CAFLER, EDOUARD EUGENE (1798-1893) was born at Douai, France, and as a young man serving in the army was present at Waterloo in the ambulance service. His father was much interested in beetroot sugar and was commissioned by Napoleon to inquire into its manufacture. Educated at the Ecole de Commerce, Edouard went into business and in 1832 left for Mauritius, where he spent a few years purchasing cargoes of sugar and disposing of them in the East and the Australian colonies.

Suffering an attack of yellow fever in China, he came to Bay of Islands to recuperate (1840), and bought land in Kororareka. He traded successfully with the natives until Heke's war (1845), when he lost most of his property and left for Auckland. Heke returned his horse and some other property, but Cafler sailed in the French corvette Rhin for Akaroa (1846), and afterwards for France. In 1848 he was again in Mauritius, where he spent five years. Then he settled in Sydney, making trading voyages to Auckland and Kaipara, and eventually starting business in Whangarei. There he prospered for a few years but his premises being burned down, he sold out and retired to his farm at Sans Souci, where he died on 20 Feb 1893. He was twice married.

Cycl. N.Z., ii (p); Buick, French at Akaroa; N.Z. Herald, 22 Feb 1893

Reference: Volume 1, page 82

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