CLENDON, JAMES REDDY (1801-72), who was born at Deal, Kent, was a London merchant and shipowner, and commenced trading to New Zealand with his brother, John Chitty Clendon, at least as early as 1828. In 1831, he brought back two Maori chiefs, Taraia and Ahouiffe, to England to see the King, and also made an interesting report to Lord Goderich on conditions in New Zealand. While in command of the City of Edinburgh he had bought land in the Bay of Islands from Pomare and others in Dec 1830, and on this he settled in Sep 1832, opening a trading establishment in partnership with Samuel Stephenson at Okiato. During the official residency of Busby (q.v.), Clendon, being one of the wealthiest settlers and influential with the natives, played a prominent part. When Busby's house was attacked (May 1834), he protested against Busby's weak handling of the natives and joined his fellow settlers in petitioning for military protection. He was one of the leading agitators for the prohibition of spirits (1835), and gave a practical lead by starting all his own casks. He supported Busby, however, in his attempt to confederate the Northern chiefs, and he (not, as usually stated, James C. Clendon) was a witness to the Declaration of Independence (28 Oct 1835). In the war of 1837, he saved the lives and property of several Europeans at the Bay, and assisted the Rev Henry Williams in the peace negotiations. Buick's suggestion that Clendon acted as assistant-resident at Hokianga is mistaken. He was the first consul at Bay of Islands for the United States (1838-42). From the beginning of 1839 to Apr 1841, Clendon acted as American consul at the Bay of Islands. Though the Colonial Office had anticipated that the American government might protest against the establishment of British sovereignty, Clendon did not consider that his office obliged him to oppose Hobson's mission. On the contrary, he actively supported Busby and Williams in winning over the chiefs to the treaty of Waitangi, his influence with the natives being the greater because his office created the impression that he was disinterested. He signed the memorial witnessing Hobson's assumption of authority, and was one of the witnesses to the treaty.

The decision to fix the seat of government temporarily at Bay of Islands, and to form a government township there, gave Clendon an opportunity for profitable speculation. Felton Mathew (q.v.), acting surveyor-general, reported that Clendon's estate at Okiato (some 380 acres) was the only site in the Bay suitable for government purposes. Clendon, anticipating this, had had his land surveyed and laid out as a township, and commenced selling lots. He was willing enough to sell to the Government, and started by asking £23,000; he refused to suspend sale of lots till Hobson referred to Gipps for authority to buy; and eventually (22 Mar) he agreed to accept £15,000. The price was not unduly high compared with the speculative prices then prevailing and the very high cost of building material and labour. The buildings consisted of a comfortable dwelling house, a large store, two small cottages, and blacksmith's and carpenter's shops, valued at £13,000, the land being valued at £2,000. In the event, it proved that Clendon had not made as good a bargain as he thought. Gipps refused to sanction the purchase, the sale of lots in the government township of 'Russell' was held up sine die, and without the income from sales neither capital nor interest due to Clendon was forthcoming. He had received only the first instalment of £1,000. In Jun 1841 he was persuaded to accept £1,250 as rent plus interest on the debt to date, and 10,000 acres of government land in lieu of the capital sum still due. His selection of this land was limited, and instead of getting a block at Tamaki (near the new capital of Auckland) he had to take 10,000 acres at Papakura. The value of these lands fell sharply, to about 1/6 per acre, and in 1845 Clendon complained (in a petition to Lord Stanley), that he was the loser, in capital and accumulated interest, to the tune of nearly £18,000.

In Mar 1840 Clendon was appointed magistrate, and he was a member of the Legislative Council (1841-44). After the destruction of Kororareka, he was made police magistrate at Bay of Islands in place of Thomas Beckham. His confidential reports to the Governor throw much light on the conduct of the war in the north (1845-46), the condition of the Natives, and the intrigues of the few disaffected Europeans. His nominal census of the Bay of Islands and Hokianga districts in 1846 is an interesting compilation. He was superseded as magistrate (Dec 1846) by the senior military officer, but was reappointed in Jun 1850 and held other offices (sub-treasurer, 1850; registrar of births, etc., 1854; and inspector of police, 1859). About the end of 1861, he removed to Herd's Point (Rawene) on the Hokianga, resigning his Bay offices, and becoming magistrate, inspector of customs, and registrar at Hokianga. He was superannuated in 1866 with a pension. He continued trading till the end of his life, but latterly his affairs went badly, mainly through giving too much credit. He died at Rawene, 24 Oct 1872.

N.Z. Archives, G. 1, B.R. 1 and 2; N.Z. Gaz.; Journals L.C. of N.Z.; G.B.O.P., 1842/569; U.S. Department of State (consular service); Clendon MSS.; Felton Mathew MSS.; P.R.O., Series C.O. 202 and 209; Carleton; McNab; Whaling; McNab, Hist. Rec.; Marsden, L. and J; Ramsden; Buick, Waitangi

Reference: Volume 1, page 98

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