Chap. V. AIRS OF THE POLICE MAGISTRATE. 127 
ing. Mr. Wansey, however, had been to Mr. Dawson, 
the Police Magistrate ; who told him that he could not 
interfere, even to recover the stolen property, as no 
Crown title had been issued for the land. He then 
became totally discouraged ; and so I invited him to 
put up his tent within my fence, and to live as my guest 
until he should find an opportunity of carrying out his 
intention of returning to Wellington. 
Colonel Wakefield had paid this settlement a visit 
during my absence, having ridden the whole distance 
on horseback. He had come to see if any satisfactory 
arrangement could be made with the discontented 
natives, and had held a meeting with them at Putt- 
kiwaranui, in the presence of Mr. Mason, who inter- 
preted between the parties. It appeared, however, that 
nothing could be done before the affair had been 
inquired into by the Court of Claims. 
Several of the respectable settlers assured me, that, 
from the tone of Mr. Mason's behaviour and that of 
Mr. Dawson, it was clear that both had combined to 
encourage the natives in their increasing discontent 
and exorbitant demands. 
Mr. Dawson was represented to me as behaving in 
precisely the same way as Lieutenant Shortland had 
done at Wellington, 
He dated his letters from " Government-house," one 
of the straw-built residences along the river-bank, and 
on all occasions followed the pompous example of his 
brother-officials, " clothed in the power and dignity 
" which became his station." 
He exacted immense fines from every one who came 
before his tribunal ; sometimes mulcting both plaintiff" 
and defendant in cases of assault and battery from the 
grog-shops : took upon himself the offices of harbour- 
master and postmaster, ordering the little pig-schooners 
