aeO ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Cha?. XII 
love of justice, and his high-minded and straight- 
forward conduct. He therefore felt convinced of 
Captain Hobson's sympathy for the community in Port 
Nicholson. He then read the answers to the address 
and to the offers of support from the Company and the 
settlers. 
The first letter graciously acknowledged and gave 
the inhabitants of the district of Port Nicholson credit 
for their expressions of loyalty and attachment to the 
Crown and Constitution, and for the cordial support 
which, as he learnt through the reports of the 
Colonial Secretary and Magistrates, had been rendered 
by all classes to the Government authorities. It con- 
cluded with thanks to Colonel Waketield for the flat- 
tering manner in which he had presented the address, 
and with the hope that, under the blessing of Divine 
Providence, the resources of these^valuable and import- 
ant islands might be speedily developed. 
The second letter quietly declined the invitation to 
his Excellency to reside in this part of the country. 
He acknowledged that this was at the sacrifice of his 
own ease ; but he said that a sense of public duty in- 
duced him to select " a more centrical position, and 
" one more adapted for internal communication." 
These letters were dated in July. On the 25th of 
May the Lieutenant-Governor had written, in his 
dispatches to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, 
that " the proceedings of the Association at Port 
" Nicholson amounted, in bis opinion, to high 
"• treason ;" that " taxes had been levied, and most un- 
" just as well as illegal exercise of magisterial autho- 
" rity had been practised ;" and that " it struck him as 
" a matter of congratulation that he did not go there, 
" as he had intended, early in March ;" as " he should 
*' have made his appearance amongst these dema- 
