campbell came to new zealand with recommendations from the british government. on 27 september 1851 governor of new zealand george grey appointed him as a magistrate of the province of new munster, and to the three separate commissionerships within the ""middle district of the middle" [i.e. south] "island"": commissioner of crown lands under the crown lands ordinance (excluding the canterbury district), commissioner for hearing claims under the new zealand company's land claimant's ordinance and commissioner for investigating and reporting upon claims to land under the land claims ordinance. as a result of the parliament of the united kingdom passing the new zealand constitution act 1852 the provinces of new zealand came into effect on 17 january 1853. the boundaries of the canterbury province were gazetted on 28 february 1853 and campbell then became the ""commissioner of crown lands for the province of canterbury, exclusive of the canterbury block""