404 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XVI 
** whatever shall henceforth so unlawfully asseml)le 
" for the purposes aforesaid, or any of them, in the bo- 
" rough of Wellington, or elsewhere in the southern 
" district of New Ulster, the assemblage of such per- 
" sons will be dispersed, and the persons so unlawfully 
" assembling will be proceeded against according to 
" law. Dated this 26th July, 1843. 
" M. Richmond, Chief Police Magistrate." 
The volunteers had been most lawfully organized 
and drilled, under the express sanction and in answer 
to the invitation of the Assistant Police Magistrate, 
the Mayor, and some nine or ten other Justices of the 
Peace. 
This was the third time during three years and a 
half that the settlers had been compelled by an emer- 
gency to meet in arms. Twice out of these three times 
these meetings were authorized by the Magistrates; 
and twice out of three times they were dispersed as 
illegal by proclamation. In 1840, the settlers hastily 
assembled in arms on hearing that the life of one of 
their number had been threatened ; and the assembly 
was proclaimed illegal by Lieutenant Shortland. In 
1841 the settlers responded to the call of Mr. Murphy 
the Police IMagistrate, met in arms as special consta- 
bles, and dispersed quietly when their services were no 
longer required. And now, in 1843, they had been 
summoned together as volunteers by one Police IMagis- 
trate, and proclaimed guilty of illegality by another. 
Yet, in 1 840, in answer to Governor Hobson's stjite- 
ment that an increase of military force was necessary. 
Lord John Russell, then Colonial Minister, had told 
him that " that the establishment of a local militia 
" would be a beneficial measure." 
It may be imagined that this notice produced no less 
indignation than surprise. It was thought at least a 
