Respecting Visit of the Rev. Samuel Marsden to New Zealand.

I have to report to your Lordship that, on his making an application to me to that effect, I granted leave of absence: to the Rev. Samuel Marsden, the principal chaplain of this colony, to visit the Islands of New Zealand, for the purpose of establishing some missionaries there, in consequence of orders he had received from the Church Missionary Society in England to that effect.

Mr. Marsden sailed from hence in the brig "Active" on the 28th November, 1814, and returned hither on the 23rd March last, bringing with him several chiefs from New Zealand, who had expressed a wish to visit Port Jackson. I gave each of these chiefs a dress, some live stock, and a few other articles, as presents on the part of Government, of which your Lordship I hope will approve; it being my wish to conciliate them to the British interests. Mr. Marsden speaks in high terms of the kind treatment he met with at New Zealand, and of the improved state of civilization of the natives of that country.

Application from Sydney Merchants to establish a Factory in New Zealand.

Some time since I received an application from certain merchants at Sydney for permission to establish a factory at New Zealand, and to form themselves into a commercial company there, to the exclusion, of all other traders. This I declined granting, conceiving the latter part of the request unreasonable; but I consented to forward their memorial Home for your Lordship's favourable consideration, which I have now the honour of doing accordingly. I do not see that there can be any objection to these gentlemen being allowed to establish a factory at their own expense in New Zealand, with the permission of the Native chiefs; but I conceive they ought not to have any exclusive trade, and I should not recommend that Government should be put to any expense on account of the proposed establishment..…