\66 ADVEXTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. VI. 
110 tons, were owned by the colonists. The merchants 
were actively engaged in preparing and despatching the 
equipments for the approaching whaling season. Barley, 
wheat and barley straw, and seeds of all sorts, the 
produce of the colony, were advertised for sale in the 
papers. 1'he little steam-mill was inadequate to grind 
the produce into flour, and one or two of the large 
producers were squabbling about first turn. 
The British population of the Company's settlements 
was at this time about 5000, including 3000 at Wel- 
lington and in the innnediate vicinity, 150 at TVnn- 
ganui, 1000 at Nelson, 600 at New Plymouth, and 
200 in other parts of Cook's Strait. Lfirge additions 
to the Nelson population were expected immediately 
from England. 
I cannot help quoting, from the Wellington news- 
paper of the 9th of March, the following description 
of the only Government buildings at Wellington: — 
" There are now about sixty prisoners in the Wel- 
" lington gaol, chiefly mutinous or runaway sailors ; 
" but there are some felons, and one person at least 
" confined for debt only. They are all huddled toge- 
" ther in a wretched Maori building, large enough for 
" twelve or fifteen human beings at the most. W^e 
" are told, and can easily believe, that the atmosphere 
" of this miserable hole, when its unfortunate inmates 
" are put up for the night, is almost suffocating ; and 
" if pestilence should break out amongst them, nobody 
" will be surprised. An advertisement for tenders for 
" the erection of another gaol has appeared in this 
" paper ; but we hear that the sum which our pre 
*' cious Government can afford for the purpose is so 
•* small, that no contract has been offered within the 
*• prescribed limits. This state of things, so disgraceful 
*• to our rulers, is absolutely the subject of merriment 
