Chap. XVI. OFFICIAL LAND-JOBBING. 489 
hibition, issued by the New South Wales Government 
on the suggestion of Captain Hobson. 
The news brought from the Northern Districts did 
not say much for the inducement held out to labourers 
to go thither from this settlement. The Bay of 
Islands Gazette had ceased to appear, having been 
threatened with punishment by legal proceedings in 
consequence of its free remarks upon the doings of 
Government; and the official Gazette Extraordinary 
now issued from the Church Mission press at Paihia. 
The state of the Bay of Islands generally was de- 
scribed as very wretched, and the Lieutenant-Governor 
was blamed for having in great measure caused it by 
the establishment and then capricious abandonment of 
Russell. The whaling-ships, which had formed the 
principal support of that settlement, were driven away 
by the prospect of port-dues, and duties on their oil, 
tobacco, and spirits, as well as the augmented price of 
potatoes and pigs. 
An impudent piece of official land-jobbing in the 
allotments of the town of Auckland had been discovered 
and exposed. 
Instead of the whole of the land ready for sale at 
that place being put up on fair and equal terms to all 
bidders, Lieutenant Shortland and other Government 
officials had been allowed, ex officio, prior and exclu- 
sive selections. Of course, they had picked out some 
of the most valuable lots. But this was only the least 
part of the injustice. Instead of the price to be paid 
by the officials being determined by that given for other 
land of the same or nearly equal value, these fortunate 
gentlemen were to be allowed to purchase their lots at 
the average price of one-half of the town, good, bad, 
and indiflferent; and, until the half should be sold 
and the average ascertained, they were to pay nothing. 
