William Hobson - Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand

Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand

At the time, the British government recognised the sovereignty of the Māori people, as represented in the Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand of October 1835, which had been organised by Busby. Hobson was appointed Lieutenant Governor under the Governor of New South Wales, Sir George Gipps (ratified on 30 July 1839) and British consul to New Zealand (confirmed on 13 August 1839). He was issued with detailed instructions by Lord Normanby on 14 August 1839, giving reasons for intervention in New Zealand and directions for the purchase of land "by fair and equal contracts." The land was later resold to settlers at a profit to provide for further operations.

Hobson arrived in the Bay of Islands on 29 January 1840 (which is celebrated today as Auckland Anniversary Day) with a small group of officials, including an Executive Council consisting of the Colonial Secretary Willoughby Shortland, Colonial Treasurer George Cooper and Attorney-General Francis Fisher. The Legislative Council comprised the above officials and three Justices of the Peace.