged and incorporated in the wool shed of Mr. D. Kain at Aotea. Much of the farm land bought by the Rev. Gideon Smiles at East Tamaki is still in the possession of the family and farmed by decendants.
At the site of the Mission at Aotea there is a burial plot which is marked by a surround of stones but no headstone.
The local Maoris say that the Missionary’s wife is buried there but this cannot be Mary Anna Smales. Nor can I find any records of any other Missionary’s wife having been buried there.
It may be the last resting place of people associated with the Mission or of Europeans who were living in the district in those early times. One possibility is a storekeeper named Crossman who was running a trading store on the shores of the Aotea Harbour when the Mission was built.
As the Mission buildings, the mill and the schools are now demolished all that remains to mark the site are some fruit trees and some imported poplars and privets.
In 1957 it was decided to erect a memorial cairn to mark the site and the inscription plate reads as follows:
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
and to mark the site where
THE REV MRS GILLEON SMALES
established a Mission called
“BEECHAMDALE”
for the WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY
This memorial was constructed of bricks from the chimney of the original Mission Station and was erected in 1957