Biography of Stephen Wrathall, Chapters 7-13 
 
7.   The Hotelier
     When Mr Wrathall purchased the block of land in Melbourne (to which
previous reference was made), the survey was so made as to provide a main
street and cross streets, and in his sale plan he reserved all the corner
sections. In the main street he also reserved sections on one side, and the
alternate sections on the opposite side. The conditions of sale applying to
those sections fronting the main street was that a business block was to be
erected to the street alightment, with 10 feet wide verandah over footpath.
This condition had to be fulfilled before he would sign the Deeds of
Conveyance. Twenty years was allowed for the fulfilment of this condition.
      The price charged for these sections, fronting the main street, was 
30 pounds for each acre, for which a receipt was given on the margin of the
Memorandum of Agreement, setting out the conditions mentioned above. While
it was looked upon as quite legitimate and legal in those far back early
days, it would not be tolerated at the present time. It can be seen by his
methods of disposal of these sections, that he had doubts as to where the
centre of town would be, so imposed conditions for the building of this
main street as the future business centre.
     On 1 of these corner sections, Mr Wrathall built a 2 story hotel, and
being the first hotel to be opened in this new land, he named it the
Australia Hotel, and it soon became well-known and famous. Men with no
domestic encumbrances, principally the proprietors and miners from the gold
diggings, came in from miles around to spend their weekends at this hotel,
and rumour has it that the largest nugget of gold ever unearthed was dug in
front of the public bar in this famous wayside Inn.
     Among those who gathered at this meeting house were quite a number of
the sporting element, and it was when partaking of the welcome beverage
there that Australia's first Cricket Club was formed. Wrathall donated to
the club an area at the back of the Hotel, and soon other teams sprung up,
and quite a number of friendly matches were played. The miner's team was
recognised as the best in the competition, and the members were presented
with the old-time white flannel hats donated by Wrathall.
     Until this hotel opened, the commercial men, principally the grocers,
were supplying fermented and spirituous liquors, and the advent of the
hotel wiped out the sale by the small businessmen of the beer and whisky
supplied. Mr Wrathall built hotels in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, and
soon became prominent in the liquor trade. His family had now grown up and
when these hotels were finished and furnished he put his son Harry in the
Melbourne Hotel, Lupton in the Ballarat Hotel, George in the Geelong Hotel
and William in the Hotel in Bendigo, while Charles was given the Mittagong
Station. These were freehold gifts to his sons that were to be kept in
Australia. Each Hotel was furnished and fully stocked.
     A Meat Supply Company was formed and the Directors bought out
Wrathall's Butchery businesses, both in Victoria and Tasmania for the sum
of 15 000 pounds. The sons above enumerated, were each given 500 pounds in cash out of
the sale of the butcheries, and that wiped out the connection with the
father's business. Mr Wrathall kept his milling and timber interests
entirely for himself, also his landed interests. He sold the goodwill in
his shipping interests for the sum of 2500 pounds for the Melbourne, Adelaide and
Hobart service, again retaining the Mary Ann and the Mountain Mag.
                     8. Starting the New Zealand Connection
     Having made provision for 5 of his sons in Australia, he decided to
establish Stephen, his eldest son, and John, the youngest son of the
family, in NZ, where he hoped there would be prospects for success. NZ was
at this time, under the mandate of the NSW Administration, but owing to the
troubles they were having with the uncivilised state of the Maoris, NSW was
having trouble inducing Europeans to come and settle. However, Wrathall's
love of venture drew him to cross the Tasman, so he loaded the schooner
Mary Ann with a cargo of goods and whare that he thought would appeal to
the natives' tastes. He thought that with these, he may be able to barter
for goods that might be of use in Australia.
     He set out, and after sailing for 10 days, he sighted Cape Maria Van
Diemen, and 2 days later he anchored in Doubtless Bay just outside the
Mangonui Harbour entrance. The first thing to attract his attention was the
giant Kauri trees that were growing on the hillsides and right down to the
water's edge. Being in the timber trade at the time, these monstrous trees
claimed his attention, and he could at once see a fortune staring him in
the face if he could only secure the right to handle this magnificent
specimen of timber.
     Later in the day a Maori canoe came out of the harbour and paddled
around the ship. By the grimaces on the Maoris' faces it appeared that the
schooner was an unwelcome visitor. As night closed in however, the canoe
returned to the harbour. Wrathall conferred with the Captain, and they
decided that a 4 hour watch should be kept during the night, with 2 men on
each watch. This was done, and nothing unforseen happened during the night.
     The next morning broke with a clear blue sky, and as the sun peeped
over the eastern highland, the whole land and seascape presented a
wonderful picture. Doubtless Bay on this particular morning was like a sea
of glass, unrippled, with the bush clad slopes sprinkled with these giant
Kauris, reaching up towards the sky and reflecting their mirage into the
deep blue sea that lapped the cliffs. NZ Palms, Puriri and Kauri were the
principal trees of beauty, and Wrathall felt that he was landing on the
shores of Britain's Wonderland of the South. Nothing he could imagine more
beautiful than this panoramic outlook.
                        9. First Contact in New Zealand
     Mangonui Harbour was the first port of call on reaching NZ, and prior
to Wrathall's arrival in the Mary Ann, which was recorded in his diary as
November 8th 1812, whaling vessels had called at this port on their way
South, in search of sea monsters. It was during one of these calls that
trouble had arisen between the natives and the seafaring men. The men of
one of the vessels kidnapped 2 native women and took them away on the ship.
The Maoris were so enraged, that the whole of the crew of the next boat to
call were killed and eaten, with the exception of one small, miserable,
insignificant creature whom the Maoris kept. They learnt him their
language, so that they may be able to deal with future arrivals, according
to their several missions.
     After this kidnapping incident, the native tribes assembled at
Mangonui and decided on stationing a number of Maoris at the port, to form
a kind of coastguard. Nikau and Raupo whares Houses were built on the
foreshore, and the duty of these coastguardsmen was to spend their time in
fishing: over and above that required for their own consumption being
sun-dried, and sent inland to the settlements in the interior. The women
were set to making and repairing flax nets. The coastguard was under the
command of Pawai, uncle to the reputed Hongi Heke, and it was he (Pawai)
who with his native crew, went out to see what vessel it was that had
dropped anchor at the mouth of the Harbour, and as they drew near, Wrathall
ordered the men to man their rifles for fear of trouble, but not to fire
unless he gave instructions. To his surprise, he saw an European in the
party sitting alongside a rather determined-looking warrior who he later
learnt was Pawai.
     When the canoes were within about a chain on the vessel the paddling
ceased, and through the European, who later proved to be the interpreter,
Pawai asked what vessel it was, from where it had come, and its mission. Mr.
Wrathall stepped onto the poop and said that he had come from Australia to
pay the natives a friendly visit and to try to bring a reconciliation
between the races. He felt that with the aid of the able interpreter, who
they had an amicable arrangement, an understanding may be reached. Pawai
said there was a possibility, if Wrathall could satisfy them that his party
was sincere in their mission. Mr. Wrathall then stated that he could
definitely give that assurance, and invited the natives, numbering 50 in 2
canoes, to come aboard the Mary Ann and peacefully discuss the situation.
With this, Pawai ordered the natives to paddle to the ship's side.
     The steps were lowered and soon the decks were lined with natives, all
perfect specimens of physique, attired in Maori war costumes. Pawai lined
his men up, and in front, he and the interpreter faced Wrathall and his
party, which was composed of the Captain, the 1st and 2nd mates, the cook,
the crew of 5 and Wrathall's 2 sons, Stephen and John.
     Pawai opened by saying, "We have with us, one of your countrymen, and
you will probably wonder what part he will be called upon to play in this
great meeting that will determine the fate of yourself and your party". The
interpreter was then asked to tell his own story in his own way. This he
did, telling the whole story of his experience since landing on these
shores. Being a fluent speaker, he made his narrative very interesting
indeed.
     It appeared that he was one of 20 who arrived on a Norwegian whaler. A
melee occurred between the ship's crew and the natives, with the result
that the ship was scuttled and sank off the Waiau coastline, the crew being
taken in canoes by the natives. "Each day, one was killed and eaten by the
Maoris," continued the speaker, "And when the19th was eaten, I was
expecting to be next, but strange to say, I survived the threatening
ordeal. I thought that it was my being too poor in condition that I was
saved from undergoing the same fate as that endured by the rest, but I soon
found out that the natives  had decided to teach me their language, and so
use me as a means of communication between future arrivals and themselves.
I soon mastered the Maori tongue, and I am pleased to have this opportunity
to illustrate the achievement. My name I am not disclosing at the moment: I
wish merely to be spoken of as Jimmy the Rat".
     Mr. Wrathall said that the story was dramatically interesting and while
he regretted the incident, it was at least consoling to know that one of
the ill-fated crew had won his way into the hearts of the natives. "I am
delighted to find that the Maoris hold you in such high esteem, and I feel
sure that your association with them may be the means to removing those
misunderstandings that in the past, may have led to unnecessary troubles,"
continued Mr. Wrathall . "I know that the natives of NZ are carnivorous in
their habits, and so I have brought with me, in this shipload of stores,
100 kegs of corned beef. The cook is preparing dinner for the whole party,
and I would like you to extend an invitation to Pawai and his men to dine
with me; a whole keg of beef is being cooked for the occasion," he
concluded.
     The interpreter extended the invitation to the natives in their native
tongue and Pawai thanked Mr. Wrathall for his kindness, but made reference
to the fact that the crowd was a rather large one to cater for on such
short notice. However Mr. Wrathall, for diplomatic reasons, persisted in
the party staying for the meal and, within an hour, the meal was served
and over. The beef was something they had never seen nor tasted before.
Pawai said that it was the best flesh that he had ever eaten. Mr. Wrathall
said, "I am pleased you have enjoyed it as I thought you would. My vessel
is loaded with stores and I intend later to leave a supply with my sons
who, I hope, I will be able to persuade to remain with you. If satisfactory
arrangements can be made with you, my vessel will probably visit you
regularly, and keep up a supply of these stores. When you return to this
wonderful harbour of yours, I would like you to take with you a few stores
as a token of remembrance of this occasion, our first meeting."
     Pawai thanked him for his proffered generosity and the hatches were
ordered to be opened. Mr. Wrathall had lowered into each canoe, 2 kegs of
beef, 2 sacks of potatoes, 2 bags of brown sugar and a 10 lb chest of tea.
Pawai was delighted with the presents he had received and asked what was in
the chests, what the bags contained, and how they could be prepared for
human consumption. Mr. Wrathall said that that could well be left to the
European interpreter, who would be quite capable of putting each article to
their natural use. The things Pawai had would make the class of meal he had
had that day, and of which he said he so much enjoyed, Pawai smiled and
told Wrathall that his hospitality was wonderful. The canoes drew off and
were soon lost in view, as they paddled into the harbour.
     Mr Wrathall was well pleased with the progress already made and felt
the proceedings augured well of his sons' future success in this new and
undeveloped land. After laying out his plans for the next move he retired
to rest, well satisfied with his achievements of his first day in NZ. Pawai
too was delighted to find that such a benevolent man has been sent by
providence to these shores, was determined that he would invite him to come
ashore and visit his tribe in the coastal settlement.
                            10. Landfall in Mangonui
     The next morning, Pawai was taken out to the Mary Ann , where he
extended an invitation to Mr. Wrathall to bring his boat in and anchor in
the harbour . Naturally, his invitation was accepted as Wrathall was
anticipating that that would be the outcome. The anchor was lifted and the
Mary Ann drew into the harbour with Wrathall, Pawai and the interpreter
standing on the bridge, and the Captain in charge of the wheel. Pawai was
overjoyed at this setting and felt that it was a great honour indeed to be
allotted a place on the bridge.
     As the vessel came to anchor in the harbour, hundreds of Maoris gathered
on the foreshore. When the ship's boat was lowered, and Wrathall and the
party had taken their seats, the canoe drew off, followed by the boat. The
natives lined out on the shore and extended the chant of welcome
traditional of their race. The whole harbour re-echoed that wonderful
musical harmony that is natural to the Maoris, and their melodious voices
stirred the hearts of Wrathall and his party to such an extent that it
seemed too wonderful and romantic to be true. Nevertheless, it was a great
welcome , and a great day.
     The ship's boat returned to the Mary Ann , leaving Wrathall and his 2
sons with Pawai and the interpreter , who showed them around the settlement
of shanties made of thatched Wiwi, Raupo and Nikau. A large cook house was
in the centre of the group of shanties, and on a slightly high elevation, a
beautiful Maori meeting house was built, with a porchette approach
beautifully carved and Paua shells inset to represent the eyes of the
central figure in this wonderful piece of carving. The meeting house would
accommodate about 150 people, and this was where the Chiefs and Elders of
the subtribes held their meetings of the northern branch of the Ngapuhi
tribe.
     After being shown around the guards' quarters, the visitors were then
invited by Pawai to see the Kapa Maoris or, as the natives called them,
hangis opened. This was quite an eye-opener to Wrathall , as in each Kapa,
a sack of potatoes and 100 fish were cooked, and when uncovered, everything
within the hole was perfectly clean, having been surrounded and covered
with damp bush fern before being covered with earth. The whole of the steam
was retained while the cooking operations were in progress, and the food
was very relishable. Mr Wrathall admitted this primitive method of cooking
was far ahead of the so-called up-to-date methods in use by the more modern
housewives of today's civilisation. There was no comparison of the two
flavours, the retention of the steam, as provided by the Kapa Maori ,
making everything more palatable to the taste, and he and his sons
thoroughly enjoyed this Maori feast.
                            11. A Business Proposal
     After this event, Mr Wrathall through the interpreter , asked if he
might have a confidential chat with Pawai who, when told of his request,
agreed and suggested that they go into the meeting house. This gave
Wrathall the opportunity for which he had been waiting.
     He said, "I have found this to be a wonderful country with great
potentialities and great possibilities of development. I realise that the
natives are still in possession and, though a partial arrangement has been
arrived at and NZ is now tentatively a British possession, it is the
farthest unit away from the British Empire to which all patriots are so
proud to belong, and I am hoping that when you natives realise how sincere
and humane the Imperial authorities are in their administration and care of
their newly annexed possessions, you too will be proud to be a unit of that
great Empire."
     " Our meetings of yesterday and today have further convinced me of the
need for an understanding between our two races. I find you an approachable
people, and though there has been happenings since the advent of the stray
ships to your shores and occurrences which I very much regret, I feel sure
it will be traced to the result of misunderstandings, rather than to the
desire of your people to be deliberately hostile, and now that your
language can be interpreted into English, it should result in a more rapid
mingling of the 2 races."
     "With that prospect in sight, I take this opportunity of making you an
offer for a plot of land on this beautiful Harbour for the purposes of
establishing my 2 sons here in your midst. I would like at the same time to
make you an offer for the right to cut this timber that you have so much of
growing right down to the water of the Harbour and outer bay. I have bought
with me a full cargo of goods that I am sure you will find useful, and
these I am prepared to exchange to you for the timber rights on the
opposite side of the Harbour and outer bay, and also for the piece of land
on your foreshore on the Harbour front, so that a storehouse may be erected
to house the goods which I propose to land here to provide for the wants of
the people. This is essential as provision of this nature is the
preliminary steps to opening a trading and commercial connection with the
outer world."
    " Now I have placed my cards on the table, I will leave it to you to
decide, and if your reply is in the affirmative, I will make arrangements
accordingly. But if you happen to reply in the negative, I will have to go
back to Australia with my sons, and in that case, it may be a very long
time before this opportunity presents itself again. Your reply is the
deciding factor: the destiny of my sons is in your hands and I am anxious
that they should remain in NZ. I now call upon your judgement to decide."
                        12. Pawai Agrees to do Business
     Pawai rose to his feet, and with great eloquence said, "Pakeha and
friends. I have listened with interest to your words of wisdom and advice,
also to your eulogistic remarks concerning our beautiful harbour and the
potentialities of our country. Your first request was to obtain the timber
rights surrounding our harbour foreshore and outer coastline, giving in
return goods to the value we agree upon. To this I will agree. I am
prepared to exchange as you suggest for some of your beef, sugar, tea,
etc., and as this matter is entirely in my hands, I offer to you the timber
rights on the eastern slopes of the harbour, from the skyline to that
distant range, down to the foreshore tideline, and from the peak of
Rangipuhi on the east of Onetepuki on the west, reserving the right to the
natives to six 90-foot spars that are already fallen in the bush and ready
to be made into canoes. I am prepared to accept in return for these rights,
a reasonable amount of those goods that you have bought with you to barter."
     "Now regarding your second request for a piece of land on this side of
the harbour, I might state that already the native chiefs have decided on
keeping the whole of the foreshore line intact for the purposes of forming
a coastguard headquarters there, as this is the harbour that all past
vessels have called at, also the harbour where 2 of our young women were
kidnapped and we are determined to get revenge if ever that vessel returns.
Until that time arrives, I feel that there will be no possible chance of
your getting a piece of ground on this foreshore, but if ever these
conditions are removed, I will give you my word that you will then have an
opportunity of picking a site and I will have this recorded accordingly.
However I would suggest that, if you are anxious to establish your sons
here, I will go out with your sons tomorrow to another coastal inlet at
Taipa , and if the place is suitable for your purpose, I will allot your
sons an area to establish themselves."
     Mr. Wrathall said that he would leave it at that in the meantime and as
to the assessing of the value of the timber rights that Pawai was willing
to dispose of: if he would bring his canoes out, he the speaker, would give
Pawai goods to the value of the timber rights to be assessed by what he
considered the timber to be worth to him. This decided, Pawai got his men
together and went out to get the goods. These comprised 25 kegs of beef, 40
sacks of potatoes, 1 ton of brown sugar, 5 cases of tea and a number of
iron pots, a total value of about 100 pounds.
     Pawai was delighted with the deal so Mr Wrathall drew up the deed of
settlement, had the same interpreted and Pawai signed on behalf of the
natives .  His signature was witnessed by 2 natives chosen by himself, also
witnessed by the Captain and the first mate of the Mary Ann, and the
official Australian  stamp was affixed and cancelled with the initials of Mr.
Wrathall and the interpreter.  Pawai felt that he had made a wonderful deal
and Wrathall's heart also throbbed with joy as a result of the transaction,
for he could see great value in the timber belt of which he now possessed.
                          13. Setting Up Shop in Taipa
     The next morning the canoe was brought out to the ship's side, and Mr.
Wrathall and his sons boarded her and were taken out to Taipa, where he
selected an area known as Waipuna on the foreshore of the Taipa inlet, the
key to the great Orutu fertile valley. There were a number of natives
living in Taipa, and Pawai made known to them that these 2 white men had
come to live in their midst. He ordered them to give the necessary
assistance to get these men established by helping them to erect the
buildings they may require.
      The site for the building was chosen and Pawai left instructions with
the natives to go out into the bush and get the necessary poles and Nikau
and have it all ready to commence building on the canoe's arrival the next
day. The party then returned to Mangonui.
     The next morning at daybreak the natives again set out for Taipa with
the necessary implements for building operations, and with Wrathall and his
sons, they arrived at the building site at about 8 o'clock. The
commissariat comprised a case of ships' biscuits, tea, sugar and a few
pounds of salted butter that Wrathall had provided. The natives set to
work, and before nightfall, they had built and thatched a whare 30 x 14,
partitioned into 2 rooms.
     Wrathall was so impressed with the neatness of their work that he made
arrangements with them to build another whare of the same dimensions that
he may use  in the meantime as a storehouse. The next day the 2nd building
was erected.
     Mr Wrathall then decided to bring the Mary Ann out to Taipa and unload
her cargo into these buildings. Again Pawai instructed the natives to
assist Wrathall in these landing operations. The canoes tendered the goods
from the vessel to the shore, while a stream of natives were told off to
carry the stores to the whares. It was a well-arranged working team,
transport operations being under the able direction of Pawai, while the
receiving, checking and placing in position was managed by Wrathall and his
sons with 2 natives assisting. With the number of willing helpers that were
on the job, there was a continuous flow of goods to the whares. The kegs of
beef were placed on sapling poles, which were placed on the ground the full
length of the storehouse on either side in such a manner that they kept the
dampness from the earth from affecting the barrels. Next came a row of case
goods stored to form a counter.
     When the whole cargo was landed and arranged in the store, it
presented quite a unique commercial appearance. The display of goods being
completed, all the balance which was for immediate sale, was stored across
the end of the building and packed solidly right up to the roof, the
surplus or dead stock lines being used were possible to form shelving
foundations. The spare room in #1 whare or residential quarters formed a
semi-bond store for the time being to depot lines that were likely to be
slow selling.
     Having completed these operations, Wrathall before sending his vessel
back to Australia for more stores, thought he would now find out just what
the natives tastes were. With this in mind he asked Pawai to reassemble his
men at Taipa the next day at noon as he wanted to provide them all with a
feast, in payment for their services, and also to commemorate the occasion
of his son's landing in Taipa.
     Pawai announced the event and the next day the natives came along in
great style. All the ship's party set out to work under the directions of
the Cook, and between them they prepared a fine, rough and ready summer
picnic. Wrathall had told the Cook the purpose of this feast: it was really
a sprat for a mackerel. The cook grasped the situation and tried out
practically every bread and butter line imaginable for this feast, so as to
learn by a practical illustration the true tastes of the natives. This was
the order of preference: beef, potatoes, biscuits, salted butter, tea and
sugar, doughboys and molasses. The enamel mugs and plates excited their
curiosity, but were much appreciated by the natives.
     This event over, Wrathall set to work to write his order for further
supplies and arranged with the captain to go back to Australia and pick up
the cargo and to bring the following pitsawers back to commence operations:
Berghan, Beldon, Flavell, Snowden, Rosieur and Downes. He was to get also
his head pitman Cossil, to come back and bring with him four 10-ft heavy
plate saws, twelve 8-ft and ten 6-ft medium plate saws, also 12 crosscut
saws, ranging from 7 to 10 ft. Cossil was to see that the places of the men
who were to come to NZ were filled with other suitable men, so as to keep
the pits running until he, Wrathall returned to Australia, which would
probably be in 3 months time.
Regards, Steve Wrathall