Chap. XVIII. COMPANY'S OFFER TO BUILD LIGHTHOUSE. 487 
as far as Cook's Strait was concerned. So early as 
the 5th of November 1841, the New Zealand Com- 
pany had applied to be allowed to spend 1500/. in 
the erection of a suitable lighthouse at the heads of 
Port Nicholson, provided that such sum should be 
made a charge on the future dues. But Lord Stanley 
had answered that he could " form no opinion on the 
" subject in the absence of any report upon it from 
" the Governor of New Zealand, for which his Lord- 
" ship would immediately apply :" and he " suggested 
" to the Company the propriety of submitting to their 
" Agents in the colony, that as often as questions may 
*' arise there on which it may be necessary for Her 
" Majesty's Government to decide, such questions 
" should be brought to the notice of the Secretary of 
** State through the intervention of the Governor; 
'* since, by adopting any other course, a very serious 
** delay must intervene, which may often be attended 
" with extreme inconvenience to the public ser- 
*' vice." 
This seemed to anticipate delay, and to throw 
the blame beforehand on the Company, for not pro- 
ceeding in what he chose to consider the formal 
manner. 
Accordingly it was not till the 22nd December 
1842, nearly fourteen nwntha after their application, 
that they were informed that Lord Stanley had " re- 
" ceived a despatch from the Governor of New 
" Zealand, in which he states that he has requested the 
" Police Magistrate at Wellington to furnish him 
" with the plan for the erection of a suitable light- 
*' house at the entrance of the harbour at Port 
** Nicholson, together with an estimate of the expense 
" of erecting and maintaining it, in order that he may 
" be able to report more fully on the subject." 
