DEATH OF GOVERNOR HOBSON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 10 September 1937, Page 7

DEATH OF GOVERNOR HOBSON

MXKTV-KIFTI! ANNIVERSARY A Govrnimeiil Gazette Extraordinary, issued within a hlaclt mourning; frame, annonliving tlie death of Governor Hobson mi JOtii ,Sept-einlier, 1342, and notifying the order to he observed in the official procession on 13th September, 1342, is an interesting document in view of the approaching Centennial of events in whirl) Hobson played so important a part. The document is all the more interesting in that it is probably the only New Zealand Government publication depicting a collin as the central feature of a Stare announcement. The titles of the high Co lonial dignitaries of the time are grouped around the coflin in ‘lie order they were to follow Ihe remains ot New Zealand's first Governor to .he place >. f interment, Grafton Cemetery, Auckland. The Gazette is as follows:--(v it bin .. hlack frame). “ROYAL ARMS G 0 V ERN M ENT GA Z ETTE EXT It A - ORDINARY Vol. ll.] [No. 37 Auckland, Saturday, Sept. 10, 1842. Colonial Secretary's Oiliee, Auckland, Sept. 10th, 1842. His Excellency, Governor llobson, departed this life at Government House at Auckland, this morning at j- past 12 o’clock A..M. In consequence of this lamented event, no business will he transacted this day at Public Olliees and they will remain closed until the remains of llis Excellency shall have been interred. The ceremony of the funeral will lake place on Tuesday, the 131 h instant, at 1 o'clock C.M., when the presence of all Public Functionaries is required, and the 'attendance of all other persons who may he desirous of testifying their respect is requested. The following Order is lo he observed in the Procession to the place of interment : FIRING I'ARTY The Collin .Medical Attendants, Attorney General. Chief Justice. Member of Council. Treasurer. Sheriff. Surveyor-General. The Horse. Chief Mourner. Acting A.D.C. Private Secretary. Military Officers. Civilians, Members of Government Four Deep. Civilians, Not Members of Government Four Deep.'’ (For the Colonial Secretary), JAMES STUART FREEMAN. The'naiiies of the dignitaries were William Swainsoa (Attorney-General), James t Oates (Sheriff), William Martin (Chief Justice), George Cooper (Treasurer), Felton Mathew (Surveyor-General), Willoughby Sliortland (Colonial Secretary and Chief Mourner), A.D. Best (Acting A.D.C. and Captain of the 80th Regiment), and Edward Sliortland (Private Secretary).

In his “Captain William Hobson” Dr. Guy H. Scholefield presents an interesting description of the first Governor’s funeral, “The highest possible honours

were paid lo a man whose private and official rectitude even bis enemies admired Covered with a Union Jack, ihe. collii was borne by sailors ol the Government brig Victoria, preceded by a firing parly of Uni 80th Regiment. The riderless horse was led behind the coffin . . After the Government officials and the military walked “nearly all the respectable inhabitants of Auckland.’ A feature of the obsequies was the genuinely sorrowful conduct of the Maori.”

The judgment of the Maori chief who wrote to Queen V ietoria is well-known . •'Lot not (lie new Governor be a boy >

one puffed up; let not a trouble) 1 come amongst us; let him be a good man lie; this Governor who lias just died.