“[Robert Heaton]Rhodes (otherwise Bob the nipper)was there. What a different version one hears of the same story. It had been told greatly to [John] Deans’ credit that when the first 4 ships came out Deans supplied the settlers with meat at 6d a lb, whilst Rhodes [pictured] raised the price to 8d a lb which was considered an unfair and nipping transaction. Rhodes gave his account of it. He said the first proposal to raise the price came from Deans himself, that he had all along supplied meat at 4 1/2d. That he agreed with Deans to fix the price at 6d. That he would have supplied it at that but that [John Robert] Godley threatened him with opposition contracts from Wellington when he raised the price out of a kind of revenge”.
Written by Henry Sewell (Deputy Director of Canterbury Association) about pre-adamite settlers Robert Heaton Rhodes of Purau (arrived 1849) and John Deans of Riccarton (arrived 1843). John Robert Godley was co-founder of the Canterbury Association so considered as the founder of Canterbury ~ 31st May 1853.
*text taken from The Journal Of Henry Sewell 1853 – 57*
