PRESENTATION OF A SERVICE OF PLATE TO THE REV. R. COLE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 69, 31 January 1846, Page 3

PRESENTATION OF A SERVICE OF PLATE TO THE REV. R. COLE.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting was held at the Assembly Rooms, Barrett's Hotel, of the' members of the Church of England, for the purpose of presenting to the Rev. R. Cole a a silver service of plate, which has been purchased by subscription, to be presented to him on the occasion of his marriage, as a slight token of their esteem and regard. The service, which was neat and substantial, included a silver tea pot, milk ewer, sugar basin and tongs, a dozen forks, half a dozen table spoons, a dozen' desert spoons, a dozen tea spoons, and a small waiter, the cost of the whole amounting to nearly eighty pounds. His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman, in presenting the plate, in the name of the subscribers, addressed the Revtrend Gentleman in the following manner :—: — " Mr. Cole, I have been requested by the gentlemen whom you see around you, and by others not present, members of the Church of England, and of the congregation of which you are the spiritual guide, to request your acceptance of this breakfast service, as a testimonial of their esteem, and of the affectionate regard which they entertain towards you. " It is proper that I should state, as well for the information of such of the subscribers j as may not be aware of it, as for your own, that had we not confined ourselves within the pale of the Church of England, the testimonial, though it might not, in your estimation, have been a more acceptable ' expression of our feelings towards you, would certainly have been a better type of the general estimation in which you are held by the whole community. If I were to consult the feelings of the subscribers, as well as my own, I should expatiate at great length on the various considerations which led us to adopt this means of conveying to you an expression of our esteem and regard. But I feel that I am bound to consult your feelings also, and I am quite sure I best do so by abstaining from such details ; I therefore confine myself to an expression of our conviction, that in your intercourse with the members of your congregation, and.especially with such, as are in tribulation, the charity which you habitually displayT is in the true meaning and spirit of the Apostle. " I beg, therefore, in the name of my fellow subscribers, to request your acceptance of this breakfast service, which we desire you to receive as evidence of the great esteem and affectionate regard which we entertain towards you. For myself, I beg to assure you how completely my own feelings coincide with the feelings of tbose whom 1 represent. " In conclusion, I must add, that we wish you and Mrs. Cole all the welfare and happiness which it may please Providence to bestow upon you ; and we have choeen the period of your marriage, because we thought it a proper occasion for the expression of our feelings and wishes." To this address Mr. Cole replied as follows :—: — " Mr. Justice Chapman and Gentlemen, — In presuming upon your permission to address you, briefly as I feel I must, in acknowledgement of your kindness I may observe, so exquisite has been the delicacy (I had almost said mystery and reserve) observed towards me on the present occasion, that even if I had wished so to do, I have been without the data requisite to furnish an elaborate or lengthened expression of acknowledgment. For beyond such an intimation as was necessary to your being enabled to give the greater effect to a purpose essentially kind, I haVe known feallynotning. I have been without any knowledge of the particulars. It -was late in the day when I was informed yesterday, more friendlily than officially, that a meeting was called for this day, and that in consequence I might expect to receive a visit or invitation. Let xne, however, feel assured that you will not the less accept what may now escape me because it is unstudied and without the repulsive stiffness and coldness of a fine formality. " I speak Gentlemen from my heart, fresh from ray heart and deliberately, when I say that I feel most sensibly, and far more than my simple words can convey, that most generous feeling and purpose which have led to our particular meeting on this to me to be so memorable an occasion. If there be one poiiit, aud one there is in which I am disposed to yield to no one, it is that of being able to appreciate to the full what is of kind intention. Much I shall prize, believe me very much, the valuable offering which by your gracious presentation from

this moment becomes my own., Bat far above the material offering itself and as above price' shall I value that most excellent spirit and purpose and feeling which you desire it to betoken. And let me say, that the feeling which I thus attempt to imply more than express, is shared equally by her to whom, by the Providence of God as I believe, I am united by the strongest and the most holy of ties. " I would add, that if what is so valuable in itself, but the more on account of that of which it is made to be the representation, be at all enhanced by any attendant and prominent circumstance, it is that it proceeds as Mr. Justice Chapman has stated, not from a mixed community (for then it would be on other than religious grounds), but from those with whom I am happy to be | bound together by the sacred bond of a common Christian fellowship and profession. i And now, with a reassurance that, with a lively sense to which indeed I can in no wise do justice I receive at your hands this precious gift, — precious the more especially because of its bearing upon it so much of a Christian character and expression, allow me to indulge and express a hope that, as the main event in a life has by a liberal and. extreme construction been made the appropriate opportunity for a token, to bear testimony that during an intercourse now of above three years duration the feeling on your part, and to meward, has been only one of which in' more than a common sense you have no need to be ashamed ; so, for the future, the present may be a pledge that be the times or our trials or our temperaments what they may, we desire one wish to be acknowledged on either part, and a common mark and sign to tell of us that we are ' courteous' and ' kindly affectioned one to another/ and ' love as brethren/ " We most heartily join in the good wishes so ably expressed by Mr. Chapman, and hope that the community may Jong enjoy the valuable labours of their respected pastor, and that succeeding years will only have the effect of strengthening the bond of union which exists between him and the members of his congregation.

Robbert. — The stores of Mr. R. Waitt were broken into either on the evening of Wednesday the 21st, or the following evening, and broad cloths, blankets, and other property to the value of seventy pounds were taken away. About a week previous to this robbery, a soldier was detected in having stolen from Mr. Wattt's store some sugar, which be had secreted under his waistcoat, and which was discovered by the seigeant on his being relieved .from guard, and it is remarked that the same soldier was on guard about the time the robbery was supposed to have been cemmitted. It will be a great reflection on the Wellington Police, if the perpetrators of so serious a robbery are allowed to escape, as it appears impossible that such bulky articles could be made away with, if due vigilance is exercised by them, and impunity wilL encourage the offenders to commit fresh robberies.

Considerable interest was excited by the match made between Temperance and Mazeppa for £30 a side, which came off on Wednesday last, at two o'clock, over the same ground as the hurdle race on the day of the anniversary. lemperance was ridden by Donald, and Mazeppa by Armstrong. The horses cleared the first leap in very good style ; but Mazeppa, after passing the brook, refused tha next leap. He was, however, brought back again, when he took it capitally, and soon began to gain upon the mare. All the other leaps were taken beautifully, the horses being ridden in first : rate style; and, as they approached the last leap they kept stkeyenly together that the excitement became very great. Mazeppa was over first, closely followed by Temperance, who gradually gained upon him until near the winning pest, when she shot forward winning by half a head. In the next-heat, Mazeppa heading the. mare, and appeared to be in a fair way to win ; but on approaching the water the second time, he bolted, and no effort of his xider could bring him back again. Temperance, therefore had it her own way and walked over the course. A hack race took place afterwards, in which five horses started, and which was won by Phormium Tenax, Dandy being second, but in consequence of the previous agreement of the riders to divide the stakes, they were adjudged to Templar, which came in third. The afternoon was very fine, and a- great number of persons were attracted to the ground by the sports. A race came off the following day (Thursday), between Phormium Tenax, Dandy, and anoteer horse, in which Dandy was the winner.

Cbicket Match. — We understand that a return match at Cricket, will be played between the military, and the members of the Britannia Cricket Clvb r on Te Aro Flat, on Thursday next, the sth February.

On Tuesday. last, the waters of the lake at Wairarapa forced a. passage through the bar, and discharged themselves into the sea. Taylor's boat had a narrow escape, as she had only left the place an hour previously with a cargo of wool for Port Nicholson.

i Te Rauparaha. — It is reported that this I chief 'has received a communication from the | Governor, 'requiring him to declare himself as* to the part he means to take in future. That -in the event of his remaining well disposed, ' he will he allowed to keep all the lands he has not sold or has ,no desire to part with, hut that all lands which have been sold must be given up to the settlers ; — that the Treaty of Waitangi will be preserved inviolate, but that the British law will be supreme throughout New Zealand. We believe this communication has not been forwarded through any official quarter in this settlement and therefore give the above as a report that requires confirmation.

Accident — Youko Man Drowned. — We are sorry to learn that a very promising young •man, about eighteen years of age, of the name of Small, in the employment of Mr. Best, at Manawatu, was drowned in the Ohau river, on Wednesday, the 21st instant. How the accident occurred is uncertain. He was proceeding from Manawatu to Wellington on a mule. It appears there had been a heavy fresh in the river ; the mule was most likely carried down, and the rider thrown off and carried out to sea. The mule was discovered wandering about by the natives. The body has not been found, but his cap washed ashore furnished evidence of his having found a watery grave. A maori woman was also drowned in the Ohau on the same day ; from this it would appear that there must have been something peculiar in the state of the river. The Ohau is certainly a dangerous stream,- and strangers going .along the coast ought never to attempt crossing it except at dead low water. Indeed, too much caution cannot be exercised in crossing rivers in New Zealand, till such time as they are better known and safer modes of conveyance are obtained.

Squatting. — In the Nelson Examiner is a notice by Mr. Fox, the New Zealand Company's Resident Agent, warning all squatters upon land within that district, that legal steps will be taken to eject them after the Ist of March next.

Married, Jan. 12, by the Rev. R. Cole* Mr. George Crawford, formerly merchant in Stirling, Scotland, now of Wellington, New Zealand, to Mary Ann, only daughter of the late John Gosling, Esq., Hampshire, England.

Baptized, on Sunday, 4th January, instant, at St. Mary's Catholic Chapel, by the Catholic Pastor, William Henry M'Kain, son of John and Harriett M'Kain.

Through the kindness of Capt. Backer of the William, we have been furnished with last Saturday's Nelson Examiner, containing the news of the arrival of the Mary Catherine from London . We believe the Mary Catherine may be expected here very shortly. [From the Nelson Examiner, Jan. 24.] We have delayed our publication to announce the arrival of the Mary Catherine, from England, having left the Downs on the 27th of September. We have intelligence that the negociatlons between the Government and the New Zealand Company have been brought to a satisfactory conclusion. The loan of £150,000 has been agreed to, and a portion of it paid. The settlement at Otakou is to go forward immediately, and Mr. Kettle, formerly of New Plymouth, is to be chief surveyor, and has arrived in the Mary Catherine,' Mr. Rennie is, vie believe, not coming out. The Caledonia had not arrived when the Mary Catherine sailed. The latest news from New Zealand was to the beginning of April. Another vessel would, it was expected, be despatched about the 10th of December. The Mary Catherine has a large quantity of Government stores and ammunition on board, which she takes on to Auckland. The following paragraph is from the New Zealand Journal of September^' .?& : —

" Thb Mary Catherine.-— This vessel leaves Gravesend this morning, and we expect will make a quick run out, being in fine sailing order. Her first advertised date of departure has been strictly adhered to ; as she shut her hatches on the afternoon of the 10th, and left the docks before business hours on the 11th. Itigives us pleasure to inform our readers that the Government have given an earnest of their wish to co-operate with the Company, by shipping a large quantity of stores in this vessel, hi fact, nearly half the cargo ; and taking in part of these has been the cause of her detention at Gravesend. They consist of cannon and military stores, the arrival of which will, we trust, put the settlers in good spirits, showing, as it does, the determination of Her Majesty's Government to protect them efficiently for the future. She takes seven cabin passengers, and five adults and six children in the steerage. Among the former, is Mr. Kettle, s gentleman

who has already resided for tome time in N»W Zealand, and is now, we understand, sent out by the Company, for the purpose of making surveys at Otago, preliminary to further steps now about being taken with regard to the establishment of the New Edinburgh settlement/