THE NEW GOVERNOR'S ARRIVAL.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 100, 3 February 1844, Page 396

THE NEW GOVERNOR'S ARRIVAL.

Captain Fitzroy, the new Governor, has arrived in Wellington, has held « levee, and

been waited upon by a deputation. We may expect his Excellency here every dayj and we hope the settlers will be prepared to give him a cordial reception. At the same time, hi 3 visit is not one of either mere ceremony or pomp ; nor are congratulations all with which we have to greet him. There are great questions to be brought under his notice, on which there is a possibility that his mind may, during hie visits at Sydney and Auckland, have been considerably prejudiced. He can yet know nothing except what he has been told, and must have been told much of what he

knows by enemies to the Cook's Straits Settlements. Our business will be to afford him such information as may lead him to direct his own eyes in the right direction, trusting to the character he bears for his making good use of them. We hear that his manner has something of the quarterdeck about it ; but that is of little importance ; if it is only manner, as we hope it is, gentlemanly and firm bearing on the part of the settlers will prevent any of the unpleasant feeling which such a manner sometimes gives rise to. We will, at all events, give him a fair trial, and time to show what his real metal is.

On Thursday last was celebrated the second anniversary of the foundation of the Nelson settlement. Considerable anxiety was manifested in the early part of the morning at the doubtful state of the weather, which was probably increased by the recollection of the drenching which so many received last year. However, it soon became apparent that the day would be dry, though windy ; and as this would afford a favourable opportunity for testing the merits of the several boats entered for the sailing match, it was hailed by many as the very sort of day they would have chosen. AQUATIC SPORTS. The amusement commenced by a Rowing Match between whale boats for a prize of £6. Mr. Fell's Henrietta (winner of the .prize last year) and Mr. Duffey's Will Watch were the only boats entered with the intention of contesting the race, the third having started merely to make up the required number. The Henrietta was manned by the crew of the Customs boat, and steered by a man generally called Barney Millar. The Will Watch had a first-rate crew from the beach, and was steered by Captain Young, of the Flying Squirrel. At ten o'clock the signal for starting was given, and away they went, the Henrietta decidedly the favourite. She very soon took the lead, and kept it, rounded the starting point the first time several boatlengths before her competitor, and was steadily increasing the distance between them, when Barney fell overboard. This occasioned a delay of several minutes, and enabled the Will Watch to slip a-head and round the last buoy several yards in advance of her opponent. The excitement had now become intense, and even backers of the Henrietta were still to be found. Both crews exerted themselves to the utmost. Now it was that the superiority of the Henrietta became manifest. A strong south-west wind meeting the ebb tide caused a considerable sea, over which she swept with comparative ease, whilst her less buoyant opponent went plunging and struggling through it. As they approached the winning point the Henrietta again took the lead and won by about a length. But for the accident she would have won with ease. The very able manner in which Captain Young handled the steer-oar of the Will Watch made it apparent that the occupation was one with which he had long been familiar. The Sailing Match for a prize of £10 Came °SSP ext ' The followin g were the contending boats : — Mr. Schroeder's Ocean and Amelia (£wo London-built boats), Mr. Hill's Emma and a large boat named the Chalydra (both Nelson built), and a small boat named the Ni Ni. A second prize of £5 had been offered for second-class boats, but a sufficient number of that description were not entered for it. The starting-place was from just above Fifeshire Island, gid. at the signal they got away well togetlfcr, with the exception of the Ni Ni, which

somehow lost several minutes. As the 'other four ran up together hefore the wind, which blew very strong, it was 'difficult to conjecture which would prove the best boat. The general belief was that more would depend on the crews than on the qualities of the boats ; and for this reason the Ocean was the favourite, being under Cross's charge and manned chiefly by Deal men. The Chalydra (also in charge of a Deal man), being the largest hoat and carrying the most canvas, was the first to round the buoy; she was closely followed by the Amelia, the Emma, and the Ocean, the Ni Ni some little distance astern. All had now to do their best, and, from the low state of the tide, it required no little management to avoid the mud flats. The Ocean and the Chalydra beat down well together, the latter, when within a hundred yards of the home buoy, having a slight advantage ; but in bringing her up for the larboard tack which should have carried her home, a little time was lost, and with it a little ground, so that it was necessary to tack again to weather the buoy. In the mean time the Ocean, more nimbly handled, very prettily won a well contested match. The Emma made a respectable third ; the Amelia had her bowsprit carried away, which effectually disabled her; and the unfortunate little Ni Ni ran aground. Whilst the above was going oh a Rowing Match between square stern boats came off. The boats which started were the Christiana, belonging to the Christiana barque ; the Industry, Taylor ; and the Touch-and-go, Empson, rowed by, amateurs. The match was smartly contested, the Christiana winning by a length or two. The wind being too strong for the Canoe Race and Sculling Match, it was arranged by the Committee that they should, together with the Second Class Boat Race, come off on the following day. This arrangement, however, was partly defeated by missionary cant, the Motuaka natives, who had crossed the bay for the express purpose of racing their canoes, having been persuaded to leave the harbour at daylight. On Friday morning the sports were begun by a Rowing Match between the following square-stern boats : Mr. Poynter's Snake, Touch-and-go, and the Christiana. The Snake won easily ; Touch-and-go coming in second. The next was a Sailing Match between Second Class Boats. Three started ; the Ni Ni, Mr. Arnold's Rhadamanthus, and Captain Gordon's Nautilus. The Ni Ni was the only one that rounded the buoy, the other two giving up the race at an early stage. A Two-oared Rowing Match concluded the sports. Snake, Touch-and-go, and Porpus were all that started. Snake again won easily, Touch-and-go getting in second as before. HORSE RACING. A Sweepstakes of 10s. 6d. each and £5 added, for horses of all ages. Heats. The horses entered were — Mr. Duppa's Dr. Syntax. „ Quilp. Mr. Rogers' Old Stock. a— Mr. Spooner's Dandy. Mr. Ellerm's Captain. Quilp was ridden by Mr. Duppa, and won the first heat, Old Stock coming in second. Mr. Phillips, who rode Dandy, lost his seat when about two-thirds round the course by the breaking of the stirrups, but the horse ran in and saved his distance. Dr. Syntax, of whom something was expected, bolted, and the Captain was distanced. A question was raised as to whether Dandy was entitled to run the second heat, which, after some discussion, was decided in his favour. The second heat was beautifully contested by Quilp and Dandy, Old Stock standing no chance. Coming down the hill to the distance post both riders worked hard, and although it was pretty evident that Quilp would be the winner, it was necessary for him to do his best. He won by about a length. A Pony Race followed between Mr. Empson's Billy and Mr. Renwick's Phillidor. The latter was the favourite at starting, yet Billy came in first by several lengths. A Sweepstakes of ss. each and £3 3s. added, for cart horses. The following horses started — Mr. Rogers' Beeswing. Mr. Ellerm's Lottery. Mr. Wolfe's Betsey. Won easily by Beeswing. Of the minor sports we have only space to say that they went off extremely well, causing lots of fun, and affording diversion to a Urge number of spectators. Tht Agricultural and Horticultural Ex-

hibition took place on Friday. The very, and, according to Maori testimony, unusually dry season had caused many to fear that this would be a failure. There was, however, no lack of variety, and most of the specimens were exceedingly fine, the samples of grain especially so. We also observed with much pleasure very fine specimens of the hop and tobacco plants, to the growth of which our climate appears to be highly favourable. The list of prizes will be published in our next.

We Lave repeatedly heard the question asked whether the time for our Agricultural and Horticultural Exhibition has been judiciously chosen. All who are acquainted with the business of the garden and the field say decidedly it has not ; that it is either too late or too early. A society for promoting these matters was formed in May last, but the lamentable occurrence which deprived it and the settlement of its most highly valued members has so paral3 T zed it 3 exertions, that nothing since has been done to render it effective. We hope that an effort will now be made to get the thing fairly established ; and it is with confidence we assert that such a society will not want support. Rules and regulations are already ' drawn up. A little exertion is alone wanted to render an Agricultural and Horticultural Society the most popular as well as the most useful of institutions. We therefore confidently anticipate that in future the FSte committee will be released from this portion of its duties ; nor do we see the necessity of having such exhibitions on the Ist of February at all, provided they are held at more seasonable periods.

The Gannet and Vanguard from Wellington, brought intelligence last evening that Captain Fitzroy arrived there the Friday previous. The Gazette n£ Wednesday last, for a sight of which we are indebted to a friend, our own copies not having reached us, gives a full account of the interview which his Excellency had with a deputation of the settlers. As we have neither space nor time to give the reply of his Excellency in full, we decline further notice of it this week. Mr. M'Donogh is appointed police magistrate for Nelson. We have received several Auckland papers, which we shall further notice in our . next.