 A legal problem emerged some time before the first immigrant ships left England for Canterbury.The Letters Patent appointing Dr. George Selwyn (Bishop of Lichfield) as the Bishop of New Zealand had no clause providing for a resignation of part of the New Zealand Diocese which would have been needed if another person were to be appointed in Canterbury.It was determined that the Diocese of Lyttelton should include all of the South Island, whereas Dr. Selwyn wished to resign from only the Canterbury Settlement and Otago.