ARRIVAL OF SIR GEORGE BOWEN AT WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 846, 15 February 1868, Page 15

ARRIVAL OF SIR GEORGE BOWEN AT WELLINGTON.

(Prom the Wellington Independent.)

His Excellency, Sir George Bowen, accompanied by Lady Bowen, Misses Nina, Zoe, and Agnes Bowen, Master George Bowen, and Mr Algernon Lempriere, Private Secretary, arrived from Sydney by the Kaikoura, which dropped anchor in the harbor at half -past five o'clock on Tuesday evening. The Volunteers at once fell in on the reclaimed land, and other preparations were made to receive His Excellency ; but after some time had elapsed, it was announced, much to the disappointment of a large assemblage of the public, who had collected near the wharf in hopes of getting an early sight of the new Governor, that Sir George ■ would not make his official landing until the next morning.

On Wednesday morning, the whole town was astir at an early hour, and by nine o'clock, large numbers of people had assembled about the Queen's "Wharf. The different Volunteer corps formed on the reclaimed land, but the No. 1 Rifles, the "Veterans, and the Cadets, were afterwards moved on to the Queen's "Wharf, where they were drawn up in two lines, "with room between sufficient to allow of a carriage being driven through. The No. 1 Rifles occupied the post of honor ; and the whole guard was under the command of Captain M'Barnet, Captain Buck acting as adjutant. The Artillery, who were in full dress uniform, were posted on the reclaimed land, under the command of Captain Buckley, in readiness to fire a salute. The different military movements executed during the day were directed by the Hon. Major Richardson. The ships in harbor were gaily dressed out with bunting ; and flags were also displayed in different parts of the tow^i. The "Government steamer, St. Kilda, left the wharf about half -past 10, and went alongside the Kaikoura, which was lying moored out in the stream, looking gay enough, with a line of flags stretched from stem to stern. Sir George Bowen, accompanied by Lady Bowen, his son and daughters, Mr Lempriere, the Colonial Secretary, Mr Justice Johnston, the Hon. Major Richardson, the Attorney-General, Captain Percival, R.N., Captain Holt, Under Secretary for Defence, Mr Smith, Assistant Private Secretary, Mrs Stafford, and one or two other ladies, embarked on board the St. Kilda, at ten minutes to eleven. The Kaikoura and H.M.S, Falcon manned yards, and the latter vessel also fired a salute of sixteen guns, and dipped her ensign from the fore. The salute was immediately responded to from the shore by the Volunteer Artillery. The St. Kilda slowly steamed round the Falcon, and then to the Queen's Wharf, which she reached exactly at 11 o'clock. As soon as Sir George

cheers-. yrete given, Ifo^the , etoijpd on rthe« wharf^tovifht^^ #?f^}^^ »- sponaea-, by a dow. iSir George waa dressed in #$c ffDgril; Service uniform of a Colonial _GrpYgmpr >k :and wore the star^andi, ribbon^ of lihW/Toideru of St. Michael and St. ■" George. He landed at Once, and was received foy'the officers of the Falcon, who'-'ifere Awaiting his arrival tat a gangway which had been, specially rigged up for t; the .occasion. As pur new /( (3oyerni>r, r passed » 4° wn $he .ranks of , ,., the- , Volunteers, r tho latter saluted, . - and . : the, -\ bands .played the i jNational , An£hem«. ] , At ,_,the , foot of the .wharf, his - E^ce^lencyfs carriages,, .which.;; had, beep. ;§enfc .on shore in the early part ,o,f the ; morning by the St. Kilda, were, waiting.,. His Excellency, with Lady Bowen and, family, took their seats in one -of them; Captain Percival, Mr Lempriere, and Mr ;Smith, in the other. The other members of the-Go-vernor's party took their seats jn private carriages. Before leaving the wharf, his Excellency, in -response to the repeated cheering, stood up in the carriage and addressed a few words to the assembled crowd, but the noise rendered his remarks f,quite undistinguishable. The Governor then drove off to Government House, escorted by a body of mounted police, and followed by a line of carriages and. horsemen. TheVolunteers were marched up to the Government Domain, where they were, formed into line and. ordered to pile arms for a short time, until Sir George, who had arrived before them/ should be readyto be sworn into office. Just before noon, ■ Sir George Bowen, accompanied by Mr Justice Johnston, dressed in his Judge's robes, the Colonial Secretary, and- MrFoster Goring, Clerk of the. Executive Council, came out of Government House, and took his station on the verandah, whitherLadyßowenhadprecededhim. TheY Hon. Major Richardson, CaptathPeroival, and officers of theFalcon,withseveralladies and gentlemen other than those whom we have mentioned, were also on the■verandah. No. 1 Rifles, the Veterans, and the Cadet Corps, were then drawn up in three sides of a square in front of Government House ; while on the lawn, intheir rear, were the Artillery Corps with guns unlimbered, Mid in readiness to fire. A large number of the public were assembled on the lawn, but the greater part of the crowd had been kept out of the Domain by the police, and were standing in Molesworth street, eagerly watching the proceedings. The lawn, rendered animated by the volunteers in their showy uniforms, the party on the verandah, the eager crowd about the Domain, the ships in harbor dressed out, and all lighted up with bright sunlight, formed altogether a very pretty and, let us hope, auspicious scene. Punctually at noon, the ceremony of swearing in the new Governor was c begun , by Mr Foster Goring reading a copy it of Her Majesty's Letters Patent, autho;e rising Sir George Bowen to act as Goveril nor of New Zealand,»the original document being held by Mr Justice Johnston, n who was apparently testing"its corresponLe dence with what was read. This being 3- concluded, Bis Honor administered the f. customary oath to Sir George Bowen^ who n received it with uncovered head, and pros, nounced the words in a distinct and clear :e tone of voice, plainly audible to all 's around. As soon as the last words of the n oath were uttered, the Union Jack was. it hoisted at the flagstaff, and the Falcon, n responding to the signal, fired a salute. Le A royal salute was then fired by the is Volunteer Artillery, the Volunteers pret, sented arms, and the band played the Le National Anthem. His Excellency- then, i, through Major Richardson, called for 3r three cheers for Her Majesty, and the n gallant Major humorously suggested that it they should show the new Governor the ie power of New Zealand lungs. The appeal >r was responded to with enthusiasm ; three :e cheers were also given for Sir George, and ' ;s three for Lady Bowen. Before they were af marched off, Major Richardson, on behalf of His Excellency, thanked the corps for x, their services, and complimented them d upon their soldierly behavior during the is day.

The Wellington Independent, inquiringwhois the Colonial Treasurer, and who receivesthe salary, saya :—": — " It would furnish a curious subject of inquiry for a speculativemind as to who the happy individual may be who draws the salary voted by the Assembly fora Colonial Treasurer. Mr Fitzherbert, as we announced long since, resigned that office before leaving for England, but it is reported that his colleagues have refused to recommend the Governor to accept his resignation ; and the rumor is confirmed by the fact that the Colonial Treasurer's notices which appear in the Gazette, are signed by Major Richardson, who, however, preserves a decent reticence as to his official standing. The logical inference to be drawn from these facts isf, that Mr Fitzherbert still receives the salary ; but, if so, from what source does Major Kichardson derive his pay, or does he perform the duties of Colonial Treasurer with* out pay at all ? "