OLD NEW ZEALAND MEMORIES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 935, 30 September 1910, Page 5

OLD NEW ZEALAND MEMORIES.

TIME OP LADY FRANKLIN. IBy Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) ' ' Auckland, September 27. Some interesting historical i.';i .have been published .of . .'Auckland's .' first !v;(\'- f Goverimerit/Jibuso, ; not the; one: which is . now i a subject of controversy. The. first, / j [.■; Government Houso was built in London, of Norway deal, aud was shipped out here. Though rather plain, witn a gable. .. at.each-end,', the first Government.Bouse at Auckland was an important piece. of architecture for years to come.' The. structure weighed 250 tons, and -cost , . 42000. It ; was brought'out from England . by the New Zealand Company's, .ship; ; : - Platina, and{the people/of. Port Nicholson ;•; . ■'; were. deeply .chagrined at'Hobson's refusal to make the' seat of Government. amongst ,' them. With sad eyes they watched the " Platina;' sail out ■•i of •".•Port ?' Nicholson, .<>■• taking the Government ! House ;to the north. . , Hobson' purchased for .£3OO from' , v Charles Terry, an old Auckland settler, another . - house", built, by - Manning..' .. It was placed adjacent to' Government House, . and uswl as kitchen and v' v servants':, quarters.'' •; It was while .moving into the new . residence at . Auckland that. Mrs. "Hobson got; a teste .of eiitertainina:-under . diffi- ;: cul ties'. In ilarch, lSi;,'li.il.S.' favourite arrived-from the south, • with a dis- : tinguished visitor, Lady -Franklin.. Her husband,-.the celebrated, Arctic explorer, 1 ; .' was' then Governor ,of Tasianid, and.'she ; (a. very cultured and talented lady) - had . .undertaken an-.arduous tour of all the .v:;;-j-iAustralasian;colonieS-:aV' tour.'.;- of which' .there is unfortunately no personal ■ record. ;; • • She arrived in\ Auckland with her suite . before the Governor's family had- got settled into'. • the new house, and, when- , the . main entrance hall - was serving the diiai^purpose of dining-room : and'.drawings room. Determined, to see all she could of the, colony, ?Lady' Franklinmade . . . Beveral difficult journeys . through :the bush with llobson, sometimes being ■voar ried-- for miles in- a litter, besido which' ,- fc e f.^ Wil-' ! '• liamson) '-trudged'wearily Ualbhg.' Lady" Franklin was much interested in the : ..' , chubby boy, William .Hobson .(then only tenye&rs. of age) > - and/. ; by ; a -. ; strarige coincidence, it was he who, years later, .. found, the relics-in King William Island which definitely-established' the .fate of ,her. distinguished,;husband 'in : 'rth'e' i frbzen' North. , '/