Chap. XV. RETURN OF DEPUTATION. 415 
The main feature in the affairs of Port Nicholson 
during this interval had been the return of the deputa- 
tion from Sydney, at the very time that one hundred 
more country sections were about to be offered for 
selection. After some discussion and consultation, 
this had been postponed until the deputies should have 
rendered an account of their proceedings to a public 
meeting. The deputies had laid the whole case of the 
settlers, distinctly from that of the Company, before 
Sir George Gipps, and had claimed his consideration 
and indulgence as due to the community from their 
numbers and importance, and from the great value 
which their presence had added to the whole district, 
and especially to the Reserves made for the natives. 
After some explanatory correspondence and nume- 
rous interviews, they had succeeded in obtaining from 
Sir George Gipps the following ultimatum, subject, of 
course, to the approval of the home authorities. 
The local Government engaged not to disturb the 
settlers at Port Nicholson, but to endeavour to procure 
for them a confirmation of their titles to 110,000 acres 
of land, and to their town, on certain conditions, which 
may be thus briefly sunnned up : — 
That the 110,000 acres should be taken in one con- 
tinuous block. 
That the Reserve of one-tenth for the natives should 
be made as before, according to the order of choice 
which had fallen to them by lot. 
That certain Reserves should be made for public 
purposes, of specified character and extent. 
That the Government, not receiving any benefit 
from the sale of lands in the township, did not feel it 
incumbent upon it to erect any public works or build- 
ings, except such as might be necessary for the admi- 
nistration of justice and the collection of the revenue ; 
