ARRIVAL OF HIS EXCELLENCY CAPTAIN GREY.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 71, 14 February 1846, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF HIS EXCELLENCY CAPTAIN GREY.

On Thursday, H.M. frigate the Castor, Captain Graham, C.B. arrived in this harbour, having on board his Excellency Capt. Grey, our new Governor, and Mrs. Grey. His Excellency landed shortly afterwards in a private manner, and proceeded on horseback to the district of the Hutt, in company with Major Richmond, and returned to Wellington the same evening. The Governor's first Levee. Yesterday it was generally understood that his Excellency would hold his first Levee at Barrett's Hotel, at eleven o'clock. Accordingly near the appointed time a great number of the settlers assembled on the beach in front of the Hotel to give his Excellency a cordial welcome. A guard of honor of the 96th regiment was stationed opposite the landing place, and Major Richmond, and other officials were on the wharf in readiness to receive the Governor. Precisely at eleven o'clock, his Excellency embarked in the barge of the Castor, accompanied by Capt. Graham, under a salute from the Calliope (the Castor being prevented from saluting in consequence of the wounded on board). His Excellency landed under a salute from the field pieces of the 96th regt., and was enthusiastically received by the settlers, who formed a line on each side from the wharf to Barrett's Hotel. His Excellency seemed very much pleased with his reception which he graciously acknowledged, and proceeded to the Hotel, where several of the settlers were presented to him by his private Secretary, Mr. Symonds; the great majority* however, were not presented from their not being aware that the levee had commenced. At twelve o'clock his Excellency received a number of the inhabitants at the residence of Major Richmond, when the following address, signed within twenty-four hours by four hundred persons, was presented by Mr. Clifford, the chairman of the meeting, in the name of the settlers of Wellington: — To His Excellency George Grey, Esq., Lieut. - Governor and Commander -inChief in and over her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its dependencies, and Vice- Admiral of the same, &c. &c. We the undersigned Inhabitants of Wellington beg to offer our sincere congratulations to your Excellency on your appointment to the government of this colony. Although we should be (as w« hare ever

been) at all times ready to testify our devoted' loyalty to our mostgracious Sovereign, by giving a cordial welcome to Her Representative on hisfirst visit to this settlement,, yet we hesitate not .to avow r that there are circumstances, which induce us to hail your Excellency's arrival, not only with feelings- of deep interest, but with the', most heartfelt satisfactionLooking not merely to the recently expressed intentions ofher Majesty's Ministers in- reference to the future government of this colony, but to the well known views of your Excellency upon> the treatment of aboriginal races, to. the signal success which attended your administration oF the government of South Australia, and above all to the glorious commencement of your Excellency's career in these islands, we feel satisfied, that, after having been from the day ont, - which we firsfr planted this settlement up to the* present time, virtually without a government, we^ have every reason to. believe,, not only that am efficient government will at length be estab* lished, but also that that line of policy which vsk alone capable of extricating the colony from it* , present difficulties, and of restoring it to. a per-j manent state of peace, order,, and prosperity! will be adopted*. \ Regarding then, as we do,the appointment oW your Excellency as a certain- indication of a» entire change in the system which has hitherto? been pursued, and the results of which havebeen equally disastrous to the two racesj wecannot but express our most fervent prayers* that the same success which attended your Ex~ t cellency in South Australia, may still attend your in the execution of the far more arduous and. difficult duties which have now devolved upon you-. We would only further beg to tender our bestwishes for the health and happiness of your Ex-, cellency and Mrs. Grey. To this address his Excellency returned the following reply, but before doing so requested Me. Clifford to explain to the settlers,, that he would gladly have received their congratulations in public, but that thisbeing his first visit,, and there being no Government House, considerable confusion had occurred, and he had not been made acquainted with the wish of the settlers that the addressshould be presented in their presence, or hewould most gladly have complied with their desire: — Wellington, I3th February, 1846.

Gentlemen, —l feel much gratified at the congratulations you have offered me upon my appointment to the Government of this colony,, as well as at the cordial terms in which those congratulations are expressed. Her Majesty's Government, in the instructions which they have issued to me for the settlement of the various difficulties- now existing in New Zealand, and in placing means at my disposal for the attainment of this object, have evinced the most earnest desire that the happiness and future prosperity of all classes of her Majesty's subjects in these islands, should, with the least possible delay, be placed upon a firm and lasting basis: —it shall be my constant en-" deavour to give effect to these wise and benevolent intentions. I cannot refrain from availing myself of this opportunity of stating the surprise and pleasure with which I have witnessed the results of the exertions which the European inhabitants of this portion of New Zealand have made to develop the resources of their adopted country, and to found a colony in every way worthy of the parent state. I shall esteem it at once my duty and a most pleasing task to foster and encourage, by every means in my power, exertions so laudable in themselves, and so highly advantageous to British commerce and industry. Upon behalf of JSlrs. Grey and myself, I have to thank you for the kind wishes you have expressed for our health and happiness. We both trust that you will feel assured that we shall do our utmost to promote the happiness and comfort of the inhabitants of Wellington and its vicinity. G. Grey, Lieutenant Governor. And Commander in Chief. To C. Clifford, Esquire, and the Gentlemen signing the Address. After leaving the Governor Mr. Clifford proceeded to read his answer to the public, in front of Barrett's Hotel; it was received with the most enthusiastic cheers. After they had in some measure subsided, one parting cheer was given for Capt Grey, another for Mrs. Grey, and one cheer more for the Gracious Lady, of whose power his Excellency is in this colony the Vicegerent.