THE LATE MR DOMETT.

Evening Star, Issue 7362, 7 November 1887, Page 4

THE LATE MR DOMETT.

Alfred Domett, 0.M.G., son of Mr Nathaniel Domett, was born at Oamberwell Grove, Surrey, May 20,1811. He matriculated at Cambridge in 1829 as a member of St. John's Colleges, but after three years' residence he left the University without graduating. In 1837 he published a volume of poems. He then travelled in America for a couple of years, and after his return to London about 1836-7, he contributed some poetical effusions to ' Blackwood's Magazine.' One of these, "A Christmas Hymn," was greatly admired, and has been frequently reprinted. Mr Domett afterwards spent two years in Italy, Switzerland, and other continental countries. He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1841. Having purohased some land off the New Zealand Company, he went among the earliest settlers to New Zealand, in May, 1842. On the introduction of the new Constitution, framed by Lord Grey in 1848, Mr Domett was appointed Colonial Secretary for the whole of New Munster, and in 1851 he beoame Secretary for the whole of New Zealand. Later he resigned both of these offices, and for a time accepted an inferior appointment, though with far more arduous duties, as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Resident Magistrate at Hawke's Bay. Afterwards he was chosen to represent the town of Nelson in the House of Representatives, and in 1860 he was reelected to the same post. In 1862, when affairs in New Zealand were in a most critical position, Mr Domett was called upon to form a Government, and he succeeded in doing so. After the resignation of his Government, he was appointed Seoretary for Crown Lands, with a seat in the Legislative Council; and to this there was added the post of Commissioner of Old Land Claims. In 1865 he beoame RegistrarGeneral of Land, and five years afterwards he was requested to undertake the. administration of confiscated lands. For the signal services rendered by him to the Colony of New Zealand he was created a Companion of the Order of S* Mlohael and Georgei (1880). He retired from; p'ublio'duties inlß7l, and[returned, to

England. Soon after reachingthis country ha published 'Ranolf and Amohia, a South Sea Day Dream' (1872), a poem desoriptive of the Bcenery of New Zealand, and of the habits, legends, and charaoter of the Maoii inhabitants. In 1877 he published a volume of poems, under the title of ' Flotsam and Jetsam, Rhymes Old and New.' His other works are 'Venice,' a poem (1839); ' Narrative of the Wairau Massacre,' published by the New Zealand Company (1843); ' Petition to the House of Commons for the Recall of Governor Fitflroy,' published by the same company J and ' Ordinances of New Zealand, classified,' published by the New Zealand Government (1850).—'Men of the Time.'