Woon, William,  1803-1858, <br/><br/>
The New Zealand journal of William Woon :  Volume Two 1846-1859 / 
transcribed and edited by Randal Springer. 
 - 203 pages :  illustrations ;  22 cm 
<br/><br/> "This book was published with the assistance of a grant from the Whanganui Historical Society Heritage Trust"--Title page. 
<br/><br/> In this second volume of Woon's diary, he and his family leave Northland for Taranaki and a new mission at Heretoa on Inaha River not far from hawera, Woon documents the growing literacy of Maori, describes perilous journeys made to remote Maori settlements, and presents a picture of the rough and ready colonial society of Taranaki and Wanganui of the 1840s and 1850s. Jane Woon closes the diary with a poignant account of her husband's last days and his personal journey in faith. 
<br/><br/><br/>William Woon was born in Truro, Cornwall. As a boy he was apprenticed to the printing trade. Showing evidence of preaching ability he became a local preacher and in 1830 was accepted for the Methodist ministry and appointed to the Friendly Islands mission. He arrived in Bay of Islands on the 'Lloyds' in Jan 1831 enroute to Tongatabu. Woon's work was mainly in connection with translation and printing of the scriptures in Tongan. In 1833 he resigned and returned to Mangungu, in the Far North District. He set up the recently arrived printing press and gave practical advice to John Hobbs. In Nov 1834 he was appointed to open the mission in the Waikato. He went to Kawhia and was soon joined by John Whiteley and James Wallis in adjacent stations. In 1836 all were withdrawn by direction of the London committee and Woon was sent to Manukau and soon afterwards to assist Hobbs and to supervise the printing press. He remained in Hokianga for 10 years and did a vast amount of printing. In Feb 1840 he witnessed the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi at Hokianga. In 1846 Woon and his family were removed to Auckland for safety, and then sent to south Taranaki to minister to Ngati-Ruanui and Taranaki tribes. Stationed at Heretoa Woon carried on this work till 1853. Known as Te Wunu amongst the Maori he was a man of gigantic stature and greatly admired. He retired to Wanganui in 1854 where he acted as postmaster and ministered to the military and civil population. He died on 22 Sep 1858. <br/>Randal Springer was a Whanganui author. 
<br/><br/><label>ISBN: </label>9780473180508 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Personal Names: </label><br/>Woon, William, 1803-1858. 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Corporate Names: </label><br/>Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand--History--19th century.
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>Missionaries--New Zealand--Biography.<br/>Missionaries--History--New Zealand--19th century.