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A compendium of official documents relative to native affairs in the South Island, Volume One.

No. 24. — Proclamation by His Excellency Captain Hobson, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, &c., of the appointment of the Governor and Councils

No. 24.
Proclamation by His Excellency Captain Hobson, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, &c., of the appointment of the Governor and Councils.

Whereas Her Majesty has been graciously pleased, by Commission under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date the 16th day of November, in the year of our Lord 1840, to constitute and appoint me, William Hobson, Esq., Captain in Her Majesty's Navy, to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its dependencies:

Now therefore, I, the Governor and Commander-in-Chief aforesaid, do hereby proclaim and declare that I have this day taken the prescribed oaths, and assumed the administration of the Government accordingly.

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And I do hereby further proclaim and declare, that Her Majesty has been plessed to appoint an Executive Council for the said Colony, and to nominate and appoint the under-mentioned persons to be Members thereof; that is to say, the Colonial Secretary of the said Colony for the time being, the Attorney-General of the said Colony for the time being and the Colonial Treasurer of the said Colony for the time beings.

And I do hereby proclaim and declare, that Her Majesty has been further pleased to appoint a Legislative Council for the said Colony of New Zealand and its dependencies, and to appoint and direct that such Legislative Council shall be formed and shall consist of the following members:—His Excellency the Governor for the time being, the Colonial Secretary for the time being, the Attorney-General for the time being, the Colonial Treasurer for the time being, and the three senior Justices of the Peace, nominated as such in any Commission of the Peace to be issued by me the said Governor and Commander-in-Chief, or by the Governor or Acting Governor for the time being.

The Governor, fully impressed with the magnitude and importance of the duties thus confided to him, is supported by the hope that Almighty God will bless his best efforts to give full effect to these Her Majesty's most gracious measures for the establishment of peace and order in this important Colony; and he relies with confidence on the loyalty of the colonists; and on the hearty co-operation with the Government in cultivating those feelings of mutual good-will which alone can insure to them the future benefit of Her Majesty's solicitude for their welfare and prosperity.

The Governor avails himself of this occasion to appeal to the good feelings of the colonists generally in favour of their fellow-subjects of the Native race, who. require only instruction and good example to become equal to Europeans in moral, as they already are in physical, attainments; and to point out to all who really have the true interests of the country at heart, the propriety of conciliating their affection by making every charitable allowance for their defects, and by conducting all intercourse with them in a spirit of justice and forbearance.

The Governor trusts that he will be afforded the satisfaction of hereafter knowing that his endeavours for the accomplishment of Her Majesty's gracious and benign views have not been employed in vain.

Given under my hand and seal, at Government House, Auckland, this 3rd day of May, in the fourth year of Her Majesty's reign, and in the year of our Lord 1841.

William Hobson,
Governor.

By His Excellency's command.

Willoughby Shortland.