Waterford-man was the first governor of New Zealand, writes Eugene Doyle

 

William Hobson, who was born in Waterford on 26th September, 1792, was the first governor of New Zealand. Hobson came from a well-to-do family. His father, Samuel Hobson, was a barrister, and there were many careers open to young Hobson, who was intelligent and ambitious.

William Hobson chose to make his career in the Royal Navy and he joined up at the age of nine. He became a midshipman five years later, and in 1834, at the age of forty-two, he rose to the position of captain. He had been commended as an ‘officer of great merit and intelligence’. He served at the North Sea, West Indies, North America, English Channel and Mediterranean stations.

He took part in the Napoleonic Wars in 1809 and in the war with the United States in 1812-14. His ship the Peruvian took Napoleon to exile on the island of St. Helena in 1815. He was involved as a skipper in the suppression of piracy in the West Indies, and he was captured twice by pirates, at whose hands he suffered much ill-treatment before making his daring escape. In Australia, he surveyed Port Philip, the northern part of which was named Hobson’s Bay after him.

It is no exaggeration to say that his naval career was filled with excitement and international adventure. However, he paid a heavy price in ill-health after suffering three bouts of yellow fever, the scourge of those who had to serve in the tropics.

After a remarkable navy career, William Hobson became New Zealand’s first Governor. He had already been sent to New Zealand in 1837 to investigate reports that tribal warfare was threatening the lives of British subjects.
Following his visit, he had produced a report that was so impressive that when it was decided to appoint a Consul in New Zealand, the post was offered to Hobson. After giving the matter some consideration, Hobson accepted.

His instructions were to take the necessary constitutional steps to establish a British colony in New Zealand. He was to obtain land from the Maori ‘by fair and equal contracts’ and given discretion to acquire sovereignty over the ‘whole or any parts’ of New Zealand that the Maori might wish to cede. He was sworn in as Lieut.-Governor of New South Wales in Sydney and arrived in New Zealand on 29th January, 1840.

When he returned as Consul, he immediately set about making arrangements to draw up a treaty with his secretary, James Freeman, and James Busby, the British Resident, who felt threatened by wars between Maori tribes. The work was carried out at what was to become known as Treaty House.

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