422 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



Captain Hobson, R.N. 



To compositing and printing 100 4to foolscap circulars for 



assembling natives at Waitangi, 12s. 

 2J quires foolscap for same, 2s., 4s. 6d. 

 To compositing and printing 100 foolscap folio Proclamations, 



£1 Is. 

 To compositing and printing 100 foolscap folio Proclamations, 



£1 Is. 

 4£ quires foolscap for ditto, 2s., 9s. 



In vol. ii., pages 11, 12, of the " Life of Henry Williams," 

 referring to the part taken by Mr. Williams in connection 

 with the Treaty of Waitangi, it is stated : " On the night of 

 the 30th January I was called up (at Waimate) by a mes- 

 senger from the bay to say that Captain Hobson had arrived 

 in the bay as Governor of New Zealand, and that he wished 

 to see me as early as possible." (Mr. Williams had only just 

 returned from an extended journey through the island by 

 way of the W 7 anganui Eiver to Taupo, the first that had 

 ever been made by a European.) " In the afternoon I went 

 on board H.M.S. 'Herald,' and was met by Captain Hobson, 

 to whom I expressed my gratification that he had arrived to 

 put an end to the great excitement then existing in the pur- 

 chase of lands, caused by the sudden influx of Europeans 

 arriving by every vessel from the colonies." At this date he 

 had not received any intimation that the Government were 

 contemplating any movement towards New Zealand, though 

 much correspondence had transpired in consequence of the 

 proceedings of the New Zealand Company. It will have been 

 noticed that the order for printing circulars calling together 

 the natives at Waitangi is entered 30th January, or the 

 day following that on which Captain Hobson landed in New 

 Zealand. It would appear, therefore, that the Lieutenant- 

 Governor that was to be lost no time in communicating with 

 the British Resident, Mr. Busby, who lived at Waitangi, and 

 that action was immediately taken to assemble the natives. 

 From the original copies of the Treaty of Waitangi, it is 

 evident that Mr. Busby had a good deal to do in formulating 

 the terms in which the treaty was to be submitted to the 

 natives at the meeting which had been called by printed 

 circulars. " On the 4th February, about 4 o'clock p.m.," 

 says Henry Williams, page 12, vol. ii., " Captain Hobson 

 came to me with the Treaty of Waitangi in English for me 

 to translate into Maori, saying that he would meet me in the 

 morning at the House of the British Resident, Mr. Busby, 

 when it must be read to the chiefs assembled, at 10 o'clock." 

 At the meeting that took place the Rev. Mr. Williams acted 

 as interpreter for Captain Hobson. 



The descriptive account of the proceedings of the native 

 meeting that took place on Wednesday and Thursday, 5th 



