pleasure your assurances of loyalty and
devotion to Our Most Gracious Sovereign
the Queen. I can assure you that Her
Majesty is deeply interested in the advancement and prosperity of New Zealand,
and in the welfare and happiness of
both races of Her subjects here. It will
be my earnest endeavour to give effect to
these benevolent wishes of Her Majesty.

Most truly do I join with you, Gentlemen,
in expressing an earnest hope, that
my efforts, in conjunction with those of
the Governor-in-Chief, under the New
Constitution, which has been granted to
the Colony, may be successful in restoring
and maintaining peace and tranquility, in
promoting the best interests of both races,
and in developing the resources of your
adopted country.

I rely with confidence on the co-operation
and support of the Inhabitants of
Wellington, in my endeavours to promote
the important and desirable objects. It
is to the Colonists themselves, that I look
for the means of being enabled to discharge
usefully the duties of the high and responsible Position, to which I have been
called.

Under the New Constitution for New
Zealand, (now about to be proclaimed
in a very few weeks) much will be left,
Gentlemen, to yourselves, and I am sure
that I need not point out to you the value
and importance of the trust confided to
you by Her Most Gracious Majesty, or
urge upon you the necessity of exercising
patience, moderation, vigilance, zeal and
prudence in discharging the duties which
that trust imposes.

On my part, Gentlemen, I can assure
you that no efforts or exertions shall be
wanting to advance, by every means in my
power, the prosperity and importance of
your Province, and to forward the interests and happiness of all connected
with it.

Accept, Gentlemen, my grateful thanks
for your kind wishes for my health and
happiness, and, believe me, that most earnestly do I hope the same blessings may
be enjoyed by yourselves.

I have the honor to be
Gentlemen,
Your most obedient humble servant,

EDWARD JOHN EYRE,
Lieutenant-Governor.

To the Chairman and Gentlemen who
signed the address adopted at a Public
Meeting, held at Wellington, on Wed-
nesday, the 11th August, 1847.

Wellington,
12th August, 1847.

To His Excellency EDWARD JOHN
EYRE, Esquire, Lieutenant-Governor
of the Southern Province of New
Zealand,

Sir,—We, the Ministers, Office bearers,
and Members of the Methodist Church
and Congregation, Wellington, beg to ap-

proach your Excellency with our congra-
tulations on your appointment to the Office
of Lieutenant-Governor of this section of
New Zealand; and on your arrival in
this the seat of your Government, as the
Representative of Her Most Gracious
Majesty the Queen, whom God preserve.

We pray your Excellency may have
health, and the “wisdom which is profi-
table to direct;” so that you may be per-
mitted to carry out the benevolent pur-
poses of Her Majesty’s Government, and
thereby promote the interests of both races
of Her Majesty’s subjects. In this object
we shall be found most sincere well-wishers
and (if but humble yet) hearty supporters
of your Excellency.

We profess to be loyal subjects of Her
Majesty, profound admirers of the British
Constitution, and hope to be found yielding
all due allegiance to the “powers that
be,” now represented by your Excellency
in this place.

We bid your Excellency welcome; we
wish you God speed; and, obeying the
precepts of that Book which, better than
all others, teaches Rulers how to govern,
and subjects how to obey; we pray that
your Excellency may have all temporal
and spiritual blessings as your portion;
and that, in His hand, who governs all
things, you may be the instrument of
great good to all under your authority.

On behalf of the Church and Congre-
gation,

We remain, Sir,
Your most obedient servants,

JAMES WATKIN, Minister,
SAMUEL IRONSIDE, Minister.

THOMAS CAYLOR,
CHARLES HUNT, Office Bearers
WILLIAM FISHER, )

To which his Excellency was pleased to
give the following reply:—

Government House,
Wellington, 14th August, 1847.

GENTLEMEN,—I beg to acknowledge
the receipt of the congratulatory Address
of the Wesleyan Methodist Church and
Congregation at Wellington, upon my
arrival in the Southern Province of New
Zealand, as the Representative of Her
most gracious Majesty the Queen.

Permit me, on Her Majesty’s behalf,
to thank you, Gentlemen, for your pro-
fessions of loyalty and attachment to the
person of our Most Gracious Sovereign.
I can assure you that Her Majesty is
deeply interested in the welfare and hap-
piness of New Zealand, and in the happi-
ness and prosperity of both races of Her
subjects here,—and it is my duty, as it
will be my most anxious study, to endea-
vour to give effect to these benevolent
feelings.

For the cordial welcome which you
have so kindly given to me, and for the
encouraging assurance of your co-opera-
tion and support in the arduous duties I
have undertaken, I beg to offer you my