Funeral of Lieutenant Hay.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 242, 23 September 1848, Page 2

Funeral of Lieutenant Hay.

On Wednesday last, the remains of this young: Officer were consigned to a sudden and an early grave. The day proved to he a most beautiful one, and this being the first funeral, which had ever occuned in Auckland, with complete military honours, a large concotir.se of people assembled to witness the mournful ceremony. By 2 o'clock, nearly every disposable soldi« of the 58th llegnnent was drawn up in Princes street, near the house of the deceased, and shortly after, the sad cortege defiled in- the following order : A Firing Party of Forty Men, with Arms reversed, under the conuniml of Licut, Pagu, Drums and Fifes, Regimental Band, 58th Regiment, playing the Diud March, The Rev, J. I<\ Churton, Colonial Chaplain, Ensign Grant, "I Tiik Body, ("Ens. Wynyarf, Ensign Baukpr, j> the -j Lieut. Ui.kukui, Dv Piiilson, J Pall borne by [Lieut. Putlly, Dr. Bannatine Dr. Thompson, Soldicis of theSSib Regiment, four abictibt, Lieut. -Colonet, Wynyaud, C.B. and the Odiceis of the sSth Regiment, Engineers, Artillery, New Zcilaud Fencib'cs, &c., and several private gentlemen. In this order the procession moved up Princes Stteet, and through the Barrack Square; wending its way towards the cemetery, in slow and solemn state — each guard — each sentinel, presenting arms, facing inwards, and doing the last honours to the passing bier. There is, probably, no mere exhibition of earth which combines more of melancholy with, attraction — more of splendour with solemnity — more of the pomp of life with less of the ghastliness of death, than that thrilling pageant — a Soldier's Funeial ! Its touching accessories speak home to the heart. Tl're eye, the ear, the imagination, are at once excited, and subdued. The long and serried array. The sable pall surmounted by the vacant eap — The masterless sword — The plainth c waitings of martial melody — The slow, mewsuted, tread of the .soldiery — The very throng drawn together to gape at the passing .show A aie but so many striking memento's to warn us of our own uncertain stay — so many mental hints to remind us that " Prom hour to hour, we ripe and ripe, And then, fr»m hour to hour, we rot and rot. 1 * now here — now gone ! ! Mr. Churton read the funeral service with much feeling ; when, earth having been returned to earth, and three parting vollies fired over the grave, the troops fell in and inarched back to quarters ; the drums and Tifes playing the very appropriate and kindly air, " Should auld acquaintance be forgot." The late Lieutenant Hay served with his regiment during the operations in the north and south of New Zealand. He is, we believe, the fourth officer whom the 58th Regiment have lost since their arrival in these colonies : viz. — Captain Grant, slain at the leckless assault of the pah at Ohaiohai ; Lieut. Charles Chester Master, killed at Paramatta by the same lamentable accident which caused tke death of Lady Mary Fitzroy ; Lieut. Simmons, who died on his passage to England last year ; and now Lieut. A.M. Hay, whose moital sickness was of brief duration.

Sale of Stock. — The Cattle and Horses by " Elizabeth and Henry," have been nearly all sold by Mr. H. Joseph at very remunerating prices. On Thursday, 20 fat Bullocks realised ten guineas a head ; 25 Cows, averaged eight guineas ; 50 Heifers, £6 3s. ; and 50 Yearlings, £4, each. Yesterday, there were four Draught Hoises sold at £45 each ; 2 Saddle Hoises, each at £44, and one at £50, and '& Saddle Mares at £20 each. Altogether, the result of this sale has been very satisfactory and will no doubt have the effect of encouraging the shippers to repeat their consignments of cattle" to this market — wheie good and well selected stock will always command ready sale and certain profit. We are informed that Mr. Joseph has purchased twenty acres of land convenient to the new landing place in Campbells Bay, which he intends to convert into paddocks for the reception of cattle as they are landed from the ships which are in future to discharge their rinmnps there.