Land Dispute

Norfolk Is. Find

Discovery Of Old Document Settles Land Dispute

By Robert Langdon

The discovery in New Zealand recently of an historic document on the granting of land to the original settlers on Norfolk Island from Pitcairn has finally settled an argument that has cropped up from time to time for more than 100 years.

THE Norfolk Islanders have fre quently claimed that the whole of the island was given to them un reservedly by the British authorities.

But the recently-discovered document proves that this was not the case.

The document is a letter dated June 25, 1856, from Captain Stephen G. Fremantle setting out the condi tions under which the land at Nor folk was transferred to the Pit cairners. , .

Captain Fremantle, who was the senior Naval officer on the Australian station, anchored off Norfolk Island in HMS Juno on June 23, 1856—15 days after the first settlers arrived from Pitcairn in the ship Morayshire.

Subject to Governor His letter was addressed to the chief magistrate of the Pitcairners.

Mr. Frederick Young. It read: “All arrangements made by me community of Pitcairn Islanders as to the distribution of the land on Nor folk Island are to be subject to the approval of H.E. Sir W. T. Denison, Governor Genl. of N.S.W.

“The whole of the coast line in cluding the jetties; & the roads now made thro’out the Island are to be reserved as public property.

“The following buildings are also to be retained as belonging to H.M.

Governt.

The gaol The Government House The Chaplains House “Also 200 acres of cleared land at Longridge for a glebe and 500 acres elsewhere.

“The Islanders however are not de barred from making any temporary use of the above mentioned grounds & buildings. They are to understand

that they are not allotted as prop to any individual.

“This is communicated by direc of H.E. the Governor General.”

Stephen G. Fremantle Captain of H.M.S. Jur Senior Officer in Austi Norfolk Island June 25 1856 Captain Fremantle’s letter found by Mrs. Merval Hoare, of I folk Island, among a collection Bishop Selwyn’s correspondence cently deposited at the Auckland stitute and Museum Library as a 1 in perpetuity by the Bishop of Ai land, the Right Rev. E, A. Gow Bishop Selwyn was Bishop of I Zealand and head of the Melane Mission from 1841 to 1861.

The Melanesian Mission was first body to obtain a grant of 1 on Norfolk after the arrival of Pitcairners. The Islanders hotly puted the right of the Governor New South Wales to make this gi at the time.