Preface.

The following work was compiled some years ago by direction of the late Native Minister, Sir Donald McLean, but in consequence of his death, and from other causes, its publication has been deferred to the present time. It was intended to be a companion-volume to the "Compendium of Official Documents relative to Native Affairs in the South Island," compiled by Commissioner Alexander Mackay in 1872, but restricted entirely to the northern portion of the colony. Owing to the limited sum provided for the purpose, only about one-half of the matter prepared has been published in the present issue; but in that which is given will be found an interesting epitome of governmental transactions from the earliest times down to a very recent date. Many of these despatches were only published in London, by order of the House of Commons, and therefore are very little known by the-present race of settlers; and to preserve them from oblivion was the chief object of their present republication in the colony. From the great variety of their subjects the order of date has, of necessity, been adopted; and the division into Parts arose from their being printed at two separate offices. Any difficulty of reference, however, will be obviated by the several Indexes attached.

A very complete treatise on the Early History of New Zealand, comprising the North as well as the South Island, will be found in Mr. A. Mackay's work above referred to, and will well repay the attentive reader—i.e., if he can obtain a copy of it, for the edition was but a small one, and has long been out of print.