symonds street is named after captain william cornwallis symonds (1810–41), an officer of the 96th regiment of foot of the british army. he came to new zealand in the early 1830s as agent of the waitemata and manukau land company and was instrumental in the founding of auckland and the signing of the treaty of waitangi. he was one of governor william hobson's closest and most effective officials and was one of the first six police magistrates in new zealand as well as chief magistrate of auckland and deputy surveyor of new zealand. during 1841 symonds accompanied the naturalist ernst dieffenbach in his survey of the north island. capt symonds died on 23 november 1841 in a boating accident on the manukau harbour. following his death his brother john jermyn symonds continued to live in the colony; symonds street in onehunga is named after john jermyn symonds.