AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES,

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2280, 11 November 1897, Page 27

AUCKLAND NEWS NOTES,

(Fjjom Oub Own Corruspondent.) Auckland, November 8. A MAORI ADDRESS TO THE ftUBEN. ' The address which the Arawa tribe at Rota* rua are sending to the Queen is a fine work of arb prepared by Mr T. Ryan,' the well-known artist, who has suitably engrossed the text and embellished the address with, specimens of Maori art in the way of carving. The address is surmounted by mythological figures taken | from Maori carvings, and at the foot there is » pretty view of Lake Rotorua and , Mokoi* Island, with a decorat«d and plumed wae canoe in the foreground. The address, which _is unique in its way, i« in Maori, but a translation signed by the principal Arawa chiefs accompanies it. The address was firs*: mooted at a Maori Jubike meatfng at Rotoru* ia June. Translated it is as follows, .— •• Rotorua, New Zealand, June 22, 1897. To our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria (Kia te Maton Tapaira Ariki kia Kunei Wikitoria), who has, by reason of the Power over her, arrived at the Mxtiefcb year of her reign on. the throne of England. This is a message of loyalty and congratulation from your children, that is the Arawa tribe, residing here ab Rotorua. At a great meeting here this day the assemblage uttered thoughts to the end that a memorial or sign ('tohu') should be erected, so that our descendants may keep the occasion in* remembrance. The Atawa people w*re steadfast to you in the days of the Maori War, and the -tribe continues so to this day. Great is the joy in our hearts that you haya been protected by , God to this day, and we will pray that you may long live to, watch over your people. That is all. God save the Queen." ("■Et« Alua tohungia ta Kanei.")

ANOTHER- JUBILBE.

The surviving Royal New Zealand Fenciblea and fcheir descendants celebrate to-morrow (the Prince of Wale»'« Birthday) the jubilee of theic, landing at Howick in 18*7. 'A committee has been appointed in ord«r to take steps to fittingly celebrate the anniversary. According to thepro-grhin-me arranged there will be sports, dinner, and a public ball. The jubilations will be principally by the descendants of the men o£ the veteran battalion, for Death has laid his heavy hand on most of them,, only about six men living cut of eight divisions of 600 men. The oldest is James Hewson (Onehunga), 87 years of age, 4th Regiment, 'and the last survivor of Major Kenny's division. He was ia the Sikh campaigns under Lord Gough. In Howick there is only one surviving, Thomas Heath, and but two of the surviving matrons — Mr« Heath and Mrs Frost. There are some pensioners and their wives in other pensioner settlements at Otahuhu and Panmure. Hsatb, who has just come out of the district hospital, where he underwent an operation, attained his eighty-third birthday on Friday last. H« served in the operations on the coast of Syria in 1836 under Admiral Stopford in H.M.S. HastiDgs, and was wounded. He was discharged invalided in 1848. Heath obtained what is known as the Britannia war medal, the first medal issued in the Queen's reign. He is still, notwithstanding his great age, in fairly good health. A special invitation was sent by the committee to the Hon. Colonel Haultain, the only surviving divisional officer, who is now about 80 years of age.

The North Otago Times understands thafc the Wellington and Oamara Garrison Bands intend viriting Melbourne ia the autumn, td take part in the great "band contest there.

Colonel Pole Penton, in his report to the Government, recommends that the volunteer district of North Otago and Southland should be made sub-districts, under the control of th« adjutant in command of Otago.

The motor car will soon be seen in the street* of Wellington, two cars haviDg been ordered by a, Wellington syndicate, which contemplate* floating a, company for the purpose of infcro* ducing all classes of motor cars into Ne* Zealand.