GOULAND, HENRY GODFREY (1801-77) was born in London and in 1812 went to Cape of Good Hope with his parents. On the death of his father (1818) he entered the store of John Murray, and was in business in Cape Town for a few years. In 1823 he married Mary Ann Mackie (died 1827), and in 1826 he went to India, where he married (1832) Jessie Burn. In 1838 he was head assistant in the chief pay office and in 1840 was appointed assistant-registrar in the judicial department.

In 1841 Gouland bought two allotments in the Nelson colony, and in 1847 he left India and arrived in Wellington by the London. Crossing to Nelson in the ketch Supply, he met Fox, Wakefield and Domett and arranged about his land orders, withdrawing his money from the Nelson Bank on the day it closed (25 Oct 1847). Gouland selected at the Wairau, and in Apr 1848 got his stock from Sydney. He was gazetted a justice of the peace. On 25 Nov the Triumph passed up the Opawa river, the first vessel to cross the bar. Being unfortunate in his first season, and losing money in a London bank failure, Gouland gave up the run and accepted the post of sub-collector of customs at Port Victoria (Aug 1849). There he received the Godleys, Sir George and Lady Grey and the first settlers (Dec 1850). In 1851 he was transferred to Akaroa. In 1854 he was appointed provincial secretary and auditor, member of the executive and for a short time inspector of schools. As provincial secretary Gouland advocated the establishment of a windlass worked by bullocks at the top of the Bridle Track to assist traffic until such time as the province could afford to construct the tunnel.

Early in 1855 Gouland resigned and returned to Wairau where he was appointed magistrate. In 1857 he became magistrate at Collingwood for the new goldfields. In 1860 he was transferred to Lyttelton where in 1861 he was appointed immigration officer. In 1862 he married Caroline, daughter of David Johnston. In Aug he was elected M.P.C. for Tuamarina, and agreed to accept the speakership and provincial treasurership from Sinclair and Eyes. The constitutional struggle between Eyes and Baillie prevented him from entering upon either office. Meeting with losses from floods and thistles, he sold out in 1863 and bought sections on the Waimea road, Nelson. In 1865 Gouland visited England, returning in 1866. He died on 11 Nov 1877.

Canterbury Proc. and Gaz.; Marlborough Gaz.; Buick, Marlborough; personal information from W. E. Redman and A. D. McIntosh.

Reference: Volume 1, page 172

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