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acre. He wantonly set aside the award of the Land Commissioner at New Plymouth, and he utterly disregarded law and his instructions in dealing with what were known as the old land claims. Commencing with a ludicrous condonation of the first Native cutting-down of the flagstaff at Kororareka (Hone Heke's exploits), he ended by losing the settlement. He issued a variety of debentures, from ss. upwards, and then unlawfully declared them to be legal tender. In the course of half a year he made one port alone out of many a free port, abolished all Customs duties in New Zealand, and. re-established them.'^ 1 ) Captain Grey was " one of the most remarkable of the many famous men who have added lustre to the colonial service of Great Britain "( 2 ). When he arrived in New Zealand on the 14th November, 1845, he found an empty Treasury, the Natives in rebellion, both at Kororareka and around Wanganui, and the Company's settlers in a state of despair. He at once set to work to repair the damage wrought by his predecessor, and within a year he had accomplished the seemingly impossible and the country was in a fair way towards recovery. His Native policy deserves special mention. By a close study of their language, customs, and history he acquired a wonderful influence over the Maoris. "He showed a genuine interest in their welfare and civilization. His legislation and his administration were specially directed in matters directly affecting Natives, to their real good. He subsidized Native schools, established hospitals and other charitable institutions with valuable endowments in land ; and he gave special encouragement and aid to the material improvement of the Natives, and to their advancement in civilization^ 1 ) One of Governor Grey's first acts was to abolish the first Department dealing with Native affairs and reserves—the Protectorate Department—which had been created by Governor Hobson to promote " the health, civilization, education, and spiritual care of the Natives." The Chief Protector, George Clarke, sen., was a missionary, and, although he was Fitzßoy's chief adviser, he was not, according to Dr. Marais, "a shining light among the members of his profession "( 2 ), due principally to his claims to considerable tracts of land. " When Grey arrived in New Zealand he found that ' no establishments had been formed for the protection of life, property, or commerce,' there were no hospitals, and the ' Department ' had not even thought of framing an education policy. Bishop Selwyn voiced the feelings of the whole colony when he pronounced the ' Protectorate ' system a failure."( 2 ) In the place of a Chief Protector, the office of Native Secretary was created, and this position was oSered to George Clarke, sen. The endowments towards schools and hospitals made during the Grey administration will, in so far as they affect Native reserves, be dealt with in due course, but in the meantime, in order that events may be related in their proper sequence, it is necessary to explain briefly the nature of certain grants familiarly known in certain Departments of State as " the McCleverty awards." 2. The McCleverty Awabds. The issue of Crown grants by Governor Fitzßoy in July, 1845, in exact accordance with Commissioner Spain's awards for Wellington and Nelson caused a stir in the Company's camp. Apart from the fact that the grants were for a much lesser area than that claimed by the Company, the deeds contained certain conditions and exceptions which were not acceptable to the Principal Agent, and he declined to uplift the documents until the matter could be referred to the Court of Directors in England.( 3 ) The Wellington deed provided for a grant of 71,900 acres, and reserved— (1) All the pas, burial-places, and grounds actually in cultivation by the Natives : (2) The Native reserves, comprising forty-one country sections of 100 acres each and 110 town acres : (3) Four portions of land granted to private claimants : (4) All the lands set apart as Government reserves for public purposes. The Nelson deed granted 151,000 acres, with reservations of precisely the same character, with the exception that Native reserves were defined to be one-tenth of the area granted, and that in lieu of specific grants to particular individuals a clause was inserted excepting private claims " which have been or may be hereafter proved." The Company, in a letter to the Colonial Secretary, objected to the grants on the grounds that— (1) The reservation of the spots in the Town of Wellington claimed by private purchasers was directly at variance with a pledge given by Governor Hobson : (2) The quantity of land comprised within the Native cultivations would exclude from the grant at least one-sixth, and not improbably one-fourth, of that part of Wellington on which buildings have been erected : (3) In excepting from the Nelson deed one-tenth of the land granted, Governor Fitzßoy appeared to have overlooked the fact that in the published prospectus for the settlement it was stated that the Native reserves would be equal to one-tenth of the lands offered for sale—that is, to one-eleventh of the quantity comprised in the entire scheme : (4) The reservation in the Nelson deed of all private claims would render the land altogether unavailable.

f 1 ) "New Zealand Rulers and Statesmen," by William Gisborne. ( 2 ) " Colonization of New Zealand," by Dr. J. S. Marais. ( 3 ) Colonel Wakefield to Secretary of Company, 8/5/45 : App. 20th Rep.