Chap. IX. TOWN AT WANGANUI CALLED " PETRE." 233 
with him. He thus wished to prove that he considered 
it as a distinguished mark of honour and affection. 
I have omitted to state, that the laying out of a 
town at TVanganui, in quarter-acre sections, had been 
approved by the Directors of the Company ; and a 
selection had taken place, every alternate town-section 
being reserved for the Company. The town was named 
after Lord Petre, who was a most unfailing friend of 
the colony in England, and one of the Directors of 
the Company. 
On my return to Port Nicholson, I was accompanied 
by E Kuru and a large train of his relatives. The 
chief wished to see Colonel Wakefield and Mr. Spain, 
in order to urge the speedy settlement of the momen- 
tous question. Colonel Wakefield, thinking to expe- 
dite matters, had begged me to procure his attendance 
and that of as many of the other parties to the deed as 
possible, in order that they might give their evidence 
before the Commissioner at Wellington. Macgregor, 
who had signed the deed as a witness, and I, had 
already been examined as to this sale by the Com- 
missioner. 
E Kuru, however, refused to give his evidence any- 
where but at TVanganui. He felt his honour and 
credit at stake in the affair ; and wished that each 
person concerned should give his evidence openly be- 
fore all those who had assisted at the transaction, and 
on the spot where it had taken place. 
Some of his relations were bound on a visit to the 
natives in Palliser Bay ; and, with my boys, we mus- 
tered about 40 head. Our progress was of course 
slow, and we had again to travel inland on account of 
the freshets in the rivers. We slept one night at the 
TVangaihu pa, and the next day ascended the valley of 
the Turakina about three miles, before we could find 
