SIR WILLIAM JERVOIS 0N THE COLONY.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1664, 6 March 1883, Page 4

SIR WILLIAM JERVOIS 0N THE COLONY.

(BY TELEGRAPH.) His JSxcqllency the Governor inspected the Dunedin ttarbour and was entertained by the tjtarbofir Board at luncheon on Thursday. In the course of his speech in reply to the toast of his health 'proposed by the chairman, Mr Fish, M.U.R., His Excellency said :'— Personally, he thought the mow a Go'vcvnor saw of all elates of a community, the more he mixed with* .ill classes and creeds, and understood the wants of all, the more naetul would he be, and the more likely would he be fitted for the position in which he was placed. (Hear.) He also agreed w it!) Mr Fish, that the position of a Governor of one of these colonies was not merely one of what he might call pageantry, although no doubt that was a part of the functions to which he should pay pioper attention as the representative ot Her Majesty. (Cheers.) But there were also duties of a practical nature to be performed, according to the wisdom and the abilities of «he nation o\cr which a Governor presided. It so happened that he (the Governor) hod passed a great many years of his life in connection with engineering puisiiits, and lie had also been intimately concerned hi the construction of defences in Great Britain and the Bntish dependencies. He had been associated with woiks of a civil character, and especially in the making of hveakxi aters and harbours, and for that reason to visit Port Chalmers took him back to some 20 or 30 years ago, when he designed or constructed woiks of that nature at Aldcrsgato, Poi tl.uid, Dover, and other places. Tints it became a second nature to him to look on the means of improving and defending harbours. (Cheers.) And looking at the work of harbour itnpiovoincnt here he thought that they spoke most highly— as highly as it was possible for such tilings to speak — of the enterprise and abdity of those engaged in carrying them out. (Cheers.) He knew well, and heard before he came hcie, that the question had been raised as to whether tin- Otago harbour bad adopted a right or a wrong course, and, so far as he could make out they were quite justified in cutting a channel to Dunedin, in order that merchants might bring the ships alongside of their commercial establishments. Nevertheless, in the face of pru sent conditions, the si/c of the ships, and the circumstances of the picsont day, perhaps it would bo wise were the bo.ud to devote their energies to the deepening of the bar, following the lines Sir John Coodc had sketched out, ami to the bi inging up of large ships to Poit Chalmois, and there to have a dock large enough to accommodate any ship likely to come here. When making a dock at Tort Chalmers they should be careful not to make it too small. They should make it big and deep enough for any .ship likely to come to New Zealand. Then when the channel and h.u hour wen; deepened, and they had a dock at Poit Chalmers such as he lccommonded, the poit would necessarily become one of the most important in the antipodes. (Loud ohecib.) This having hi en done, the question of deepening the channel to Dunedin could be considered. He could only say that if at any time his opinion as an individual was worth anything without lefeionce to his position ot receiving _ aduce from his constitutional Ministeis, lie would always bo. happy to gi\o it in any way that might be considered coi rect or proper So long as he remained Her Majesty's lopicsentatuo m this colony it would ho his wish and pleasure, indued he would consider it an honour, to gi\o the benefit of any such opinion for what it mmht be woith. (Continued cheering)- He thought lie had now troubled them long enough about harbour woiks. Much as he had to do during his life with the defences of the Empire, having been the immediate adviser of Lord Palmeiston from the year ]837 to tho time of that statesmen's death, and his recommendations ha* ing been carried, he could now express an opinion on such matteis without it being considered th.it he w.is indulging in anything like overweening \nnity. (C'hceis). The question seemed lo be within a small compass. It had been said that those colonies foinicd pait of the Butish Nmpiie, and, tliciofoie, that they could look to England foi then defence. Thcic w.is some tiuth, and tlieic was also a considerable amount of ci ior m th.it. No doubt so long ai (licit 15ntaiu was the gieatcst naval Power of the woild — and lie took it that she alw.i\s intended to remain so — she was able to piotect the colonies against any expedition that might be .sent out against them. She was jMcpmed to supply ships and foiccs against any expedition pioeeeding ft 0:11 a foreign poit, and to dispciac it. Theretore, all tho colonies had to piovidc against was the sudden landing of some ciuiser or a piivatcer or two. It would be impossible for the (neatest naval power thatc\ci existed to use sufficient vigilance to pi e\ cut such a thing happening. To meet such a contingency our means of defence would only lcquirc to be comparatively small, and fiom conversations he had had with sevei.il persons, be did not think thcic would be much dilhenUy in getting Pailiamont to provide funds for tins put pose. It was impoitant to h.nc a pioper volunteer ioico, and qu.ililied infantry aitdleiy. The volunteer piescntcd a good appearance on paiadc, .pi.ictised -» ell, and no doubt would do t^ood set' vice, bdt unless the men weie tiained they could not bo expected to do much in the way of resisting external attacks, although they might lie useful as icg.mled internal peace. (Much laughter.) On tin's question he would Jay bofoie Ministers some distinct principle, which he ventured to think should be acted upon. In making these observations, he wished it tv be understood that while they w ere w iso 111 carrying out liaibour works, they would have to provide booner or iater for their defence. ( Hear. ) With these lemaiks, which he was afraid he had made too long — (cries of "No !'") — he begged again to thank those piesent tor the exceedingly kind mannci in which they had received him. Indeed, he dcsiicd to express his thanks far the handsome, kind, and nattering manner in which he had been received from the first moment he had set his foot in New Zealand. (Cheers.)

It is stated that the Russian Admiralty proposed to build several vessels of tlie typo of the English (jiuiser Leander and otliers ; the whole of the body to be of stec), with a length of 300 ft, a width ot 4(ift, and a tonnage of 'M4S. A (Jirrxi^i; PnuTE's E\n,oiT. — A correspondent writing from Vladivostock to the China Mail, Nov. 22, says :—: — " During tiie summer a boat was captui cd by some pirates in the immediate neighbourhood of Vladivostock. A small steamer, with soldiers on board, succeeded hi overtaking and capturing the robbers, but not, however, without wounding the steersman through the neck. The robbers had tied up and drowned the erew — six men — and as they saw their capture was unavoidable they threw their Winchesters overboard. All the robbsrs were brought to Yladivbstock, and the man wounded through the neck by a shot from a Russian soldier was taken to the hospital, where lie was cared for. A short time ago, when tUe fellow -was nearly recovered, I ne was taken out for an airing, escorted by a guard with fixed bayonet and charged gun. The convalescent was dreaied in the hospital garb, consisting of a long gray cloak ; and on the way he - suddenly turned round upon the gallant soldier, threw his cloak over his head, and twisting it round, made- it securely fast. After accomplishing this feat he inide himself scarce, and has not been heard of since, nplwithstauding the earnest enquiries of anxious frieuds. It eefem's the fellow ia a robber of sonic notoriety,, as a reward of 2000 tads is the honour bestowed on his Head by the ,pbtoejw'»wthoritiep."