My gggrandfather, according to family lore, jumped ship in NZ in 1853 and changed his name from Charles Short to Charles Stephenson. I have DNA matches with Short cousins so that part is OK but the next part of the story is that the NZ Governor at the time offered him immunity from prosecution for jumping ship if he joined the Auckland Naval Volunteers - which he did. My question is - has anyone heard of this "arrangement" before? I have heard that "jumping ship" was not unusual and one way of immigrating to New Zealand. I look forward to your comments and assistance. Thank you Angela

Have not heard of that "arrangement."Reminds me of the movie Green Dolphin Street. The book is better. Tuapeka Times 8 April 1896 Page 6 MISSING FRIENDS. The following inquiries as to missing friends are from 'Lloyd's "Weekly' of February 2 and 9 : — Charles Stephenson seeks sisters or relatives of Charles Stephenson, Alfred Edward, and William Short, who went to New Zealand and Australia many years ago. New Zealander 3 July 1863 Page 7 STEPHENSON — In Chapel-street, on the 7th June, Edward William, infant son of Charles Stephenson, aged nine months. Desertions by seamen from both merchantmen and warships in harbour were common, particularly in the gold rush era in Australia, (1850s), New Zealand (1862+). He is not listed Books Melton, Jim Ship's Deserters 1852-1900; Including Stragglers, Strays & Absentees from HM Ships 1986 544pp Library of Australia 17 Mitchell St, Sydney, NSW. Indexed 10,000 desertions and absences by seamen throughout the Australian colonies - from NSW Government Gazette and NSW Police Gazette, which took over the role of reporting desertions in 1862. From June 1864 desertions from the New Zealand began to feature in the notices. Only about 400 where ever captured. Peak period for desertions were the 1880s. Includes a ships index. Many where from H.M. Ships. http://web.archive.org/web/20060621012805/http://freepages.history.rootsweb. com/~ausnavy/Deserters.htm Sexton, Rae The Deserters: Military and Naval Deserters as Settlers in Australia and New Zealand 1800 - 1865. Magill, S.A.: Australasian Maritime Historical Society, 1984. Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand, Volume 3 1894 H23B Claims under the Naval and military Settlers and Volunteers' Land Act 1892. He is not listed. Online google books keyword auckland naval volunteers On 2 August 2018 at 08:40, Angela Reed via NEW-ZEALAND < new-zealand@rootsweb.com> wrote: > My gggrandfather, according to family lore, jumped ship in NZ in 1853 and > changed his name from Charles Short to Charles Stephenson. I have DNA > matches with Short cousins so that part is OK but the next part of the > story is that the NZ Governor at the time offered him immunity from > prosecution for jumping ship if he joined the Auckland Naval Volunteers - > which he did. My question is - has anyone heard of this "arrangement" > before? I have heard that "jumping ship" was not unusual and one way of > immigrating to New Zealand. > > I look forward to your comments and assistance. > Thank you > Angela > >