298 GOVERNMENT. [1840. 



Influenced by their representations, settlers emigrated in con- 

 siderable numbers from New South Wales, and the other 

 Australian colonies ; but colonization, so far from keeping 

 pace with speculation, was completely distanced by it. Mat- 

 ters were in this position, in 1839, and would probably have 

 continued to remain so ; but at that time it was reported, 

 either with or without sufficient cause, that the French gov- 

 ernment contemplated taking possession of the southern 

 island, and planting a colony there. The British authorities 

 promptly interfered ; a colonial organization subordinate to 

 that of New South Wales was formed in January, 1840 ; 

 and Captain Hobson, of the Royal Navy, was appointed 

 lieutenant governor of the new dependency. 



On the arrival of the lieutenant governor at the Bay of 

 Islands, he issued his proclamation, announcing that all 

 future purchases of land from the aboriginal inhabitants would 

 be absolutely void, unless made through the British local gov- 

 ernment. A commission was then appointed to inquire into 

 the validity of all claims to land, under instructions to recognize 

 and confirm those only which were founded on just and equi- 

 table considerations, with the proviso, also, that no claim 

 should be allowed for a greater extent than twenty-five hun- 

 dred and sixty acres. The lieutenant governor likewise ob- 

 tained from the principal chiefs, a cession to the British mon- 

 arch, of the paramount right of sovereignty in the islands, 

 and extinguished the native titles to large bodies of land. 

 These government lands were divided into suitable tracts, 

 and disposed of at auction, to the settlers, and the immigrants 

 who were daily arriving. 



Since this formal occupation by the British, a more healthy 

 state of things has existed in New Zealand. In April, 1841, 

 it was separated from New South Wales, and placed under 

 a governor possessing similar powers with the chief executive 

 officers in the colonies of Great Britain. With the governor, 

 the colonial secretary and treasurer, the attorney general, and 

 three senior justices of the peace, constitute the legislative 

 council, by whom all laws and regulations, of minor impor- 





