A career law enforcement officer

Sergeant John Nash in July 1887 wearing his police uniform. Note the sergeant stripes, the two medals and the number 1 above the emblem of his hat. Nelson Provincial Museum, W E Brown Collection: 16898

John Nash arrived in New Zealand in 1845 with the 65th Regiment of the British Army.  In our glass plate negative collection, we hold an image of Nash wearing a New Zealand Wars medal inscribed with "Horokiwi" along the top bar. That particular battle took place in August 1846, between British Forces and Ngāti Toa at Horokiwi in the Hutt region of the North Island.

Nash joined the Nelson Provincial Armed Constabulary Force (ACF) in 1857 and by 1866 he was Second Sergeant and third in command of the Nelson Provincial Police Force. In June that same year, the country was shocked by the murder of five gold prospectors on the Maungatapu Track. The crime that became known as the ‘Maungatapu Murders’ was committed by a group of four men who were more commonly referred to as ‘The Burgess Gang’.   

Nash played an essential role in finding the gang as they were hiding out in Nelson waiting for a ship to New Plymouth. Nash also recovered the firearms used in the crime partly by creating “sundry obstacles” to the large number of people - whom upon hearing the confession of one of the murderers - went out to recover them. Three of the four gang members were executed while the fourth who had informed on the others had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment, which was pardoned 10 years later.

On 4 August 1867 Sergeant Nash was promoted from Second Sergeant to First Sergeant of the ACF and was presented with this gold fob watch, which we now hold in our Collection.  This was also given as an acknowledgement of the work he did in apprehending the Burgess Gang and recovering the firearms used in the heinous murders.   The watch is engraved with ‘No 1 / John Nash / ACF / Nelson NZ / 4th August 1867’. 

In 1886, the Police Act was introduced which created New Zealand’s first national civil police force. The newly formed New Zealand Police Force replaced the ACF and the Armed Police Force (APF). The APF, which Nash was allegedly a member, was a colony-wide paramilitary style police force formed in context with the Land Wars to defend against attack and was made up of both Pākehā and Māori members. Unlike the APF. the newly formed New Zealand Police Force focused on crime prevention and keeping the peace rather than maintaining defence.

On 1 September 1886, Nash was promoted to Sergeant and became New Zealand’s first con-commissioned Police Officer.  In the photo above you can clearly see the number “1” above the Police emblem. 

At the age of 50 Nash had reached the age limit of being a Police Officer and in 1887 he resigned from the force. In recognition of his 30 years of service Nash received the first New Zealand Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, which you can also see him wearing in the photo above.  He might have resigned but he certainly didn’t retire. 

John Nash and his second wife Selina (nee Goddard), in May 1883. John and Selina had six children together. Nelson Provincial Museum, W E Brown Collection: 1530

‘INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES’

On 3 September 1887, it was reported that John Nash had been appointed become Nelson’s “Inspector of Nuisances”.  A hotly contested appointment which saw some 29 candidates apply.  As the ‘Inspector of Nuisances’ and ‘Registrar of Dogs’ for the City of Nelson, Nash was responsible for ensuring that the town streets were clean and free of horse dung and rubbish, and that business were sanitary, that street lamps were working.  He also had to make sure dogs were under control and that the dog tax was collected.

‘FAILURE OF THE HEART’S ACTION’

On 1 June 1893, after a usual day of work, Nash returned home but complained of feeling unwell so visited the doctor.  The following morning Mrs Selina Nash realised that her husband was not at all well and called for the doctor.  Before the doctor had arrived on the morning of 2 June, John Nash died suddenly, aged 66. The cause of death was reported as being ‘failure of the hearts action’.  John Nash was survived by his four children from his first wife Sarah (nee Newport), his second wife Selina (nee Goddard) and their six children.