Letter, Captain H.C. Balneavis to Lieut-General Wynyard

This item comes from a collection of letters, covers and other historical material which Te Papa has acquired from Gerald Ellott at various times since 2001. The collection includes items from as early as 1818, but most relate to the New Zealand Wars period (1845-1872) and particularly the 1860s. 

Gerald is one of New Zealand’s foremost postal historians, and for nearly sixty years has been collecting, researching and exhibiting the early postal history of New Zealand. He was invited to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1988, is a recipient of the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie Research Medal, and was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to philately in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The New Zealand Wars collection includes letters written by soldiers serving in British regiments in New Zealand, as well as letters from members of colonial militia and volunteer units. The content and context of the letters provide a wealth of historical, social and military information about this period. The postal markings on the letters and envelopes are also informative, allowing us to track the movement of British troops and the opening up of post offices in their wake.

Many items in the collection are mounted and annotated on archival pages. Gerald wrote the annotations for the purposes of display and storytelling. They reflect his views and the language of the time, and Te Papa has not reviewed them for accuracy.

Transcript:

[Outside of entire]

[Four Queen Victoria Chalon Heads New Zealand sixpence stamps in black ink, cancelled with four Perkins Bacon No. 1 (Auckland) obliterators over top]

[Large manuscript 1/8 indicating one shilling and eightpence to be paid]

[Manuscript endorsement: “Via Mauritius”]

[Postmarks: “AUCKLAND / 9MY9 / 1862 / B / NEW ZEALAND”; “CAPE TOWN / SP15 / 1862 / CAPE OF GOOD HOPE”]

His Excellency
Lieut General Wynyard C.B.
Lieut Governor
Cape of Good Hope

[Inside of entire]

[[Recvd?] 20 Sep/62]

[?]6 May 62

My dear General.
I recd your letter relative to [N?] – I went to the Bank and found out, that £96 had been stopped in England which the Manager and I conclude has been paid into your acct at [Cose?] the Balance of £170 by £77 is in the Bank here to the credit of [N?] – I send you a statement of your acct – you will [?] that you have yet to get the rest from pv Stafford about £80 – which he will pay when he comes up & it will be placed to your credit. I also you have to get £3-4-0 from Graham the sale of your house has been completed & fortunately I got Fenton to look at the deeds before taking them over, as there was a [?], but which was rectified. It was a legal point. Gladdy is quite well – and getting on well. Coromandel will be a great gold field. I saw a piece of gold and quartz which sold for £60. Plenty diggers are there and more are coming. The road is nearly made to the Waikato. I am going to live in & take charge of forest House. What do you think of that! For 4 months during the time Sir Geo is along to meet the House of Representatives in Wellington.

[Written vertically along gaps in folds of entire: “You know Sir Geo has purchased the Island of / Kawau – He is going to make it a splendid place.”]

Your are lucky in getting your house sold, as it wanted at least £80 laid out on it it the interest you get is only 8 per cent, but remember that about £200,000 has been sent out to invest here, and interest written in the last few months has fallen 10/ is the highest on good security -
My dear General I have 57 letters to answer & write this at 12 o’clock at night, so you must excuse me – there’s no news. the natives are quiet – but still Taranaki is not settled. the King party are diminishing – Coromandel may bid us to trouble. My daughter goes down to Wellington with Mrs Layard, she is a very pretty ladylike girl and much admired. I am trying to settle [?] affairs which are very intricate.
Cooper is at Rangitihui [?]. there is a dreadful Despatch from the Duke of Newcastle to be published in the Gazette relative to the seduction of a native girl. with kind remembrances to Mrs Wynyard Reb. [?] me yours very sincerely H.C. Balneavis.