Was Banks Covering

Up For Others?

By W. G. Coppell

Charles Wells Banks is undoubtedly a character of some interest in the short European history of the Cook Islands, and the mystique of his American adventures have given him a legendary aura. But did he in fact steal that cash “in excess of $20,000?” We have a poster which says he did. He himself said he didn’t.

I got interested in the Banks’ story as a result of the stranding on the reef off Black Rock, Rarotonga, in 1966 of the Canadian ketch Trenda way. William Heather of Arorangi undertook the salvage of the vessel.

For the best part of a week William directed upwards of 100 Maori and European helpers as the vessel was manhandled along the reef, and suc cessfully re-launched in a small pas sage which had been blasted some years previously for fishing canoes.

That evening William invited a group of Europeans who had been active in the salvage work to a feast in his house at Arorangi. During the evening there was much talk of ship wrecks and adventures and I men tioned that I had been compiling a history of Cook Islands shipping.

William produced a box containing a set of old diaries and asked me my opinion of them.

These were diaries written by Charles W. Banks, extending over

more than a decade from 1892, which meticulously recorded weather information, shipping news and items of gossip. I was able to persuade William that the diaries should be properly preserved and he allowed me to take possession of them for the Cook Islands Library and Museum Society, of which I was the secretary.

It appears that there are still others of these diaries in private hands in Rarotonga, but a number of appeals for them to be placed in the museum have been unsuccessful, and the pity is that unless a change of heart takes place the remaining diaries will eventually be lost.

It is worth while turning back to the 1897 inquiry into the Administra tion of the Cook Islands to see what the contemporary evidence was about Banks’ character and background.

The inquiry was conducted by Sir James Prendergast, and among other questions the judge examined a petition signed by Messrs. Kohn, Piltz, Taylor and the Craig brothers, which objected to the fact that John Scard (alias Banks), being the Gov ernment Auditor, was also manager for Donald and Edenborough, who were the bankers for the Cook Islands Government, that he assisted the Postmaster in sorting letters, assisted the Licensing Officer and the Customs Officer and that in his capacity of Government Auditor he was auditing his own books.

F. J. Moss, the British Resident, in defence, stated that “Mr. Scard was appointed Government Auditor in July, 1891, then being in business as an accountant and having charge of the books and accounts of rival trading firms by whom he was thoroughly trusted.” For his duties as Government Auditor, Banks was paid £l5 per annum, and Moss said he had been moved to appoint Banks to a position of trust as he was not a drinking man.

Mr. C. Kohn was one of Banks’ main critics at the inquiry, but he had to reply in the negative when the judge asked “whether he has heard a word against Mr. Scard during 13 years.”

Captain Emil Piltz gave evidence which throws light on the question of the interest detectives showed in Banks: “He arrived here (in the Cook Islands) 10 or 11 years ago; he

went round the group and stayed at Atiu. I knew him well at that island.

My vessel was under the American flag at the time, sailing between Cook Islands and San Francisco.

“Mr. Scard, at Atiu, gave me a letter and trusted me with several inquiries to be made in San Francisco, and the letter, on arrival, after making inquiries, was to be torn up, so as to prevent inquiry.

“During my stay in San Francisco, I had no end of detectives and police men running after me and guarding my ship day and night, wishing me to inform them where Mr, Scard or Banks was. This letter intrusted me by Mr. Scard informed me not to reveal what island he lived on at the time, which I did not do. I was called on by policemen and asked to inform where he was.

“I told Mr. Scard on my return of this. He told me to tear up all he had intrusted me. He made no comment. I heard that he was wanted by Wells, Fargo, and Co., Bankers.

He said he knew it. This was 1892.

Mr. Moss may not have known of this till now.”

Moss’ evidence throws a different light upon the reasons for Banks’ exile in the Cook Islands: “In 1891 Mr. Exham [who had been British Consul] pointed out Mr.

Scard to me. He told me that he had been officially offered $l,OOO if he would go back to San Francisco, the object being that he should give evidence against others high up in Wells, Fargo, and Co., who had been speculating largely with the firm’s money, and whose wrongdoings Mr.

Scard, as book-keeper, had lent him self to conceal. Mr. Exham told me that when he offered this to Mr.

Scard he said, ‘Not for a hundred times the money; they have been my best friends’.”

Sir James Prendergast accepted the Moss version of the story without any doubts and in his official report to the New Zealand government said, “Mr. Scard’s manner impressed me favourably. I should myself, had I been a resident of Rarotonga, have been disinclined to rake up this mis conduct against Mr. Scard, unless I had had good reasons to think that his conduct at Rarotonga had been open to question.”

Banks and Moss, the British Resident, were good friends, and Banks was later an ardent supporter

of Moss during developments which led to Moss’ removal from the Cooks, and his replacement by Colonel W.

E. Gudgeon.

When Moss returned to New Zea land Banks wrote to his friend by every mail from October 10, 1898, until Moss’ death in 1904. These letters are preserved in the Moss Papers held by the Auckland Museum and Institute and provide more evidence about Banks. In his letter of October 10, 1898, he signs him self “Jno. Scard” and on November 8, he tells Moss that he has tendered his resignation as Government Auditor. On December 6, he relates that his resignation has been accepted and that confusion is being caused on Rarotonga by his use of the names Scard and Banks.

Banks worked hard to support Moss in his campaign for vindication, and in his letters he provides Moss with information about Gudgeon’s actions both before and after the annexation of the Cook Islands to New Zealand.

On December 3, 1899, Banks says, “This Scard-Banks business makes complications. I do not know which name to use, so have arranged the second sheet so you can use which you think best.”

In December, 1898, Banks was given twelve months notice by Donald and Edenborough and he fell on hard days thereafter. He managed to survive an attempt to deport him along with the other Europeans Ellis, Peter Cowan, Mac Alister, Henry Nicholas, and Sherman. On May 3, 1904, he wrote to Moss that he was making efforts to obtain a pension from the US Government for his war service.

But since that was the year of Moss’ death, that is where the cor respondence ends.

Perhaps the full story will be told one day.