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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 268, 12 November 1877, Page 4

An old Wellington settler, named Robert Lambert, died last week, and was buried with Masonic ceremonies. The following addres? waa delivered at the grave by Brother Woodward, P.M : ~Brethren tha present occasion presents to pur view a striking instance of the uncertainty of life, and demonstrates the vanity of human pursuits. When lasfi I had the honor of joining with you in a funeral service it was 6o the .memory of our then lately deceased Grand Master, the Sari of Zetland, Now, while no one would have been less likely than Robert Lambert to have pronounced his name in the same sentence with that of the puissant earl, yet, as in Masonry there are lesser as well greater lights, I feel that I shall not be gainsaid when I assert that of the lesser lights few Bhone more brightly, and uone gave forth a clearer or mor-d consistent ray than our brother who has departed. For nearly 30 years I have bad the pleasure of his acquaintance, and can now unhesitatingly aay that which is the most honorable eulogy that can be pronounced upon any mao,~£he longer and the better he was known, the more highly was ha esteemed and respected. What Masonry, owed to him none even here can tell, though many will cherish for long years to come the memory of what he was. But the sprig of acacia which we reverently place on hia grave is not the emblem of death, but of young budding life. We aay, "ho is dead," but really it is that the Great Architect of the Universe has called him to the grand lodge above. His body fa buried in peace, but his soul liveth for evermore. Let us, then, so follow in his footsteps that when the calL shall come, and it will come for us, the " bright morning star," which ever " brings light and salvation," may so iliunaine the last dark passage that we may pass through it unfearing and unharmed, and enter those glorious mansions where the greater — nay, the greatest light—shall shine with unwavering and eternal glory. I 'stand before no common assembly, but in the presence of those who have kuown the departed as a brother; and whilst we feel that he will not return to us, but that we shall go to him, let ua learn so to live, each iv our several sphere and station, that we at last may hear the Master say " Well done, good aad faithful servant. Enter Uiou into the joy of thy Lord."

We hear from Wellington th&t one of the incidents of the debate cm the no-confidence motion was Tawiti'a speech. Mr "H. K. Tawiti," as we fiad him called on the list of members, must be a man with a keen appreciation for a joke, judgingl/ his actions. Since (he defeat of the Atkinsou Ministry the new Government supporters, and notably Mr J. 0. Brown, the Government wtiip, had been freely circalating the report that Mr Tawiti had joined them, and this report Mr Tawiti did hot contradict, but rather favored. So the other evening, after TaUroa's speech, Mr Brown gave Tawiti a wiak, aa much as to aay it was a favorable opportunity for him Jo rise, which he did. Government supporters greeted him with cheers, and he proceeded with hia speech, during the first part of which anyone might have believed he was going to VQte for Government ; but before he reached the end, and after giving very satisfactory reasons for hia conduct, he conclude! by saying —"I nava fallen with Major Atkinson once, ami I will fall with him again." Mr Browo, who sits in front of him, turned right round to see if the evidence of his eyes would support that of his care, and did not applaud when ( Mr Tawiti sat down amid murmurs of approval from the Opposition Benches. It has been one of the most emphatic political Bella that was ever seen, and has caused do inconsiderable amount of aaauaemeut at Mr Brown's expeose. The best part of the joke is to come. Several aßked Tawiti since his speech why ho had not contradicted the rumors that the Government party had

led so many people to believa were true ; and ha replied — " Why should I hsva contradicted them? For itia more I contradicted them the more would they have lied."