NEW ZEALAND. 405 



speculation, for after seeing the locality, one must be convinced that 

 it offers no advantages for more than a village, if indeed for that. 

 More to the westward is situated Pahia, the mission establishment. 

 For commercial purposes, the south or Kororarika shore offers the 

 greatest advantages, having the deepest water, and being the most 

 sheltered from the stormy winds. 



The extent to which speralation has raised the prices of land in 

 this neighbourhood is almost incredible. Mayew's Point, the first 

 above Kororarika Bay, has on it a few storehouses, which are rented 

 for six hundred pounds ($3,000) a-year. 



Mr. Clendon, the American consul, for about three hundred and 

 twenty-five acres, of which only fifty are level, has received thirty 

 thousand pounds from the British government, reserving to himself 

 the remainder, one hundred acres. He bought the whole for a trifle 

 a few years ago. The location is a pretty one, on a hill about three 

 hundred feet high, and is, perhaps, the most commanding spot on 

 these waters. The neatness of his cottage and of the grounds about 

 it, adds much to its pleasing appearance. 



The introduction of a Sydney police at Kororarika has been of 

 service to that place, for they have dealt in a summary manner with 

 the vagabonds who formerly frequented it. 



A Roman Catholic bishop is established here, who has a chapel, 

 and it was said, was making many converts ; but it was supposed 

 that the principal inducement to conversion was the liberality with 

 which he and his associates bestowed gifts and presents upon those 

 who joined in their prayers and received the cross. 



Besides the Episcopal mission, under the Reverend Mr. Williams, 

 formerly a lieutenant in the British navy, there is a Wesleyan mission 

 at Hokianga, which is highly spoken of. Many reports have been 

 put in circulation by the evil disposed, in relation to these missions ; 

 but as far as my observations went, they seemed exemplary in 

 their duties; they were also occupied in farming, in which native 

 labourers were employed. Mr. Williams having a large family 

 growing up, many of them obtained farms, and are now in the 

 successful occupation of them. There is no doubt the hue and cry 

 against the father, and that the mission had obtained all the best land 

 from the natives, arose from this cause. Some circumstances were 

 remarked, from which it was evident that the interests of the natives 

 were looked after by the missionaries, who protected their lands and 



vol. ii. 102 



