campbell's commissionership appointments gave him responsibility for adjudicating land claims for around half of the south island; from kaikoura and westport in the north, to glenavy and cascade point in the south. he also had responsibility for issuing pasturage licences on crown land outside the block of land purchased by the canterbury association (the "canterbury block"). as commissioner of crown lands he issued over 50 pasturage licences covering an area of over one million acres. unfortunately these licences were later declared invalid and quashed, creating considerable confusion and litigation. his outward letter-book contains more than 200 letters covering the period october 1851 to november 1853.