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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume II, Issue 12, 20 July 1862, Page 1

"Good books are like true friends; they will never fail us; never cease to instruct—never cloy."

Our Native friends will be sorry to hear of the total wreck of the " White Swan," steamer, she having struck on a rock near Waioranga, East Coast of New Zealand, during her passage to Wellington, whither she was conveying Mr. Fox and his colleagues, with other members of the General Assembly. On Saturday, the 28th ef June, the steamer left Napier with alight Easterly breeze, the vessel making about ten knots an hour. The accident occurred the following morning as the day was breaking, and about twenty minutes after striking,, she grounded, the water in one of the compartments being level with the deck at the time. As the weather was fine, and comparatively little swell on the beach, the passengers, numbering upwards of fifty were safely landed before eleven o'clock, some having lost their luggage, and others their money, to the amount of £IOOO.

" The fortunate escape of crew and passengers," says traitor iealander, '• is matter of- deepest thoughtfulness io all concerned, more especially on sowild and broken a coast, where the ordinaiy chances of preservation are so few." The shipwrecked party, soon after landing, assembled in a large shed, and Choe| Justice Ara£s read the 6th chapter of St. John's Gospel, in which the impressive words, "It is I; be not afraid," occur, and the following beautiful, and appropriate prayer:— Oh most mighty and gracious good God, thy mercy is over all thy works, but in special manner hath been extended towards us, whom thou hast so powerfully and wonderfully defended. Thou hast showed us terrible things and wonders in the deep, that we might see how powerful and gracious a God thou art, how able and ready to help them that trust in thee. Thou hast showed us how winds and seas obey thy-command ; that we may iearn, even from them, hereafter to obey thy voice, and todo thy will, therefore, bless .and glorify thy nam* for tlus; thy . mercy in saving us when we wej» rea4y to perish. And we beseech thee, make truly- sensible, now of thy mercy, as wewere. then of our danger ; and give us heart?: always ready to express our thankful* ness—-not only by words, but also, by our lives, on being more obedient to thy holy commandments. Continue we beseech thee, this thy goodness to us that we, whom thou hast saved, may serve thee in holiness, anal righteousness aIL the days of our lives through Jesus Christ Lord and Sav&t. Amen? Pjiblic thanksgivings were offered up in the. Wellington Churches, on the following Sunday, in commemoration of the stiid event.