424 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



proclaim and declare to all men that from and after the 

 date of these presents the full sovereignty of the islands of 

 New Zealand, extending from 34 degrees 30 min. north to 

 47 degrees 10 min. south latitude, and between 166 degrees 

 5 min. to 179 degrees of east longitude, vest in Her Majesty 

 Queen "Victoria." Of course, every one is aware what this 

 Proclamation was intended to include, but its peculiar word- 

 ing implied the extension of New Zealand in a northerly 

 direction as far as Japan. I saw the original Proclamation 

 a short time before Mr. Colenso died, but what has become of 

 it since I am unable to discover. 



The day before the amended Proclamation was issued — 

 that is, the 15th June — the first paper was published by 

 G. A. Eager and Co., of Kororareka, and bore the title of 

 the Bay of Islands Observer. This paper was naturally used 

 by the governing authorities as an advertising medium for 

 official notices, but a misunderstanding between the autho- 

 rities and the proprietors took place, and on the 15th De- 

 cember the paper ceased to exist. This, no doubt, accounts 

 for the item that appears in the "Day- and Waste-book" 

 for the 30th December, thus : — 



Government of New Zealand. 



Compositing Gazette Extraordinary, No. 1, 4 pages, demy 4to 



(12 columns of matter), £6 6s. 

 Printing 150 copies of same, 18s. 

 3£ quires demy paper for same, at 2s. 6d., 8p. 9d. 



The Government were seemingly in want of funds, for the 

 amount of this item was not paid till the following Septem- 

 ber, and it is entered in the " Day- and Waste-book" as fol- 

 lows : — 



Received of Colonel Godfrey (Land Commissioner) a cheque on bank 

 for amount of bill for printing, £7 12s. 9d. 



All the other items for printing on behalf of the New 

 Zealand Government had previously been paid on the 22nd 

 December, 1840, by G. Cooper, Esq., the final amount being 

 £14 12s. 7d. 



There are several entries during the period covered by the 

 years 1840-41 which might be given here as showing the 

 growing importance of the printing-press and the increasing 

 value of the books that were being constantly issued. The 

 entries of sales for Testaments at 4s. each are numerous, but 

 sometimes "free" copies were issued, such as the following: — 



Jan. 28, 1840. Testament presented to Patume on bis baptism. 

 Feb. 20. Received for five Testaments from J. Busby, Esq., £1. 

 April 2. Presented to Commodore Wilkes, American squadion, one 



Testament, one prayer-book, oue catechism. 

 May 4. Received fcr a Testament from French Commodore, 4s. 

 May 13, 1841. Presented to Lady Fianklin one Testament, one 



psalter, one grammar, one primer, one prayer, &c. 



