23 Dec 2013

The Mayflower of New Zealand

From Afternoons, 2:22 pm on 23 December 2013

Most of us can name the ship that brought the first actual group of Europeans to settle in America. The Mayflower. But the name of the ship that brought the first non-missionary settlers to New Zealand? The brig 'Active' sailed into the Bay of Islands in 1814 with Reverend Samuel Marsden onboard. Most of us know that from our history lessons. What we don't recall is that the Active also brought the first group of non-missionary settlers here. The descendants of Thomas Hansen - who captained the ship that sailed from Sydney - want to remind us of that. The Hansen family has loaned an intricate replica of the 'Active' to the Waitangi National Trust in the Bay of Islands to help remind us all about this chapter of our history. Stan Hansen is the great great great grandson of Thomas Hansen and talks with Jim Mora.