“Lost In The White Swan”
The rivalry which exists between Auckland and Wellington is no new thing, and in 1863 Sir George Grey, when forced to make a decision changing the site of the capital city, acted with characteristic wisdom. Mr. Alfred Domett, member for the town of Nelson, had moved a resolution in the House of Representatives to move the seat of Government “to s’ome suitable locality in Cook Strait.” No mention of Wellington was made, and Mr. Domett undoubtedly had visions of the lot falling to Nelson. It was decided to appoint commissioners from Australia, and these gentlemen were the Hon. Joseph Docker, New South Wales, Hon. Sir Francis Murphy, Victoria, and Mr. R. C. Gunn, Tasmania. Their unanimous decision was for Wellington. It was not until 1865 that the Government was moved. The records were shipped by the White Swan, which struck trouble off Castlepoint on the trip down. Orders were given to jettison the records. Years ago civil servants used to relate that when a troublesome question cropped up and the papers called for, there was often the convenient reply: “Lost In. the White Swan.”— W.C.R. (Wellington).
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19380219.2.147.6
Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 124, 19 February 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)
Word Count
191“Lost In The White Swan” Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 124, 19 February 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)
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