Harawira Mahakai

Welesyan Mission (2)

APPOINTMENTS

At the English Conference of 1839 the new recruits who were to sail on the TRITON were provisionally appointed to various stations in the South Seas.

Among these appointments the Rev. H. H. Turton was to go to Waima: the Rev. G. Smales to Orangatta: and the Rev. T. Buddle to Whaingaroa (now Raglan).

There were already resident Missioners at these stations and it was felt that, by this means, the new helpers could learn the Maori language and acc ustom themselves to the new way of life before being sent to charges of their own.

After the arrival of the TRITON these appointments were altered and one of the last acts performed by the Rev. John Bumby as Superintendent before his tragic death were the fOllowing re-arrangements.

The Rev. G. Smales was posted to Hokianga while the original appointment of the Rev. T. Buddle to Whaingaroa was confirmed.

After some months with the Rev. James Wallis at the later station the Rev. Mrs. Buddle proceeded inland to the Waipa River where it had been decided to open a new station. The first site chosen for this new station proved to be on tapu ground, so this was abandoned and land, bought at Te Kopua further south.

While the Superintendent was in Kawhia prior to starting on his overland journey which proved to end so tragically, he was approached by a chief from Aotea who entreated him to send a missionary to that district.

Though an experienced man was not available, the chief pleaded his causeso well that the superintendant appointed the newcomer, Rev. H.H. Turton, to that post. Turton had only been in the country a few weeks and had little opportunity of aquiring a knowledge of the Maori language or of native customs.

He was in no position to erect a mission station, but by travelling back and forth between Raglan and Kawhia, where he could get advice and assistance from more experienced missionaries, he laid the foundations for a mission which brought peace and prosperity to the district until the outbreak of the Maori wars of the 60's.

The SMALES FAMILY

Mary Anna Bumby was born at Thirsk, Yorkshire in 1811 and, in 1838, set out for New Zealand with her brother John Buniby who was to become the new Superintendent of Missions in that country.

Her diary covering the period from the day she left her Yorkshire home to the time when her eldest son was born in New Zealand has heen preserved by a descendant and makes fascinating reading But here we are only concerned with that part of it which has some bearing on the events leading up to the establishment of the Mission Station at Aotea.

Leaving her home on August 16th, 1838, she and her brother embarked on the sailing ship " JAMES" at Gravesend which left for New Zealand on September 20th 1838. The vessel reached the Hokianga River on March 18th 1839 and the diary gives a graphic account of Miss Bumby's first impressions of the country in those early days.

As mentioned earlier the "TRITON" arrived in May of the following year bringing among others a young single missionary named Gideon Smales. On June 1st Miss Bumby made this entry in her diary.

"Had a note from Mr. S. offering me his hand and heart. Know not what to think of it, as I dont wish to make any engagement of that kind."

At this time her brother was on a tour of southern missions stations and Miss Bumby appears to have been very concerned for his health and safety. She must have had some premonition of impending disaster because, on June 9th she made this entry.

"About two o' clock this morning I was awoke by the voice of my brother calling me by my name. I feel very unhappy about him as I am afraid all is not well with him. I thought I saw him standing by my room door, but the moment I looked up he was gone. This appears very strange to me, I hope the Lord will be his keeper and that he will come back in safety."

As mentioned previously the Rev. John Bumby Was drowned on June. 26th, and Gideon Smales had the painful task of accompanying the Rev. John Hobbs to Waitemata in an effort to recover the body but they were unsuccessful.

Miss Bumby was grief stricken and, under the sad circumstances, it is not surprising that she did not give Gideon Smales his answer to a proposal of marriage until December 22nd, when she made this entry:-

"Well I have made up my mind after much consideration and prayer to become a Missionary's wife. My soul is deeply humiliated at the thought of the responsibility of such a situation."

And so on December 29th 1840 Mary Anna Bumby was married to Gideon Smales by the Rev. J.Waterhouse at Hokianga.

The young couple were posted to the Mission Station at Pakanae and, on October 21st 1841 this entry was made:-

"By the blessing of God, I was safely delivered of a son. Mr S.and Mrs Young were my only attendants. Mr Smales sent for a doctor who lives about 10 miles off, but he was 2 hours behind time. I had no nurse for the lst 3 days except Mr Smales and then I had Mrs F White who spent a week with me."

There is only one more entry in the diary relating to a friend who was taking letters to England and then the diary ends though the book is only quarter filled. Apparently the care of children and the work of a missionary's wife left no time for the keeping of a diary.

Mrs Smales served her Church, her husband and her family faithfully for 21 more years and died at sea on her way to England on March 22nd, 1862.

Their eldest son was christened John Bumby Smales and accompanied his parents to Aotea where he received his early education at their hands. A boy of some talent he painted in 1855 a very clear little water colour of the buildings at his parents Mission Station.

This painting is still in the possession of a descendant and is probably the only picture of that station in existence. Later John Smales went to Cambridge University and graduated as a Master of Arts, which was a remarkable achievement for a lad brought up in the wilds of early New Zealand. He died at Whitby, Yorkshire; on September 16th, 1869.

A second son, Horatio Hewgill Smales was born to the missionary couple at Hokianga on December 14th, 1842. This boy also accompanied his parents when they sailed from Hokianga to Kawhia prior to taking over the Aotea circuit from the Rev. H.H. Turton. A severe storm was encountered on the way and the cabins were flooded. As a result young Horatio caught a chill and he died at Kawhia on December 1st 1843.

In Memoriam cards in the possession of descendants show that the Smales eldest daughter, Mary Anna, was born at Aotea in September 1844. Later she married a Mr. Samuel Chadwick and died at Hampton Park, East Tamaki on August 29th 1871. Another In Memoriam card Shows that another daughter, Susannah Jane (Rosie),was born at Aotea on May 12th 1847. Both are buried in the family vault in St. John's Church.

A son , Gideon Hewgill, was born at Aotea on October 31st 1848. He was thrown from his horse and killed at Hampton Park, East Tamaki and is buried in the family vault.

The third daughter, Felicia Clementina, was born at Aotea on July 11th 1850. She died at huckland on August 30th 1880 and is buried in the family vault at East Tamaki. The fourth daughter, Sophia Elizabeth, was born at Aotea on April 28th 1852. She married Charles Overton and died at Waipapa, Canterbury, N.Z. on August 18th 1866. She was buried in the Prebbleton Cemetery and a son and a daughter are still living in Christchurch.

An autograph album belonging to Mrs. Smales has been preserved and this records the following entry:

"The writer is struck with the fact that ten years have past away since first he penned a few lines in this memorial. The rush of numerous years has made a great change in his old friend now surrounded by five interesting children. May each succeeding year as it passes away find her increasing in meekness for the inheritance of the saints of light.

There may she and her beloved family at last meet to tell the wonders of redeeming love, long as eternal ages roll. Wesleyan Mission House Aotea Waikato N.Z. Dec 27th 1850."

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