James Busby
James Busby
Supporter of NZ Independence and drafter of the Waitangi treaty.
From Wikipedia
“James Busby (7 February 1802 – 15 July 1871) was the British Resident in New Zealand from 1833 to 1840. He was involved in drafting the 1835 Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand and the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. As British Resident, he acted as New Zealand's first jurist and the "originator of law in Aotearoa", to whom New Zealand "owes almost all of its underlying jurisprudence".[3] Busby is regarded as the "father" of the Australian wine industry, as he brought the first collection of vine stock from Spain and France to Australia”
He was also quite the land purchaser.
Two hundred and seventy acres, more or less, situated at Waitangi, on the western shore of the Bay of Islands. Consideration - goods and money to the amount of £80 6s. 6d Sydney prices
Twenty-five acres, more or less, situated at Waitangi, on the western shore of the Bay of Islands. Consideration - goods to the amount of £37 4s Sydney prices
Five hundred acres, more or less, situated I on the western shore of the Bay of Islands. Consideration - goods to the amount of £13 5s Sydney prices
Two thousand acres, more or less, situated in the district of Waitangi, at the Bay of Islands. Consideration - cash and goods to the amount of £2l 7s. 6d., Sydney prices
One hundred acres, more or less, situated in the district of Waitangi. Consideration - cash and goods to the amount of £21 10s., Sydney prices.
Sixty acres, more or less, situated in the district of Waitangi, at the Bay of Islands. Consideration - cash and goods to the amount of £21 7s. 6d., Sydney prices
James Busby, as above, claimant. 5,000, Five thousand acres, more or less, situated near the Bay of Islands. Consideration - Cash and goods to the amount of £112. 14s. (Sydney Prices)
One hundred and fifty acres, more or less, situated in the neighbourhood of the Bay of Islands. Consideration - goods to the amount of £62 12s. (Sydney prices).
James Busby, as above, claimant. 25,000, Twenty-five thousand acres, more or less, situated at Wangarei or Bream Bay. Consideration—cash and goods to the amount of £193 0s. 6d. (Sydney prices.)
Source - here
Quite the lark.
Here’s James Busby.
Like the missionaries in Hawaii, they came to do good, and did extremely well.
James Busby certainly purchased a vast quantity of land in New Zealand.
I wonder if any of it is still owned by any family members?
Also, who would he have employed to work on it?
Is there a Park, or something else, named after him?
It is fascinating about the origins of wine stock for Australia.