Page:Reminiscences of Earliest Canterbury 1915.pdf/10



In April, 1843, when the author’s father landed in Pigeon Bay, there were between fifty and sixty Maoris permanently settled there on the eastern side. For some reason they do not appear to have ever been a prolific race, for although those Pigeon Bay Natives were, for the most part, married, there were not more than some three or four families in the Native settlement who had any children, and, of those who had, four was the largest number.

Those Pigeon Bay Maoris were, in the main, peaceful and honest, and gave very little trouble. They were good workers, and did all the bushfalling, subsequently planting potatoes and sowing wheat or oats.

Sir George Grey set aside 125 acres as a reserve for them, and although this constituted the best section in the Bay, they would not take it, alleging as a reason that part of the Bay was “tapu” owing to Te Rauparaha having, during the thirties, slain