MEIN SMITH, Capt. William 1798–1869

Born Cape Town: served in England, Canada and Gibraltar. Was appointed Surveyor-General to the New Zealand Company in 1839, arriving Wellington 1840. Laid out the first settlement at Petone and the site of Wellington: took part in political life after settling down in the Wairarapa. A collection of his early pen and ink sketches are in Turnbull; also a fine oil panorama of Wellington Harbour 1841.