GOSSIP CONCERNING THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AND SIR a. GREY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 912, 28 January 1868, Page 4

GOSSIP CONCERNING THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AND SIR a. GREY.

The following letter from the Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, contains fuller information respecting the movements of the present Governor, or his successor in prospective, than has as yet been published : — Wellington, January 8. " And are ye sure the news is true ?" is the burden of everyone's song this morning. Fortunately it is true that Sir Gh Grey is booked for a five or six months' longer stay in New Zealand than was anticipated. On the 6th, letters were received from Governor Bowen informing the Government that he had received despatches expressing regret at the delay in sending out his commission, which, owing to her Majesty being in Scotland, could not be submitted in Council in time for the current October-Suez mail, but would be forwarded via Panama, on the Ist of December. This necessitated his already once postponed arrival to be still further postponed ; but by the steamer reaching here on the 6th of February, he would be sure to arrive. On the 7th, the Falcon steamed in to salute his Excellency, and, finding that he had not arrived, has taken up her berth until the Commodore can be communicated with ; and, as he is about leaving Auckland for Sydney, no further orders could have arrived for some time, if the Commodore had not become aware of Sir George Grey's despatches. In the interval between the Suez and Panama mails, it appears that for some special reason or other the Colonial Office has determined to request Sir George Grey to remain in New Zealand as Governor until the Duke had left ; and that with his despatches by the Panama mail a letter was forwarded requesting him to carry out that determination, and stating that Sir George Bowen's commission would be kept back until February or March. As the Duke is not now expected to reach New Zealand until early in April, this keeps Sir George Grey in the colony until June. The Sturt was waiting in 'Auckland to convey the despatches to Kawau the moment they arrived, his Excellency having determined— so the story goes — to sail in the Challenger immediately afterwards, for Sydney, where he would meet the Duke as a private gentleman. He was unprepared for such a request, but, of course, complied with it. Sir George's movements are uncertain, but it cannot be long before he returns to Wellington, where public business requires the signature of the Governor to expedite it. Commodore Lambert is off to Sydney, in the Challenger, at once, where he will meet the Duke. for the first time, they "having hitherto avoided each other, in consequence of some questions of etiquette which were referred to the Admiralty for a decision. The decision is supposed to have arrived at Sydney, or will arrive before the Challenger gets there. I hear the Brisk is likely to be down here towards the end of the month.

What a fortunate man Sir George Grey is ! How something always turns .up in his favour. That something has turned Tip now is a matter of great rejoicing to every one, both for Sir George Grey's own sake and for that of the reception due to the Duke. It is something to be requested to remain, after having been so unhandsomely treated as Sir George was ; and the Royal Reception Commission will now be able to fill up two or three weeks' programme with " travelling in the interior" — a mode of occupying the Duke's time which it was very doubtful whether it could have been undertaken under the guidance of a new Governor, on account of the political character given to the Duke's visit in connection with the change of Governors. I see your Captain Fraser is up here, with letters to Sir George re(juestmg his. Excellency to include Otago in his rpund of visits. This, you may be surei/will now be done — all New Zealand will fte visited, and, depend upon it, the two months' stay will be prolonged if possible.