Stephen Carkeek

Stephen James Carkeek (12 April 1815 – 27 November 1878) was a New Zealand civil servant, the colony's first Inspector of Customs, and the builder of the oldest-surviving observatory in the country.

Early life and Australia Carkeek was born in Swansea, Wales, on 12 April 1815; his name is Cornish, as his father Morgan was a Cornish sea captain who had moved to Swansea. Stephen Carkeek joined the Navy (possibly after attending the Royal Naval College) and in late 1837 came to New South Wales as the first officer of a convict transportation ship. Carkeek acted as a government pilot, and with Felton Mathew surveyed the Firth of Thames, the Waitematā harbour, and the Hauraki Gulf. During his time in Nelson Carkeek was known for his long trenchant letters to authorities defending the rights and duties of customs officials. He stood unsuccessfully for the three-member City of Wellington electorate in the 1855 general election. A pertinent question at the time was the power balance between central and provincial governments, with Carkeek a strong anti-provincialist. There were initially four candidates, and Charles Clifford and William Fitzherbert tried to talk Robert Hart into forming a group to oppose Carkeek. When Hart decided to team up with Carkeek, the other two looked for a third candidate for their team and recruited the Superintendent of the Wellington Province, Isaac Featherston. Carkeek and Hart were narrowly beaten, with Carkeek 14 votes behind Fitzherbert (258 votes to 244). Carkeek was appointed Commissioner of Customs in 1858 and New Zealand's first Secretary and Inspector of Customs in 1865, and was responsible for opening a customs service on the Chatham Islands in 1856. The Wellington Independent noted at the time:S. Carkeek, Esq., Inspector of H.M. Customs for the Colony of New Zealand has resigned his appointment, and after a service of many years retires into private life. By his kindness and urbanity, Mr. Carkeek has endeared himself to many in this city, and it will be with feelings of unfeigned regret that the announcement of his retirement is learnt. For some time past severe indisposition has prevented Mr. Carkeek attending to his duties, and even now, though in a great measure convalescent, he is far from well.In his retirement in Featherston, Carkeek was heavily involved in the community: a magistrate, chairman of the local school committee, and member of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. What happened to his "numerous valuable notes and observations", promised to the Wairarapa Standard just weeks before he died, is unknown.