DEATH OF CAPTAINS MERCER AND PHELPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 6, 26 November 1863, Page 4

DEATH OF CAPTAINS MERCER AND PHELPS.

[The following appeared in a second edition of the Hekald issued yesterday at 2 p.m.]: — [by electric telegbaph.] "Drury, 1.15 p.m. " Captain Mercer, Royal Artillery, and Captain Phelps, 2 B. Uth Rcgt., died this morning at Queen's Redoubt. " Tho bodies arrived in an ambrfance eart at Drury at Tls p.m. " The remains-of these gallant officers will be brought to Auckland under an escort of the 50th Regt., and will arrive in town this evening. " Captain Mercer was shot through the head, and Captain Phelps through the abdomen."

It is with sincere and heartfelt sorrow we have to record the deaths of Captain Mercer, of the Boyal Artillery, and Captain Phelps, of the 14th regiment, both mortally wounded in action on the 20th. 13oth of i.hesc gallant men were wounded is. the severest manner. Captain Mercer's jaw' was frightfully fractured and his tongue sadly injured. Captain Phelps, an officer and a gentleman of whom New South Wales— his native country—may well feel proud—was hit in the abdomen, the bullet being supposed to have lodged in the kidneys. Having entered the Arnvy as a medical officer —in which capacity he greatly distinguished himself in the Crimea —he at once pronounced his wound to be fatal. We write of him not only as an ©fficer, a gentleman, and an artist of conspicuous merit, but as an estimable acquaintance whom it was our privilege to call friend. The loss of two such officers is a sad blow ; but it enforces a truth which cannot bo too frequently or too urgently inculcated, that New Zealand must never again be desolated by a rebel war. The bodies of Captains Mercer and Phelps arrived in Auckland last evening; they will be removed for interment from the Albert Barracks to-inorrow, at 4 p.m. In recording the funeral of lieutenants Murphy and Midshipman Watkins, yesterday, we surmised correctly when we statett that the earth which had closed over them would shortly be opened for others of their gallant comrades.

Lv respect to the memories of the late Captains Mercer and Phelps, the principal places of Business ia Ancklaad will be close*! daring the time of the funeral, which is announced to take place to-morrow (Friday), at 4 p.m. Peovincial Council.—A circular has been issued from the Superintendent's Office, reminding the members that the Provincial Council will meet, pursuant to adjournment, on Saturday next, when it is to be hoped that a quorum will assemble.

Public Discussion.—lt may be interesting to some of our readers, to know that a public discussion will take pace this evening, in the Odd Fellows' Hall, between Mr. M. W. Green and Mr. S. Brown, on the following proposition • —" That faith, repentance and baptism, are the conditions upon which Christ has promised salvation ; and all those who knowingly fail to comply with any of these requirements cannot be saved." Mr. Green takes the affirmative, and Mr. Brown the negative. The chair will be taken at half-past seven o'clock. Masonic. —An emergency meeting of the members of the Lodge Waitemata wifl be held this evening at haif-past seven o'clock. *- The Maom Prisonebs.—Among the prisoners taken at Eangariri was the arch rebel .Te "Whiketea (mispelt in the tolegram received from Drury as Tuhikitea.) This chief was one of the principal leaders during the war at Taranaki in 1860, and took a prominent part in the attack on the No. 3 Redoubt. It was Te Whikitea who, when a live shell was dropped from the bastion into the tronch, then swanning with Maories, pitched it up and threw it out -of the trench, the shell exploding as it left his hands, and severely scorching his face, but without inflicting further injury upon him. Another fate was in store for him. .

The Late Whiblwind.—One of the principal sufferers by tlie late whirlwind which swept through Paniell was Mr. Alexander Hunter,, whose large factory, just completed at a considerable expense, was levelled with the ground, and property to the amount of fully £1000 was ] destroyed. It has been determined, by the I friends of Mr. Hunter, to open subscription lists to assist him in repairing the heavy loss which ho has sustained. Foremost among these ia his Lordship Bishop Selwyn, who has addressed circulars in furtherance of the object to a large aumber of the public. Those, however, who may not have received this form of invitation to assist in tie object proposed, are informed by advertisement, which, appears in our eolumns, that lists for that purpose are lying at the Hebald Office, Queen-street, and Mr. M. Somerville's, corner of Shortlaad and Queenstreets, and Mr. Vaughan's, Parnell. The 'Himalaya.'—This magnificent vessel was thrown open to the visits of the public yesterday, when, the daj' being as fine a one as could be wished for, even in this beautiful climate, hundreds of persons in pleasure boats and by means of the small screw steamer ' Gymnotus,' took the opportunity afforded thorn of visiting the largest ship which' hag ever entered the harbour of Auckland, or, indeed, visited those seas. During the whole of the day the ' Gymnotus' steamed backwards and forwards between the ' Himalaya' and the further stairs of the Queenstreet wharf, carrying as many as forty passengers at a time with comfort and safety, and. with remarkable speed. The ' Himalaya' will remain open to the public during this day and to-morrow. On Saturday she sails for England via Sydney, The Maoei Prisoners.—One hundred of rebel prisoners, from Hangariri, wore marched into Otahuhu, yesterday afternoon, about four o'clock. They walked from the Queen's Redoubt, accompanied by ambulance carts for the weary and foot-sore. They presented a most fatigued and dejected aspect. A detachment of the 50th regiment formed their escort from Drivry, who were i-eljeved of their charge

at Papatoitoi by a detachment of the same regiment stationed at Otahuhu. One of the prisoners was recognised as a man who had been m the employ of Messrs. Seccombe & Sons, brewers, Kybor Pass, ibr four years, and who left their establishment on the breaking out of the war : lie was commonly known by the name of Jimmy. William White, a Maori in whom is found the worst characteristics of his race, was pointed out as the barbarous murderer of Capt. Calvert's unfortunate son. Another of these misguided men was Little William, well known in Papakura valley, where he formerly resided, as a civil and obliging native. This man was named as one of those supposed to "have been slain by the Auckland Volunteers in the late engagement at Wairoa. The prisoners will inarch from Otahuhu camp to Panmure this morning, where the}' will be put on board the ' Corio,' in which they will be brought to Auckland. Until the ' Marion' can be prepared for them they will be placed in the keeping of the ' Curagoa.' >•