PROJECTED DEPARTURE OF MR HAMLEY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXV, Issue 3017, 9 July 1870, Page 5

PROJECTED DEPARTURE OF MR HAMLEY.

[Daily Southern Cross, Juno 25fcU.] At tho end of the present month, the last of the Imperial officers, with the exception .of the officer remaining to pay the penaionors, will leave New Zealand, and it is with no small amount of regret, which is shared in by the publio generally, we allude to the projeotod departure of Mr Hainley by the Bhip Inflexible for England. As Mr Hamley is a verj old resident in Auckland* and has been foremost in several publio movements of a benevolent and Christian character, we shall offer no excuses for giving a brief outline of his services. From an old War Office list we find that Mr Hamley commenced his services at the War Office and the Tower of London, and was ordered in 1838 to Sydney, whore he served till 1846. At that time the native disturbances in this country commenced, and Mr Hamley was ordered ao proceed at once to the Soutb, where the war was still raging at Porirua, Horokiwj Valley, the Hutt, and Wanganui. He remained at Wellington until 1858, when he was ordered, on the death of Mr Plummer, to proceed to Auckland, to assume the entire charge of the department in the whole of New Zealand. During his period of service in Wellington, he had gained the esteem and respect of everyone, and on leaving ho was presented with a silver salver, for hia valuable services in assisting to extinguish a fire which at one time threatened the total destruction of a large block of buildings, forming the chief business establishment of the mercantile portion of the city. In Auckland, also, we remember his valuable services at the time of the fire at the William Denny Hotel, at the corner of West Queen street, when, through his exertions in oharge of the military engine, he succeeded in extinguishing the fire which had caught the opposite side of the building on the south side of the street, and threatened the destruction of all the buildings in tho block, as far #as Wyndham street. It is not in our province or our duty to advert to all the many public duties^ in which Major Hamley has been engaged during his period of service in New Zealand ; but the writer of this happened to be stationed for some time at several of the camps in the Waikato, and had frequent opportunities of seeing how complete the arrangements made by the Military Store department were for the supply of the troops ; and on all occasions, and at all the stations, even whore the means of communication were v«ry difficult, not a single complaint was evor heard of the want of any of the stores which were sent out from England specially for the comfort and health of the troops ; and on many occasions the officers in command at the various posts expressed their opinions of the admirable arrangements under the most difficult circumstances.

The committee of the Orphan Home have on many occasions publicly thanked Mr Hamley for his valuablo services in aid of this institution, and wo have frequently heard of many unostentatious aots of charity among the poor of this city. As a vestryman of St. Paul's, an office which hehaß held for many years, his services have been much appreciated, and hia departure will be a great loss to the parish. No public entertainments, balls, or amusements of any kind in Auckland were thought of without the assistance of Mr Hamley being necessary to obtain a successful result. The origin of the promenade concerts which were so successful during last winter in this city is due to him. The G-un Club which bears his name was formed by him. As vice-president, he carried out the duties of the office with much spirit and energy, and the thanks of the sporting community of this province are specially due to him for initiating a club which has afforded so much amusement to its numerous members. We ourselves are glad of this opportunity of of thus publicly expressing our appreciation of his many valuablo services. We have heard it frequently spoken of, and it was generally believed, that the Colonial Government would have secured the services of an officer possessing so much experience and knowledge of stores, an appointment which at the present time would doubtless have saved the colony thousands of pounds. After an absence of more than thirty-two years, Mr Hamley is returning to England. It ■a remarkable fact that he arrived in H.M.s. Inflexible, and that after so many years he should leave in a vessel of the same name.

We are quite sure that we shall only be giving expression to the general feeling of tho community in wishing him and his wife and family a safe and pleasant voyage to his native country, and wo should be glad to see realised the hope we expressed when we first became aware of his approaching departure by his return to permanently cast in his lot among us as a settler.