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Historical Records of New Zealand

Rev. S. Marsden to Rev. J. Pratt

Rev. S. Marsden to Rev. J. Pratt.

Parramatta, January 15th, 1823

Rev. and dear Sir,—

I have the pleasure to inform you that Mr. and Mrs. Clark arrived here a few months ago. They are very promising young people. I have deemed it prudent for the present to detain them in the colony until things in New Zealand are a little more settled. When remonstrating with Mr. Kendall on the impropriety of his conduct in bartering muskets with the natives he attempted to justify the measure by informing me that the Society was going to send out to Shunghee a gunsmith named Mr. Clark. I told him Mr. Clark would not be allowed to come to N. Zealand upon those terms, for I should retain him in the colony. I am persuaded it will be better for the present to keep him here until I write to N. Zealand, and inform Mr. Kendall and Shunghee that Mr. Clark must not come to N. Zealand, if they expect him to be employed in making muskets. It will be better to settle this point with them while Mr. Clark is here. I have put him in charge of the native institution from the first of January where he is usefully employed, and will be no expense to the Society while he remains on that situation. I beg to refer you to Mr. Francis Hall for further information about Mr. and Mrs. Clark. Though there are and have been great difficulties in the mission at N. Zealand, yet time will remove them. They will daily diminish, and I think the worst is over. I wish Mr. Francis Hall would be prevailed upon to return, to take charge of all the stores and to manage the secular interests of the Society. He is so excellent a character, he could not be more usefully employed. Should the Rev. Mr. Williams come out it is my present intention to fix him, and Mr. and Mrs. Clark, with another tribe at some distance from the present missionaries. I purpose also to direct Mr. William Hall to accompany them. Mr. Kendall and Mr. Hall will never be happy together.…I have not time to write much as I am going off this morning to the Derwent. Should a suitable person be met with to fill Mr. Clark’s present situation at the native institution it would be well to send him out as soon as possible. Whoever comes must be a married man.…

I am, &c.,

Samuel Marsden

Rev. J. Pratt.