Chap. VI. GOVERNMENT LAND-SALES. l%i 
ment disproved the " centrical" position of Auckland. 
At least four-fifths of the North Island was by this 
ordinance included in the Southern district. 
On the 1st of February, a second Government land- 
sale had afforded an additional proof of the land-job- 
bing and non-agricultural character of the Auckland 
experiment. In the " county of Eden" (which pro- 
bably originated the clever satire written by " Boz " 
upon speculation towns) thirty-seven lots had been 
put up. Of these only fourteen found bidders ; nine 
out of the fourteen were purchased by persons con- 
nected with the Government ; and the produce of the 
sale had been the sum of 1753/., little more than 1/. 
per acre. A second sale of tovm allotments, in quanti- 
ties of a few perches each, had realized 5000/. This 
was a sad falling off from the first turn of Captain Hob- 
son's roulette, which had reaped 21,000/. for 26 acres. 
Accordingly, it was reported that the Victoria Go- 
vernment-brig might be expected daily. As the me- 
tropolitan land-sales had so signally failed to recruit 
the public purse, it became convenient to send round 
in order to collect the large revenue accruing from the 
settlements in Cook's Strait. The metropolis itself, 
entirely dependent on a lavish Government expendi- 
ture, was to be revived from its expiring state at the 
expense of the only working colonists. 
Maketu, the Bay of Islands' murderer, had been 
tried, found guilty, and executed at Auckland. But 
few natives were present, as the Government had not 
the courage to hold up the example in that part of the 
country where the crime had been committed, or 
among the tribes to which the criminal belonged. 
Fleeting and uncertain rumours reached us that the 
session of the Council had closed ; now confirmed, then 
contradicted ; until a few days later, when a coastings 
