144' ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VI. 
CHAPTER VI. 
Foundation of Nelson — Mr. Thompson — First Court of Quarter 
Sessions — First Trial of a Native — Legal position of Natives — 
Causes for complaint against the Governor — His selection of 
Magistrates — Vast claims to land — Government Estimates — 
Legislative Council — Discontent of the Auckland population — 
Maketu, the Murderer — Public Meeting — Neglect of the Har- 
bour by Government — Mr. Hanson — A Colonist who has become 
an Official — ^The Bishop — Murder of Milne — Villages — Signs of 
progress — Horticultural Society — Produce — Statistics — Harvest 
weather — Surveying " Cadets" — Accident of Captain Liardet — 
Wretched State of Auckland— Population of Cook's Strait — Ineffi- 
cient Government Institutions — Second Newspaper — Nelson and 
New Plymouth — Mr. Earp — County Courts — Government Land- 
sales — Fleeting News from the Capital — The Governor's Speech 
— Details of the Estimates — Injustice to Cook's Strait — Public 
Meeting. 
Colonel Wakefield and Mr. Murphy were both ab- 
sent ; having started in the Brougham, two or three 
days before, on a trip of inspection to the settlements 
of Nelson and New Plymouth. 
The " Nelson" squadron, under Captiiin Wakefield, 
had sailed from Port Nicholson on the 2nd of Octo- 
ber ; and, after visiting Kapitt, and obtaining from 
Rauperaha and Hiko a full acknowledgment that 
Blind Bay had been fairly bought, had proceeded to 
explore the coasts of that inlet. After some days' 
careful examination, a harbour had been discovered 
in the S.E. corner of the gulf, which had remained 
before unknown even to many of the White whalers 
and boatmen who had traded for years in the neigh- 
bourhood. Three or four large emigrant ships had 
called at Port Nicholson to know their destination. 
