The hanging up of the northern land claims, and the inability of the Government to buy native land while it refused to let private persons do so, joined, with a trade collapse in Australia, to make the condition of the Auckland settlers soon almost as unenviable as that of their fellow-colonists in the Company's settlements.
Governor Hobson died at Auckland after ruling New Zealand for a little less than three years.

His best monument is the city which he founded, and the most memorable verdict on his life is written in a letter addressed by a Maori chief to the Queen.

"Let not," said this petition, "the new Governor be a boy or one puffed up.

Let not a troubler come amongst us.

Let him be a good man like this Governor who has just died." When these words were written, the judgment of the English in New Zealand would have been very different.