BIRTHPLACE OF COMMERCE.

Cyril Skilton from Onehunga Fencible & Historical Society Inc.

Those visiting Onehunga from the city pass Cornwall Park with its statue of Sir John Logan Campbell, the donor of the land which comprises One Tree Hill and park. Lightly called the “Father of Auckland” he did much for the city during his long life. But it is not generally known that even … View moreThose visiting Onehunga from the city pass Cornwall Park with its statue of Sir John Logan Campbell, the donor of the land which comprises One Tree Hill and park. Lightly called the “Father of Auckland” he did much for the city during his long life. But it is not generally known that even before Auckland was, this gentleman had completed the first commercial transaction to ever take place on the isthmus.

How the deal was consummated and what lead up to it is told by the late Dr. Logan Campbell in his book, “Poenamu”. Sir John (then Dr.) Campbell and his close associate, Mr. Brown, had bought and were living on Brown's Island, at the mouth of the Tamaki, when, one day they saw a small topsail schooner coming round North Head and steering straight for Orakei. She lay there until sunset with unfurled sails, but in the, morning she had departed. A few days later the same craft reappeared off Orakei, but this time she did not even anchor, but only stood off and on, while her boats made trips ashore, and then she sailed away again.


The incident aroused considerable interest to the two young men on the island, who came to the conclusion that the schooner had come from Kororareka (Russell) the then seat of Government, and that her business had something to do with fixing the site of the future capital.

About this time Dr. Campbell had made arrangements with the pakeha¬-Maori owner of a small sailing-craft to run him up the Tamaki, haul his goods over to Otahuhu portage, and into the Manukau. Here they found a canoe into which they transferred the merchandise and dropped down to the Ngatiwhatuas kumara grounds and fishing station at Onehunga. Here all the tribe were assembled, when it was announced that the, pakeha had come to make a deal for pigs and a small supply of potatoes and Kumeras. Spreading out his stock in trade, consisting of blankets, shirts, calico, spades etc. to tempt the owners of pigs to drive them to market, the young traders sat down and began to whistle.

The natives started to, “tapu" everything on display" but no pigs seemed to be forthcoming. At last the old chief, Kawau, came to close quarters and enquired, "How many dollars for this blanket?”. “Dollars," thought Campbell, "How the deuce does the old fellow come to talk of dollars, when I want pigs?"

After a little more korero, the old chief again asked "Ehiai?" (how many) while fumbling with the corner of the blanket he wore, and which at last he succeeded in opening, when out there jerked into his lap, quite a shower of glittering sovereigns!

And again, with a broad grin, he repeated in his most mellifluous tone, "How many dollars?"

The doctor then realised that old Kawau really meant what he said, but he was completely at sea as to where all the sovereigns came from. Noticing his consternation, the old chief explained, "Payment for land”.

"What land?” "For this land and the Waitemata land”, replied Kawau quietly. "We have been to Kororareka to get the utu and sign the pubapuka, and this is some of the money.”

The doctor then indulged in an extempore war dance shouting "Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" the isthmus is bought, the capital fixed, "Hurrah!" Here then was the explanation of the mysterious little topsail schooner off Orakai.

Settling down to business again, the deal was closed, by the pioneer of Auckland’ s trade coming away from Onehunga with thirty golden sovereigns in his pocket, and sixty pigs driven on foot, in exchange for his blankets, calico, shirts and spades.
Thus, in this primitive and humble fashion was evolved at Onehunga to on the shores of the Manukau 100 years ago, the embryo of that mighty volume of commerce that now spreads its beneficent influence to all quarters of the civilized world.