HOW NEW ZEALAND WAS TAKEN POSSESSION OF IN 1840.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue XIV, 2 July 1879, Page 4

HOW NEW ZEALAND WAS TAKEN POSSESSION OF IN 1840.

[Under this heading a correspondent of tbe Auckland Star contributes the following:] j Sir, — New Zealand was left: a&. open! question by all nations to tte.yeifc 1840, and then the English GoveirirmeWse^ out Gaptain Hob'son in a friga'e to Sydney, N.S.W., at the latter end of year 1839. When Captain Hobaon arrived at Sydoey he fonnd the Haseard, man-o'-war, waiting for him to go and take possession of New Zealand in the name pf Queen Victoria ,«nd to act as Lieutenant- Governor. On the 28th of January, 1840, Captain , Hobaon arrived at the Bay of Islands

and anchored off Kororareka. , That evening a b&jfc came on shore aid told! the inhabitants of Kororareka thst'the island was to be taken possession of in .the name of Queen Victoria. On the )jßp!ldwf&^ morning, a* 1 8 a.m., the JHajjaa^ was decorated with all. her bantfng; and* at 11 a.m. Claptafn fiph-' son left (he vessel, the yards beinp ' ntfanef T slhite firedv Ho M&<Ha^ wlt¥ the British resident, Mr Basby,^ ftWdithbltotaitfQ- of Pflb.^ abbot tßirfy/ bh«; j^keia, tod the aaroa mjcobet: of mmtines, a^d tnarcbed op to Kororareka Church. Mr Freeman, the Governor's private scretary, carried the desk containing the protfhhßalion of the Queen takiog posseesfoa of New Zealand. .The Governor had either forgotten or fonihiTke^of the desk 1 . an«f j l was called upon to fo^ce opea sthe- desk, which I did. He took the proofamalion ont^od handed it to.^lr. J^r^emAn Wreadj it was done in gold lettering" ■iatf hail a beautify scroll work a* a border all round the sides. After the ; pToclaolation waa read the Governor invited \anyone present to cooq^ anj, v Witness -it by signiDg their 1 naMe. I^ : l^itneafM it, together with abpat; ( ihirteetrothers. A good numbef woald ' .injot sigiji, 0n account or |behtg> <Ssl&Bp < €fti| Jrom New South v7blbs. On ■!«ie Isi February, Captain'H4fflgtturstf«B , a. ball 9i| his ship, in commemoration,. of roe occasion, when a large E^rerfcir ftfigate^irrived that day in Koroirarekf, and the officers of that eibip were invited, to the ball, add a brig, oalled the , Britdfcpart, belofa^id?' to ' Her ' Majesty, arrived that night, and slipped! her v anchor through the night, and safreif away to the sooth of Akaroa, Where a number of French had settled. When