NEW ZEALAND. 397 



vagabonds, mostly runaway sailors and convicts, and is appropriately 

 named "Blackguard Beach." 



The appointment of the police magistrates was one of the first 

 acts under the new order of things. Mr. Robert Shortland, the first 

 police magistrate, after the illness of Governor Hobson, styled himself 

 acting governor, and a more ridiculously pompous functionary could 

 scarcely be imagined. He paid a visit to the vessel in which some 

 of our gentlemen had made the passage from Sydney, and demanded 

 the reason why the mail-bag had not been sent to the new govern- 

 ment postmaster. The master of the vessel replied, that he thought 

 it his duty, not having been informed of any change, to deliver 

 them to the old postmaster, until he should be directed otherwise 

 by Governor Hobson. This pompous functionary, in an improper 

 tone, as well as manner, exclaimed, " I wish you to know that I am 

 governor now !" In the words of one of the gentlemen, " had he been 

 the viceroy of the Indies, he could not have made his inquisitions in 

 tones of loftier supremacy." 



Some of our gentlemen arrived at the Bay of Islands in time to 

 witness the ceremonies of making the treaty with the New Zealand 

 chiefs. I mentioned, whilst at Sydney, the arrival of H. B. M. 

 frigate the Druid, with Captain Hobson on board, as consul to New 

 Zealand. It was well understood that he had the appointment of 

 Lieutenant-Governor in his pocket, in the event of certain arrange- 

 ments being made. His arrival at the Bay of Islands (in H. B. M. 

 ship Herald), seemed to take the inhabitants, foreigners as well as 

 natives, by surprise. A few days afterwards, on the 5th February, a 

 meeting was called at the dwelling of Mr. Busby. The meeting was 

 large and numerously attended by the chiefs. Many arguments and 

 endeavours were used to induce them to sign a treaty with Great 

 Britain, all of which were but little understood, even by those who 

 were present, and had some clue to the object in view. Great 

 excitement prevailed, and after five hours' ineffectual persuasion, the 

 meeting broke up, every chief refusing to sign, or favour Captain 

 Hobson's proposition, which was in reality nothing more or less than 

 a cession of their lands, authority, and persons, to Queen Victoria. 

 Among the arguments made use of, he stated that unless they signed 

 the treaty, he could do nothing more than act as consul ! Nothing 

 having been effected, the meeting was broken up, and the following 

 Friday appointed for a second. Tobacco and pipes were given them 



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