NEW ZEALAND 



the Crown's pre-emptive right in March 1844, ^"^1 per- 

 mitted private purchase from the Maoris, subject to the 

 approval of the Goveninient and the payment to it of 10 

 shillings on each acre which was soon reduced to 2 cents 

 an acre. This was an evasion of the Land Sales Act of 

 1842 and the breaking down of tlie barriers established bj^ 

 the Treaty. Fitzroy yielded to the clamor of speculators 

 and by his weak vacillating- policy brought on sullen dis- 

 content among the settlers and war with the natives. His 

 administration culminated in conflict, financial paralysis 

 and general confusion. 



Fitzroy was recalled and Captain George Grey was 

 placed at the liead of the colony November 1845. At last 

 New Zealand had a real statesman at the helm ; a man of 

 strength, high character and resource, a gentleman, cour- 

 teous and tactful, a lover of the people, a commander of 

 ability, a governor of remarkable power and a statesman 

 of exalted purpose. He speedily ended the war. and not 

 only conquered the Maoris, but won their admiration and 

 their love. He protected their rights and had ordinances 

 passed to prevent the sale of liquor and munitions of war 

 to the natives. He subsidized native schpols, provided 

 savings banks and established hospitals and other charitable 

 institutions. He constructed trunk roads by military and 

 native labor. He repealed Fitzroy 's land regulations and 

 enforced the Crown's pre-emptive right. He induced the 

 natives to sell some millions of acres in the north island 

 and nearly all the middle island whereby the Government 

 acquired a large estate that laid the basis for real progress. 

 In purchasing land from the natives for the State he intro- 

 duced the system of paying the money in instalments, 

 spread over a series of years. This kept the natives from 

 reckless dissipation and served as a security for their good 

 behaviour. 



The greatest of all the many services rendered by 

 Governor Grey in his first administration, which lasted 



