Chapter III.
1849–1850.
Preparation for Arrival of Settlers.
Choice of site for Capital—Origin of names of Christchurch and Avon—Mr. Edward Jollie’s survey work—Planning Christchurch—Naming the streets—Canterbury Association’s Charter—Arrival of Mr. Godley, and his first impressions-Work stopped for want of funds——Difficulties in London—Small area of land only applied for—Surrender of its Charter by New Zealand Company—Society of Canterbury Colonists—“Canterbury Papers”—Riccarton.
Captain Thomas arrived at Port Cooper in July, 1849. His first proposal was to establish Christchurch, the capital city, at the head of the harbour on the flat ground beyond Governor’s Bay. Port Lyttelton was to be farther up the harbour than it is at present, near the Maori Settlement of Raupaki. The present site of Christchurch was to be occupied by a subordinate town, to be named Stratford. All this is shown in a map prepared at the time, in which the harbour of Lyttelton is named “Port Victoria,” and a road marked connecting the proposed sites of Christchurch and Stratford via Dyer’s Pass. But after a more deliberate survey, it was recognised that the town on the Avon, commanding the trade of the Canterbury Plains, wags likely to become the principal
