CsAP. m. THE GOVERNOR'S MISREPRESENTATIONS. 57 
everything that he had done while here. To give this 
crmp-de-grace to the smarting settlers, he made one 
vigorous rally, and seemed a man for five minutes. 
. When Captain Hobson had got back to Auckland, 
he found courage to describe this scene in a very 
different light to the Colonial Minister. 
He described the very consistent and universal dis- 
satisfaction of the men of note among the colonists, as 
" a great ferment agitated and excited by a venal press, 
" and a few discontented spirits." He added in his 
despatch, that all their subjects of complaint had been 
anticipated by the previous provisions of the local Go- 
vernment ; and that the " disaffected portion of the 
" meeting, finding their principal grievances so promptly 
" met and redressed, endeavoured to introduce many 
" extraneous matters reflecting on the Government ;" and 
that, as they were foreign to the purposes for which 
the interview was granted, he " took an early oppor- 
" tunity of dismissing the meeting." 
He then reported with much pleasure to his Lordship, 
that he " received the warmest and most cordial support 
" from by far the largest and most influential body of 
" the colonists." He had the face to take credit to 
himself, that " even those opposed to his Government 
" displayed no manifestation of displeasure or disloy- 
" alty," without adding that this arose from the for- 
bearance of gentlemen, and the English feeling of 
loyalty, which forbade any unmannerly expression of dis- 
respect towards him who, although a negligent officer, 
was still the representative of the Queen. 
When long afterwards this despatch found its 
way back to Wellington in a published form, it was 
again remarked that a Governor might grossly misre- 
present the actions and feelings of his subjects, without 
an accompanying reply from those so maligned. 
