MEMORANDA OF THE MONTH.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2283, 11 November 1865, Page 7

MEMORANDA OF THE MONTH.

Clerk of tiik Legislative Council. — His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to accept the resignation by Captain Lucas of the post of Clerk to the Legislative Council, and has appointed Leonard Stowo, Esq., to the vacant clerkship. Map of Wellington. — Wo notice that Messrs. Doyle & Co., lithographers, on the Beach, have issued a map of this city. As far as we can judge from a cursory view, it is neatly and tastefully got up, and accurate in detail. A map of the city •was much wanted, and wo doubt not that the one lithographed by Messrs Doylo & Co., will be in great demand. Map of Wellington. — We have been favored with a view of the Map of the City, published by Messrs. Jackson and Curtis. Great care and skill have evident been exercised in its preparation, and the lithographing which we notice has been exeeuted][by the firm of Messrs. Ward and -Reeves, of Christchurch, is of the highest order. Captain Cook.— "The Bth Oct.," says the Southern Gross, " was the ninety-sixth anniversary of the landing of Captain Cook in New Zealand, which the great navigator first sighted on the 6th of October, 1769. The place where Cook landed was, as most of our readers arc aware, at Turanga, or Poverty Bay. There is something very curious in tke fact that the first thing noticed on shore from the ship was ' a pretty high and regular paling, which enclosed the whole top of a hill. This was tho subject of much speculation, somo supposing it to be a park for deer, others an enclosure for oxen and sheep. 1 Verily, later comers to Now Zealand have found out that such enelosucs are for a different and less innocent purpose than keeping sheep, and from Okaihau to the Gate Pa, have learned something as to their structure. The last- of the Maori contemporaries of Cook, Te Tamwha, died in 1853." The Buckeidge Case. — John Buckvidge, who was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment for assaulting constables Lystcr and Brady at the Hutt is now released. This has resulted from a petition which was numerously signed and presented to His Excellency the Governor, who has graciously exerted his prerogative of mercy and pardoned the young man, who was released from Gaol on Tuesday. Wo commented on the severity of the sentence shortly after the trial, and are glad indeed to find that the petition we recommended, has been successful. Tire Queen's Whakf. — It is pleasant to see that the gentlemen entrusted with the superintendence of the work in lengthening the Queen's Wharf, have lost no time in commencing operations. Already the extreme end of the wharf has been partitioned off and fenced in, while every fine day the employees of the contractors may bo seen busily engaged in their labors, which are none the less arduous from the fact that much of the work entails wet jackets. Soajies' Island. — On Oct. 22nd, a considerable portion of the material for the erection of the proposed lighthouse on Soames' Island, was taken over there and landed. The importance of having a lighthouse on tho island, has been recognised by all, and its erection will add greatly to the safety of tho port. Major Von Tejipsky. — The Colony at large •will be glad to learn that the services of Major Von Tempsky will again bo at their disposal. Our readers are aware of the tendered resignation by this gallant officer of his commission in tho Colonial Forces, of his subsequent arrest, and the evidence adduced at the Court of Enquiry, and it is now our pleasant duty to narrate how all has happily ended at last. His Excellcncjthe Governor, to whom the papers were forwarded for perusal, deciding on giving the Major the opportunity of recalling his resignation, ■which that officer did for two reasons, the first of ■which was the change in tho head of the Defence Office, and secondly, because ho had not in reality been superseded by Major Fraser who had not been promoted over his head, but simply received brevet rank in the Militia. The mystery that envelopes tho rumoured Lieutenant-Colonelcy that was conferred on this officer will not be disclosed. That he was nominated to the superior rank and subsequently gazetted as a brevetmajor is well known, but the reasons for the alteration are buried among the archives of the Defence Office. However, it is pleasing that Major Yon Tempsky has again joined tho Colonial Forces, especially at a crisis' when the thunders of war are rolling on both sides of the Island. It is stated that an overture recently made to the Generel Government by Captain Patterson, of the Naval Brigade, as to tho procuring of a gun-boat for OLago harbor, has met with appro ml, and that tho requisition will be forwarded io the Imperial Government, with the recommendation of tho Government of tho Colony. Tho ti-rms upon which the requisition has been made lor a gun-boat for the protection of the port, and for the drilling of the Naval Brigade, arc so favorable that there is a strong probability that it will be complied with by the Imperial Government, unleas there exist some special reason to the contrary.— " Daily Times," November 4.

. j The Reclaimed Land.— The Provincial Government arc calling for tenders for the reclamation oF thirteen acres of land in continuation of ' the land already reclaimed. The work, it is said, will consist of a sea wall of block brickwork for a length of 8M) feet, witli an average depth of eight feet ; a timber braastwork of 500 feet, with an average depth of a foot, 100,000 cubic yards of earthwork, forming drains, &c, and the last day upon which tenders will be received, is tho Ist of December next. I Major Von Temtskt. — This gallant officer, ' I accompanied by thirty of his men, sailed for ' Wanganni in the s.s. Wanganui on the 211.1 i ulfc. We believe the Major has been appointed to organize an irregular corps mado up of Maoris ,' and Europeans for service in the district, and no doubt, judging from his past career and expo- J rience in flue Colonial Militia, he is fully 1 competent to undertake such a task, which is by | no means an easy nor a plcasant'onc. To re-drill : a Queen's Regiment that lias fallen slack in j foreign service, is not an easy job, but to organize , and initiate the first principles of drill and order into a body of untried men comprised of two different and distinct races, is a peculiarly hard one. Captain Piliier. — This gentleman who has lately held the command of the Wellington Kifle Volunteers, left town for Wanganui on the 21th | ulfc. He has obtained three month's leave of absence, from his company, and will serve under Major Yon Tempsky. As the fact was very generally known in the Volunteer company during the day, a goodly number of the members assembled on the wharf to bid farewell to their Commandant. Captain Pihner has obtained a Lieutenant's commission, and will doubtless do good service at the seat of war. The New Zealand Militia. — We are glad fco bo able to announce that Lieut. Reginald Newton Biggs of the Hawke's Bay Volunteers, who behaved so gallantly the other day at the attack on Pukemaire on tho East Coast, lias been gazetted Captain in tho Now Zealand Militia. The commission to date from tho 11th ulfc. Major Paul. — The Southern Cross in allusion to this gallant officer, who is so well-known and respected in this Province, and who has been actively engaged ever since the commencement of the Maori war, says : — " Major Paul (05th), . Major of Brigade, has received instructions from General Chute to remain in garrison until relieved, when he will leave for England — after a long and arduous service, during which the gallant Major has gained the respect of all with j whom ho has been brought in contact." The Late Premier,— Mr, F, A, Weld left on October 25th for Canterbury. His health for some ■weeks had been bad, so much so, that latterly he was often unable to attend the sittings of the House, and long before he threw up the reins of oilioc, he had to speak on important questions while suffering intense pain, and when he ought to have been in his room. There is no doubt but that the cares and troubles of his high f ofllco, if they were not tho original cause, itidi- ■ rcctly induced his illness. We sincerely hope that his release from his onerous Parliamentary duties, and the healthy airs of Cheviot, will effect what the doctor's skill has failed to do, and that at the next meeting of Parliament Mr. Weld will resume his seat, and may-bo his former position as head of the Government. There are not a few — indeed we may say the majority, of his fellow colonists — entertain the same hope, and look forward to the d y when the Weld Ministry will not bo spoken uf as a thing of tho past, but { as a reality for man v dvystocome,for to them only ' can be attributed t.ho honor of enunciating measures which alone ea<i save the country from ruin. 5 Ri2Tun>' of His IToxor the Superintends. ] — His Honor Dr. Fcalhcrston prrived in town on ; the 3rd inst. from Napier, having ridden the dis- \ tance. We arc glad to say that his health is j considerably improved. We understand that His Honor has succeeded in making arrangements for the purchase of two blocks of land in the I Forty Mile Bush, and one in the Manawatu. ' The Late Fatal Accident. — We hear that ] it is contemplated to get up a public subscription j on behalf of the widow of tho late Captain Sleigh, t who lost his life in the late lamentable accident ] in the harbor. As Mrs. Sleigh is left with two ] young children depending on her, we need 2iofc c say we are sure our citizens "will be liberal in ' their contributions on this occasion. The Death oe John Joyce. — We have been requested, in inserting the notice of tho death of John Joyce in the Hospital, on Tuesday, 7th inst., to mention that he was attended until the time ' of his death, by the City Missionary, who read y and prayed for him. This gentleman, in an account of the last moments of tho deceased, says that ho expressed a strong desire that his friends i in Dunedin and in North America, should know that he died happy and at peace with all men. Mjt. Small. — The " inimitable V confrere, Mr. J. Small has, we understand, accepted an engagement at Wanganui, and will not, consequently, accompany Thatcher and his party to Melbourne in the s.s. Albion. Mr. Small since ho has been amongst us, has made many friends, and the fact that he is likely to come amongst us again soon in a " now character," is looked forward to with much interest. Band oi f Hope. — A meeting of the City of Wellington Band of Hope was held on Tuesday 7th inst., in tho Wcslcyan School-room, Mannersstreet. There were 100 children and 40 adults present. Mr. Fraser delivered a lecture on Natural History, to which the children listened very attentively. Several new members were obtained. After a doxology had been sung, the meeting dispersed at 9 o'clock. The amount collected at the Penny Bank was £7 7s. James' Cabinet Warehouse. — In another column an advertisement will be found from Mr. William James, announcing the erection in his premises, on the Beach, of a steam engine, with which he will execute all sorts of cabinet-work. Mr. James' establishment is well worth a visit, and the machinery, which he has imported at a great expense, is of a most superior kind, and as it does away in a great measuro witli the necessity of employing manual labor, furniture may be procured there, bctier and cheaper than heretofore. Mr. James' establishment, which has always hitherto been largely patronised, will be more appreciated now that its strength has been so increased. It will be remembered that some of the work turned out by Mr. James was shown at tho Exhibition at Dunedin, and received honorable menlkm for beauty of design and excellence of workmanship. The Victoria Hotel Redivivus. — We are glad to notice that Host Somerville's Hotel, in course of erection in Abel Smith- street, is rapidly approaching completion. Tho new building is covered with zinc, and appears to bo almost as largo and quite- as commodious as the house that was burnt down. Wo observe that the stables have boon removed to the opposite side of the street, and that they arc being built with large and lofty stalls and in substantial form. Wi«u:van Mission House. — The old Mission House in which the Wcslcyan Missionaries have resided for 2'J years, having been occupied successively by Revels. Messrs. Aldrcd, Watkin, Buller, Warren, and finally by the present Minister, the Key. J. Harding', was sold during the month for the sum of.C2], and the debris has since been removed. Adjacent stands a very superior building, a good house of ten rooms, which, as wo are informed, has been built at a cost of about £700, wholly without aid from any general fund, and depending solely upon free offerings in Wellington.

] N.Z.S.N. Company.— Mr. Jag. Wallace, storekeeper, on the Beach, has again obtained the con--I'. tract for supplying tho steamers of the above j company with provisions for the ensuing twelve 1 months. ; The Prorogation of Parliament.— A great i concourse assembled outside the Government ' j Buildings on the 20th of October, in conseI quonco of the expected prorogation of tho Parliament by His Excellency the Governor. The day was beautifully fine, and from the blue sky dotted hero and there with fleecy silver clouds to tho brilliant waters of the bay, whose mimic waves glittered and sparkled in the bright warm sunshine — all nature looked 'jbright and blooming. Shortly before the ap'jpointcd hour crowds of ladies hastened to the ! scene, and about two o'clock the band of the i Volunteers announced the arrival of the Rifle j Company, which under the command of Captain ' Mid Adjutant Kirwan, of the Wellington Militia, i : larchcd on to the ground and waited with open j 3 anks the coming of His Excellency. A few i i .linutcß after two o'clock, a general crushing, the ry of " hats off," and the order " Company, prekent arms, " heralded His Excellency's arrival. 'Sir George Grey accompanied by his Private Secretary, the Rev. F. Thatcher, his aide-de-camp Major Grey, Captain Luce, and other officers in full uniform, entered the large gates which lead to the Parliament House, and walked through the ranks to tho main entrance, the band playing the national anthem, and the colors being lowered as a token of respect to Her Majesty. Full particulars of the ceremony of prorogation will be found in our Parliamentary columns, at the conclusion the Volunteers again fell in, opened their ranks, and formed a lane through which His Excellency passed, received, ns on his arrival with all the honors. The ranks of the Volunteers wore then closed, and they were marched off the ground while tho greater part of the crowd hurried to tho wharf, to witness the embarkation of the members | returning homewards. , The Wairau Massacre.— Tablets in Memory of TnE Fallen. — Two neat tablets in memory of Captain Wakefield and of those who fell with him at the Wairau Massacro havo (says the Nelson Colonist of the 17th) just been placed, one on each side of the choir of Christchurch, Nelson. They are made of white Carrara marble, surrounded with a border of black marble. The first bears the following inscription : —

To the Memory of ARTHUR WAKEFIELD, Commander, R.N., Who Planted me Settlement or Nelson. Obitl7 of June, 1843, 33T. ST7JE 43. The inscription on tho opposite slab is as under : — In Memory of those who fell at the WAIRAU. 17th June, 1813. Too Good to be True. — It has been suggested in England, that an eminent member of the Aborigines' Protection Society should pay a visit to this Colony, but we are very doubtful whether any of them, with all their lovo for the noble savage, would run the risk of being dished up ait naturel for Keroopa. Should any of them however, be desirous of calmly reasoning with the Maoris, we hope they will not disagree with them, as weak food for strong stomachs generally does, their famous epistle to wit. Melancholy and Fat,ajj Ascideht^Wc m, gret to have to record the occurrence of a a fatal accident whereby a child of between seven and eight years of age was killed. The deceased little girl was the daughter of Mr. Enoch Godber, and she came by her death through falling into the well attached to her father's residence in Hopper-street. An inquest was held at the Royal Tiger, before L. Boor, Esq., the Coroner of the district, when tho Jury returned a verdict of " Accidentally Drowned."