324 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XIH. 
tion of British laws. So the Acting Governor left his 
brother and the troops at Tauranga, and returned to 
Auckland to hold a consultation with the Executive 
Council, which consisted of himself, the Colonial Trea- 
surer, and the Attorney-General. Mr. Swainson per- 
sisted in his opinion, and gave it officially ; for which 
he was told by Lord Stanley afterwards, that if he 
continued to entertain such an opinion, he would not 
be considered fit to hold office under Her Majesty's 
Government. The Colonial Treasurer supported 
Lieutenant Shortland in a contrary opinion ; and Mr. 
Clarke, examined for two days before the Council, 
supported the Attorney-General. So it had ended in 
the leaving instructions with Mr. Protector of Abo- 
rigines Shortland to do nothing until Mr. Protector 
of Aborigines Clarke should arrive on the spot ; but to 
keep assuring the natives of the Acting Governor's 
determination to protect British property and enforce 
British law upon all British subjects. And with this 
assurance, I believe, the affair was allowed to drop. 
His Excellency arrived one evening when a ball at 
Mrs. Daniell's had assembled all the ton of Wellingtxjn ; 
and as Lieutenant Shortland had made the amende 
honorable by reinstating Captain Daniell in the Com- 
mission of the Peace, he appeared as an invited guest. 
Notwithstanding his former faults, he was received in 
a very forgiving disposition, in consequence of Colonel 
Wakefield's reports • of his earnest promises that the 
land-claims should be speedily settled. Only one or 
two of the most influential settlers, who had learned 
not to put their faith in Government officers, and had 
seen especial reasons during his former visit to doubt 
the possibility of his good intentions, still showed their 
distrust in a marked manner. Otherwise, the Acting 
Governor was feted in every possible way. He and 
