154 . ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chav. VI. 
iiiontlis, it can hardly be a reproach to them that they 
took every opportunity to call out for redress, hoping 
that some generous ear would catch the appeal in 
England, and hold out a helping hand. / 
In a gale of wind from south-east, two vessels had 
been wrecked on the coast in the neighbourhood of the 
Port Nicholson heads. One, an American whaler, had 
mistaken Palliser Bay for the harbour, and had got 
embayed so as to prevent her egress when the gale 
burst on her and carried away her masts; and the 
other, from hugging the coast too close just before the 
sudden shift of wind, had been driven ashore in Lyall's 
Bay. 
The meeting was almost unanimous in its opinion, 
that the accidents had been caused by the want of 
pilots and a lighthouse, or even a distinguishing mark 
at the entrance of the harbour. As Government had 
not even laid down a buoy, or spent a single shilling on 
this harbour, it was thought quite vain to hope for 
redress from the local Government ; and it was there- 
fore proposed that a statement of the circumstances 
should be drawn up and forwarded to England, to be 
brought under the notice of Parliament and the Queen's 
Ministers. 
Mr, Hanson, however, and Mr. Strang, had on this 
day a very strong attack of the " Government fever ;" 
and attempted to divert the attention of the angry 
crowd from the misdeeds of their employers, by a long 
string of resolutions imputing to the Company dis- 
graceful carelessness of the interests of the settlers, 
while comfortably making large profits at home. Mr. 
Hanson suggested that the blame should be laid on 
their shoulders. He and his coadjutor both accused 
the Company of spending no money for the benefit of 
the settlers, except in the making of roads, on which 
