THE GOVERNOR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 137, 10 August 1880, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR.

It will doubtless be with some regret that our readers will receive the information given to-day that Sir Hercules Robinson is to be withdrawn from the Governorship of New Zealand and sent to the Cape, to replace Sir Bartle Frere. Sir Hercules, during his brief stay in this colony, has been a popular Governor, his many good qualities commanding at once the respect and admiration of the settlers, and . we cannot, therefore, regard his departure other than regretfully. He himself, until very recently had no notion of a change coming so soon, for he had made extensive arrangements for a stay amongst us of some duration. He was gradually getting together a stud of excellent horses, and the turf will lose by his departure a genuine lover of sport for sport itself. Sir Hercules’ place will be supplied, however, by a good man in Sir Arthur Gordon, presently at the Fiji Islands. Of Sir Arthur, “ Men of the Time” gives the following account : “ The Hon. Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon, K.C. M.G., youngest son of George, fmirth Earl of Aberdeen, some time Prime Minister of England, by his second wife Harriet, daughter of the late Hon. John Douglas, was born November 26th, 1829. In 1854 he was elected in the Liberal interest Beverley, having defeated Mr. G. W. Hastings, and'he ret.lined the seat until the general election of 1857, when he unsuccessfully contested Liskeard against Mr. Ralph Grey, who was afterwards appointed a Commissioner of Customs. Sir Arthur Gordon was assistant private secretary to his father when Foreign Secretary, and also when Prime Minister; and he was specially attached to Mr. Gladstone’s mission to the lonian Islands in 1858. He was ap-i pointed Governor of New Brunswick in 1861; Governor of Trinidad in 1866; and Governor of Mauritius in October, 1870. In 1871 he was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.-' When the Fiji Islands were created into a separate colony called the colony of Fiji, Sir .Arthur Gordon, was appointed its first Governor and Com-mander-in-Chief, February 4th, 1575 ; also, Consul-General and High Commissioner for’ the Western Pacific, 1877. He was nominated a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St.: Michael and St. George in August, 1878. Six*i Arthur married in 1863, Rachel Emily, eldest' daughter of Sir J. G. Shaw-Lefevre, the Clerk of the Parliaments.