Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Auckland, 28th Oct., 1863.

THE following Circular, in reference to a proposed National Shakespeare Memorial, is published for general information.

ALFRED DOMETT.

Committee Room, Pall Mall,
London, August, 1863.

Sir,— We do ourselves the honour of calling your Excellency’s attention to the accompanying Resolution of the Shakespeare Committee,* inviting your co-operation in making known to her Majesty’s subjects within your province the intention to celebrate next year the Three Hundredth Birthday of Shakespeare, in a manner worthy of the poet and of the poet’s countrymen.

It is felt by the Noblemen and Gentlemen composing the Shakespeare Committee that all her Majesty’s subjects who speak the language of Shakespeare must regard with interest the proposal to commemorate his birth, by the erection of a monument in a conspicuous part of London. It may not be possible for many of those who reside in distant parts of the British dominions to assist personally on the 23rd of April, 1864, in laying the Foundation Stone of the proposed National Memorial. Nevertheless, as many thousands so circumstanced must desire to contribute towards such an undertaking, it is hoped there may be afforded a suitable opportunity of doing so.

The Committee have therefore instructed us to communicate with the Representatives of the Crown in the various British Colonies, and to request their good offices in making the object of this application widely known.

The people of England have had so many recent and gratifying proofs of the strong sympathy which unites them to their Colonial brethren in all matters of national interest, that we anticipate a hearty and early response to this invitation on the part of your Council and of the community, the administration of whose affairs has been entrusted to your Excellency.

We feel that it would be presumptuous in us to offer any special suggestions as to the most effective mode of bringing the subject before the people of the Colony. The proper authorities there can alone fitly decide such local details. We may, however, state that it is confidently expected that this movement will ere long be honoured by her Majesty’s immediate patronage, and by the Presidency of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. When the list of distinguished Vice-Presidents, Officers, and Members of the Committee is completed, we shall have much pleasure in transmitting it. We have further to request that your Excellency will allow your name to be added to the list of the National Shakespeare Committee.

In the meantime we may state that contributions towards the Shakespeare Memorial should be remitted to Messrs. Coutts & Co., Bankers, London.

We shall also be most happy to pay every attention to any communication with which your Excellency may favour us on the subject of this letter.

We have, &c.,

CHARLES NICHOLSON,
R. G. MACDONNELL.

His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B., &c.

• Proposed by Sir Richard Macdonnell, C.B., seconded by Thomas Wright, Esq. That the Governors of her Majesty’s Colonies and Indian Possessions be invited to make known the objects of this Committee within their respective Provinces, and to enlist the sympathy and support of her Majesty’s subjects throughout the British Dependencies in aid of the erection of the contemplated National Shakespearean Monument...

TO STEAM COMPANIES AND PROPRIETORS OF STEAM VESSELS.

TENDERS will be received at the Office of the Superintendent of the Province of Marlborough, till the 31st of December, 1863, from Persons who are prepared to perform a MONTHLY STEAM SERVICE for a period of not less than six months, namely,

A Steamer to proceed from Picton to the Kaikoura Peninsula, returning thence to Picton at once, or to call at the Kaikoura Peninsula, on her return to Picton within the month, stopping at each trip when required, off the Wairau River Mouth, Flaxbourne, Kekerangu, and Waipapa.

The service to commence before the end of January, 1864.

THOMAS CARTER,
Superintendent.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS, &c.

ALL PERSONS TENDERING for GOVERNMENT WORKS are hereby requested to endorse the word “Tender” on the envelope.

THOMAS CARTER,
Superintendent.