DEATH OF WAATA KUKUTAI.

T he Waiuku correspondent of the SoufluaajL. Gross gives the following details q§l tifefe, death of Waata Kukutai : — ') ' ; January 9& Doubtless ei'e this the melancholy it-' telligence of the death of Waata Cakafi% chief and native assessor of the ISfgatiiig*^ ' ■ has reached you. Hehasforsomeconwd^K able time been in failing health, indnejg: partly by the loss of his wife and sooMfe-other-near "relatives of his. tribe; aswfc during the past fortnight Dr Graft joT Waiulf u, has been in frequent atten&swfe* upon him. Dr Hoveli, of Howick, ftaft also seen him, and advised his removal^* a more healthy locality* as the -plaeftlte- . was lying, an island in the Waißatcy «|k posile Puvapura, being low and swkaaifijjF was not by any means calculated ta bb*prove the "heal th of any person* suflterapjjjf aa he was, under tubercular and ulcewwift affections. On Sunday last, the 6th inid^ it was determined to remove hin» &&&- bring him to Waiuku. According^«iL the 7th, he was -met, after crossing tßi* river, by both the medical officers- iwjsi!---1 tioued above, who were provided wßli. stimulants and cordials of every desewiption, to revive and assist him during rae* journey. Afier leaving the Awaroa, wt was conveyed to a cottage belonging to. . Mr Wilson Smyth, which Had beeii «%- tained for Him, "and it was hoped ' frf mar friends that this removal to a positioawK* ■■ high and healthy would tend, at any rates., , to prolong his cfays. But all these pi^- , cautions came too late. On Tuesfer morning the medical gentlolnqtt-/ jm» " nourcadliiin sinking, and altlioug^^B^. 1 ;;. ing the v/holo day,, they- paid l|iin?. %l» ; -ji moot assiduous attentip,ii,and : ntirse6tlffifet--"' t with the utmost care, he gradually tie^^^s; weaker .aii'cf-'.wQa^eti . an9j'' f^^ii l e(i'?tdwß^.*;;

-6.30 p.m. The medical officers, Drs Hovell and Gray, were greatly assisted in carrying out their duties, by Major Speedy, H.M., and P. King, Esq., native interpreter for this district. "Waata Kuluitai, of all the Maori chiefs was probably one of the most civilised of any in the Northern Island. Although in his ■«arlv youth he had been often engaged in scenes of sanguinary strife and rapine, yet for many years past he has been a striking example of what civilisation, founded on the basis of Christianity, will do to even the most savage character. Under the able miuistrations of the llev Dr Maunsell, both he and mauy of his tribe rrceived Christian instruction, and learned to live in peace and harmony with one auother. On their lauds at Kohangi and Taupiri they adopted European improvements, with a success which surprised the writer on a recent visit to the former of these place 0 . Thus another link with old New Zealand has been swept away, and colonist as well as native ma} r , in this case, well hold a taugi over the grave of Waata Kukutai. It must be very gratifying to the natives generally to know the interest the Government has taken in the chiei lately deceased. Dr Hovell has been, by desire, in frequent consultation with J)r Gray on his case, and when it was decided to remove him, every anxiety was shown to have it done speedily and carefully. And now that his death leaves nothing more to be done than to see him to his last resting-place, orders have been given to leave nothing undone to meet the wishes of his friends.