The the WAIKATO IMMIGRATION scheme was part of an attempt by the General Government to bring large numbers of immigrants to the North Island. It was felt that the establishment of European settlements would help to consolidate the Government's position after the Maori Wars, and facilitate the development of the regions involved, to the mutual advantage of the general and provincial governments. The cost of such settlements would be recovered from the sale of neighbouring land.

The Government originally intended to bring about 20,000 immigrants to the Waikato, recruiting them from the Cape colony (South Africa), Britain and Ireland. To finance this scheme and other government expenses, a 3 million pound loan was to be raised in London, of which Auckland Province would be granted 150,000 pounds for introducing settlers plus 450,000 pounds for surveys and other incidental expenses. Immigrants would be recruited by the Auckland Provincial Government's agents acting on behalf of the General Government, plus other agents appointed for the purpose. The immigrants would be settled on land available under the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863.

Four main classes of immigrants were initially sought: 'labourers', 'mechanics', small farmers and capitalists. The 'labourers' (agricultural and railway workers) and 'mechanics' (industrial craftsmen and artisans) were to be offered free passages plus a land grant if they resided on that land for three years. Exact conditions varied slightly between immigrants from the United Kingdom and immigrants from the Cape. Whereas there was a surfeit of applications from people eager to leave the depressed Cape Colony, the quantity of land offered to English and Scottish immigrants had to be increased to provide an adequate incentive. Thus immigrants from the Cape were entitled to five acres, whereas immigrants from the United Kingdom were entitled to ten, plus five for each child above 12 years old. Both could apply for an additional grant of ten acres, plus five acres for their wives and children over 12 years old, if they repaid half their fare. Small farmers were expected to pay their own passage but would receive a 50 acre land order per adult (plus 25 acres for each person between 12 and 17 years) if they stayed for three years. The capitalists would be attracted by the large areas of land available for purchase and would therefore come and provide supplementary employment for the other immigrants .. more at link above

* click highlighted names for the PASSENGER LISTS
ALFRED Cape of Good Hope Sep 1864, arrived 18 Nov 1864
. The Dutch barque, Captain A Decker, anchored off the North Head at 12 o'clock last night. She sailed from Cape Town on the 27th of September, and experienced moderate weather throughout the passage. She brings 251 passengers and 85 tons military stores for the Government, and 5 casks wine consigned to Messrs. Bucholz and Co.

BOMBAY London 26 Nov 1864, arrived 18 March 1865
. It is not generally known that the Bombay gave the name of Bombay to the settlement situated about 29 miles south of Auckland. Most of the early settlers in this district came out from England by the Bombay on her first voyage to Auckland in 1863. The Bombay seldom had a fair chance when trading to New Zealand of showing what she was capable of doing, as on nearly all the voyages out she had the ill-luck to strike furious storms, either in the Channel or later. The Bombay was a full-rigged ship of 937 tons, and flying the Shaw Savill flag. On the four voyages she made to the colony she was under the command of Captain G. Sellars, a fine old gentleman and a skilful sailor

DAUNTLESS Kingstown, Cork 29 Dec 1864, arrived 2 June 1865
. The 700-ton ship Dauntless made only one voyage to New Zealand, during which Captain Moore had a trying experience and died in Auckland shortly after the ship's arrival. She left Kingston on 31 Dec experienced light winds, varied by heavy gales, throughout the voyage. The sailors on several occasions threatened to mutiny, as they were dissatisfied with the provisions and the miserable accommodation provided. They also considered the vessel was unsafe, and demanded to be landed at the nearest port. The crew succeeded in getting several of the passengers to support them, and when off the Cape of Good Hope threatened to take the life of Captain Moore. He the broke into a case of rifles consigned to the Colonial secretary, and he, with the officers, went about with arms. Three men were eventually put in irons, and handed over to the police on arrival at Auckland. Considering the unsatisfactory state of the accommodation for the steerage passengers, and the inferior food supplied, it is no wonder that twenty deaths occurred before the vessel reached her destination. There were also seventeen births and two marriages during the voyage.

EVELINE Cape of Good Hope 1864, arrived 22 Jan 1865
. The Eveline, 814 tons, Captain James Taylor, arrived in harbour yesterday afternoon with Government emigrants from the Cape of Good Hope. She took her departure from thence on the morning of the 2nd of December, and experienced fine weather in running down her easting. She ran down as far as 500 S and sighted the Snares, the first land made after leaving, on the 8th January. The passage from land to land was made in 35 days. Strong northerly gales have prevailed on the coast. The Eveline brings some cargo and 325 Government immigrants. The vessel is consigned to Messrs Cruickshank, Smart and Co.

GANGES Queenstown, Cork 4 Nov 1864, arrived 14 Feb 1865
. the clipper ship Ganges dropped anchor in the stream, on the Queen street wharf, at 7pm last evening, a good passage of 100 days from Queenstown. The Ganges is a fine vessel of 1211 tons and was built in 1856 at Boston by the celebrated shipbuilder D. McKay, She was here in October 1863 on which occasion she brought 226 passengers. She is still in command of Captain Thomas Funnell, a gentleman well known and respected her and on the last trip he was presented by the passengers with a purse of money. On the 7 Jan, during a heavy gale, a fatal accident by drowning happened to two of the crew, who fell from the mainyard into the sea.

HELENSLEE Glasgow 10 Sep 1864, arrived 23 Dec 1864
. the Helenslee, a ship of 790 tons, was another of Shaw, Savill's early ships which made several voyages to Auckland and Otago with immigrants. She never made any fast passages, but on her second visit to the colony she arrived at Auckland after a fairly good run of 100 days from Glasgow. This was her best work, the last voyage to Auckland occupying 145 days. On the passage out to Auckland in 1864 she had favourable winds almost from the start, but Captain Brown and the passengers had an anxious time when passing through icebergs on November 18, when in latitude 46deg 25min south, longitude 41deg 30 min. east. The bergs extended for several miles, and were from 80ft to 100ft high. Many of these passengers went on to settle at Pokeno (Queens Redoubt). The Helenslee was part of the Waikato Immigration Scheme of the 1860s

LANCASHIRE WITCH London 11 Feb 1865, arrived 1 Jun 1865
. The ship Lancashire Witch, 1,574 tons, Captain George King, anchored off the heads yesterday afternoon from London, with the largest number of passengers that ever came to Auckland in one vessel, viz, 490. She left Start Point on February 13, and crossed the Equator on March 6, 22 days out, in longitude 28.30 west. The meridian of Greenwich was reached on April 24, 64 days out, thus taking 42 days to run from the Equator to that point. The reason of this long passage was that no southern trades were met with, and after reaching latitude 20 degrees she had a series of south-east gales. The easting was run down between 45 and 46 degrees. Tasmania was sighted on May 21, and the North Cape on Thursday morning, June 1, being 100 days from her departure from England.
Notwithstanding the long voyage and the great number of passengers, the ship appears to be in a very clean and comfortable condition. A volunteer brigade was organized during the voyage and the members regularly drilled by Sergeant-Major Roberts.
Dr Wills, the father of the famous Australian explorer, has come out as surgeon of the ship and the passengers have presented him with a testimonial in acknowledgement of his services.
Twelve children have died during the voyage and there have been five births. All the passengers are sent out by Captain Daldy.
The Lancashire Witch was in this port about nine years ago, but since then has been entirely refitted at a cost of £22,000. She belongs to Messrs Seymour, Peacock and Co.; and has been chartered by Messrs Shaw, Saville and Co. She is consigned to Mr W. Graham

MAORI Cape of Good Hope Oct 1864, arrived 23 Dec 1864
. The ship Maori, 700 tons, Captain William Ashby, sailed from Table Bay at noon on the 8th November, with light Northerly wind's and fine weather, and has made a very fair passage of 45 days from thence to her anchorage in the harbor yesterday at 4 pan. She brings 2 passengers in the cabin, 19 in the second cabin and 275 Government immigrants; and has also on board 8 turtle doves, 2 bush pigeons, 1 partridge. 6 quail, and 5 Cape pheasants for His Excellency Sir George Grey. There has been one death an infant, John Elliott, of bronchitis, on the 2 1st November and one birth, a girl, on the 5th December. The ship appears to have been very clean and healthy on the passage, and is consigned to Cruickshank, Smart, and Co.

MATAOKA London 17 Sep 1864, arrived3 Jan 1865
. The clipper ship Matoaka arrived off the Heads yesterday afternoon, after a good passage of 93 days from the start. The
Matoaka is a vessel of 1,323 tons one of George Seymour, Peacock, and Co's liners and is a fine specimen of a Brunswick-built clipper ship. She was formerly here in charge of Captain Stevens, but is now commanded by Captain William C. Barnett who has visited our waters on several occasions in the good ship Cresswell, and appears to have gained the confidence and esteem of all on board his ship. The Matoaka was last here in September 1859, coming up harbour with the unfortunate Tornado, out the same number of days from Liverpool direct. On that occasion she made the passage in about 100 days, including a stay of several days at Wellington. She has just been recleansed and is now on the first letter for twelve years. The Matoaka brings a full cargo of general merchandise, and an addition to our population of 441 souls, there being including crew 480 souls on board

REIHERSTIEG Cape of Good Hope Oct 1864, arrived 24 Dec 1864
. Christmas 1864, could not have been a very happy time for most of these new arrivals. On Christmas Eve, the "Reihersteig" - the third immigrant ship to arrive within three days - dropped anchor in Auckland Harbour. As there was no room for the passengers at the Onehunga Barracks, they were put in tents there. On 23 January they were forwarded to their settlement at Maioro, opposite Port Waikato where some of the men were able to find employment. It was not until 31 March, however, that they were put in possession of their individual allotments

RESOLUTE Glasgow 1 March 1865, arrived 21 June 1865
. The Resolute, a full-rigged ship of over 1000 tons, commanded by Captain Wallace, completed three successful and uneventful voyages to New Zealand. She was American built and chartered by the Patrick Henderson Co. to bring out passengers and general cargo. Her first visit was to Port Chalmers, in 1864. She sailed from Glasgow on December 17 1863 and after a good passage of 82 days, land to land and 90 days, port to port, arrived at her destination on March 17 1864. The Resolute on this occasion brought out two lighthouses. One was erected at Tirau, Port Chalmers, and the other on Dog Island. The following year the Resolute sailed from Glasgow for Auckland on March 14. For the first five days she experienced heavy westerly gales during which some damage was done to the ship

STEINWARDER Cape of Good Hope, Aug 1864, arrived 18 Oct 1864
. The barque Steinwarder, a Hamburg barque of 340 tons, in command of Captain Ericksen, arrived in port yesterday from the Cape of Good Hope, bringing about 200 passengers. She took her departure from Table Bay on the 17th August and on the third day out carried away her foretop gallant mast. Fine weather was then experienced until making the coast of Australia. She passed through Bass Straights, and had fourteen days easterly winds, sighting the Three Kings on Wednesday last. The Steinwarder brings no cargo but has 200 Government emigrants. The master of the Steinwarder, Captain Erichsen, is spoken of in the highest terms by the passengers, who have presented a testimonial to him. She was the first ship despatched from Cape Town under the so-called Waikato immigration scheme, with 200 passengers and bringing the report that 4,000 more were to follow them. The immigrants had to wait at transit camps, the ones off the Steinwarder were housed on the North Shore in a corrugated iron building which had previously been used for maori prisoners. Its facilities were totally inadequate for the 200 inhabitants. A correspondent writing in an Auckland newspaper reported that the building was 140 feet in length and was divided into three compartments.
The family compartments contained 43 sleeping cubicles 8ft 9in by 3ft 6in. There were 25 cubicles on one side and 19 on the other with a long narrow passage between. These people remained here for 3 months. On 6 Jan 1865, about 12 families were removed to Waipipi and the remaining 63 families were put in possession of their allotments at Whiriwhiri on 2 February. After staying at Devenport for some time while their sections were being surveyed, the settlers came by cutter from Onehunga to Waiuku on approximately the 12 Febr 1865 and journeyed to Pura Pura where they camped in army huts and tents until the men moved into Whiriwhiri.

VIOLA Glasgow 7 Dec 1864, arrived 4 Apr 1865
. The ship Viola, under the command of Captain Mitchell, arrived in the harbour yesterday morning from Glasgow, with a large cargo of general merchandise and 340 Government immigrants. She is consigned to Mr Walter Grahame. The Viola took her departure on the 8th December 1864 and was detained in the chops of the channel for ten days. Experienced very light N.E. and S.E. trades. Crossed the equator on the 15th January, in 29.30 W. longitude and rounded the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope on the 17th February in 40.S. latitude. Ran her easting down between the parallels of 42. And 47.S, with moderate weather, passing to the southward of Tasmania. Rounded the North Cape of New Zealand on the 27th March, and encountered heavy S.E. gales for three days. Since men line weather has prevailed. No vessels connected with the colonies were sighted during the voyage. There have been eight births and twelve deaths.


painting LANCASHIRE WITCH