HISTORY. 
211 
afterwards arrived, and landed some settlers, who then com¬ 
menced a colony as British subjects. It was during this 
year that the settlement at Wanganui was founded, also that 
at Taranaki, which was called New Plymouth. The Govern¬ 
ment House at Russell was burnt down. The seat of govern¬ 
ment was transferred to Auckland—to Wai-te-Mata ; and the 
government ol New Zealand was declared independent of that 
of New South Wales. 
1842 marks the commencement of the Settlement of Nelson, 
as well as the death of Captain Hobson, tbe first Governor of 
New Zealand ; also the arrival of the Bishop, who took up 
his abode at the Waiinate, where he founded a college. 
The Rev. John Mason was drowned in fording the Turakina 
river. 
The fatal affray at Wairau occurred in 1843 : also the last 
act of cannibalism was committed by Taraia at the Kati Kati, 
near the Thames. In July, Wanganui was disturbed by severe 
earthquakes. The Colonial Secretary, Lieutenant Shortland, 
became the Acting Governor. In December, Captain Fitzroy, 
R.N., arrived; be issued debentures as low as half-a-crown. 
The first clerk in the Colonial Office forged them to a large 
amount. The Colonial Treasurer also was found to be guilty 
of great peculation. In 1844, tbe Governor declared the ports 
of New Zealand free; abolished all customs and duties, and 
attempted to collect a graduated property and income tax. 
He was led to adopt this measure from the Bay natives com¬ 
plaining, that since the island had become a British colony, 
the whalers had entirely deserted them; and having declared 
the Bay of Islands a free port, to remove the grounds of their 
complaint, he found that the same measure must be adopted 
throughout the country. The plan, therefore, soon failed. 
In 1845, war broke out in the north. John Heke cut down 
the flagstaff at Kororareka, having been told that it was the 
sign of their being slaves; and on the 11th March the town 
was taken by tbe natives, who, however, displayed much 
forbearance. In 1846, Captain Fitzroy was superseded by 
Captain Grey. Otakou Settlement was founded; it was 
intended to be an exclusively Presbyterian colony. At this 
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