>rEW ZEALANt> 



protection of Great Britain, and the friends of colonization 

 in the British Ij^les were anxious that Great Britain should 

 take charge of New Zealand as a British Colony. The 

 missionaries, on the other hand, opposed annexation at 

 first because they feared its effects on the natives and their 

 conversion. The strong influx of Europeans likely to 

 follow annexation, with the saloon, gambling den and 

 other accompauimeuts of the early influx of Europeans, and 

 the cruel wars almost certain to result from the rapid settle- 

 ment of a country full of savages, were not calculated to 

 advance the interests of Christianity. Savagery and 

 cannibalism were sufficient obstacles without the white 

 man's amusements and conflicts of trade and conquest. 

 The British Government not only regarded the opinions of 

 the missionaries as entitled to special consideration, but 

 had a further reason for being at least rather cool with 

 regard to taking New Zealand under the banner of the 

 Empire. When the friends of colonization sent a deputa- 

 tion in 1829 to the Duke of Wellington, their Prime 

 Minister, to urge the acquirement and settlement of these 

 islands, the Duke said Great Britain had colonies enough. 

 John Bull's appetite for land was not as keen just then as 

 usual. For years this feeling and the opposition of the 

 missionaries kept the British Government from doing any- 

 thing except sending James Busby to the Bay of Islands in 

 1833. He was able to accomplish very little notwithstand- 

 ing all his efforts to establish some sort of stable 

 government. 



Fears of French colonization and the *' land sharks " 

 were, however, powerful factors in hastening British 

 colonization. The " land sharks " bought large tracts of 

 land for speculation. Many of the purchases were 

 imperfect or fictitious. Boundaries were inserted by 

 purchasers after the deeds had been signed in blank by the 

 sellers. The same land was sold three or four times. Some 

 purchases were airily defined by latitude and longitude. 



