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settlers in their business and local affairs. Many of the foreign settlers remained for years ignorant that they were living under British rule, and to prevent dissatisfaction arising, Captain Lavaud arranged with Mr. Robinson to administer French law amongst them. This the Governor allowed. Soon afterwards th “Nanto-Bordelaise” Company sold all claims they had to the Akaroa lands to the New Zealand Land Company. When Mr. Robinson resigned in 1846, Mr. John Watson succeeded him as Resident Magistrate, and retained that office for many years thereafter. Mr. Robinson married Miss Helen Sinclair, second daughter of Captain and Mrs. Sinclair, who, with their family, settled in Pigeon Bay early in 1843, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer Hay and family. (Reference to these earliest Canterbury settlers, with whom the Deans family are also associated, will be made elsewhere in these records). In April, 1850, Mr. Robinson returned to New Zealand in the ship Monarch, bound for Auckland. In passing Akaroa Heads an accident happened to the rudder, which necessitated the disabled vessel putting into the harbour and landing her passengers at Akaroa. Mr. Robinson had entered into a
