TURNER, BENJAMIN EVANS (1796-1876) was born in Worcester, England; learned the trade of a carpenter, and at the age of 24 went to sea. He first reached New Zealand in a whaler in 1822 and, being wrecked at Chalky Island, settled for some years on Stewart Island, where he engaged in sealing and whaling. He claimed to have been the first white man to engage in the trade in dried human heads. In 1826 Turner engaged with Captain Stewart at Bay of Islands to work at his establishment at Stewart Island. He went there in the Prince of Denmark and assisted to build the schooner Joseph Weller. About 1828 he came to the North Island, making his headquarters at Kapiti and engaging in the timber trade. He travelled widely amongst the tribes and eventually crossed overland from Wanganui to the East Coast. He arrived at Bay of Islands again in the brig Bee (1833) and settled there, establishing sawmills and a tavern. He became chairman of the vigilance committee which maintained order on the beach, and later he assisted to arrest the murderer Maketu. In 1840 Turner signed the address of congratulation from the white residents at the Bay to Captain Hobson on his assuming office as Governor. In 1842 he was wounded in the arm in a duel with J. S. Polack. In 1844 he sailed his own schooner to Sydney with despatches and during Heke's rising he had lucrative contracts for supplying the troops.

Turner represented Bay of Islands in the Auckland Provincial Council (1861-62). He afterwards removed to Auckland, where he died on 4 Oct 1876.

N.Z. Archives, B.R., p. 108; Auckland P.C. Proc.; McNab, Murihiku; Southern Cross, 24 May 1871; N.Z. Herald, 3 May 1873, 6 Oct 1876, 16 Apr 1883, 1 Jun 1895.

Reference: Volume 2, page 205

🌳 Further sources