HOPPER, EDWARD BETTS (d. 1840) of Dover, was first associated with Dr G. S. Evans in 1832. He was a moving spirit in the South Australia Company and in 1837 E. G. Wakefield introduced him as the projector of that scheme. He was one of the promoters of the New Zealand Company and was a member of the Church of England Society, of the committee of the first colony and of the provisional committee formed in Wellington after the landing. He arrived in the Oriental (Jan 1840), and entered into partnership with H. W. Petre and F. A. Molesworth in a mercantile firm at the Hutt, which established a flourmill and sawmill and had a millwright and engineering shop at work in June. Hopper had considerable landed interests in the province and was a director of the bank. He was drowned in the Hutt river on 17 Sep 1840, while working timber for the mill.

Ward (p). MS journal in Turnbull Library.

Reference: Volume 1, page 223

🌳 Further sources