1840 Early 1840 William Purves buys 2560 acres near Banks ...

15 Nov. H.M.S. Favorite leaves Wellington for Akaroa.
16 Nov. H.M.S. Favorite, Lieutenant Dunlop, enters Akaroa harbour, bringing a
personal letter to Lavaud from Hobson. Letters Patent issued under the
authority of the British Parliament make N.Z. a colony in its own right, separate
from New South Wales.
17 Nov. The Aube replies to the Favorite’s salute.
20 Nov. The repairs and the unloading of the Comte de Paris completed.
23 Nov. Father Tripe agrees to teach French to a constable in return for English lessons.
Father Tripe writes two letters to Father Colin: Father Comte is away visiting
the Maori on the peninsula. Very few people come to Mass. Lavaud and
Belligny attended, but only when Pompallier was present. A wooden chapel
will be built. The mission whale-boat has been extensively damaged. Tripe is
critical of Pompallier.
24 Nov. Father Tripe marries Louis Jules Véron and Marie Célestine Éteveneaux.
Perrigault, a sailor on the Comte de Paris, is punished. Timber for the Catholic
chapel is brought in. Lavaud draws up a list of the work done by his sailors on
the Comte de Paris. The London Gazette gives formal notification that N.Z. is a
distinct and separate colony under Governor Hobson.
25 Nov. H.M.S. Favorite leaves Akaroa.
27 Nov. Rain and hail in Akaroa in the morning.
30 Nov. Sale of the effects of Jean Pape. Robinson writes to Lavaud, requesting
assistance to make some arrests and permission to place the arrested men in
custody on the Aube. 28 armed men sent ashore at 9.15 p.m. At 11.20 p.m. they
return on board the Aube with two Englishmen, who are put in prison.
Lavaud’s dispatch (sent on the Victoria): A French colonist has had a fight with
an Englishman. After discussion with Robinson, Lavaud dealt with the case.
Pompallier spent 6 weeks as Lavaud’s guest on the Aube. Robinson, who had
already been living on the Aube for two months is now living on shore with
Belligny. Land titles are very confused. The repairs to the Comte de Paris were
recently completed. The colonists are now all in houses with wooden frames,
cob walls and roofs made either of planks or rushes. The colonists suffering
from Rochefort fever have recovered. A store and a hospital have been built.
Venereal disease spread on the Comte de Paris. Each family has cultivated half
an acre of land. Many plants are growing well. The Aube has its own acre of
garden. There are no animals. Mr Raoul (surgeon and naturalist on the Aube)
has found kahikatea, matai, rimu, tawa and miro on the peninsula. Enclosed:
Bunbury’s declaration of British sovereignty over the South Island; the Treaty
of Waitangi; letters from Duvauchelle and Ratau.