Condensed Correspondence.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 127, 30 May 1901, Page 2

Condensed Correspondence.

H.N.W. Writes: In your issue of Monday there appears a long- letter from Mr. M. J. Gannon, whom you truly state as a "recognised authority on Maori affairs. ,. The reasons he assigns for Mahuta taking his position among - the other great Maori chiefs are substantially . correct:, there never has been nor will there' ever be a Maori King. Mahuta is, doubtless a great, chief among Bis people, i.e., those of his own tribe, but outside wjth the other Maoris he is only a chief of his own tribe; therefore let him join with them in their expressions of loyalty. W. S. Aickin remarks: Your correspondent (Mr. M. J. Gannon), hitherto unknown to the Auckland public, may-be—possibly is, a great Jwlthority on matters Maori; but pasturing , as he has been in the back 1 ! blocks of Poverty Bay, he is just; about a quarter of a century behind the times. It would not be surprising , to find Captain Cook stalking in amongst us next. Up-to-date men residing in Auckland, such as Dr. Campbell. Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. Berry, think the days of effective Maori aggression are gone, and laugh at the idea of danger. Why not allow Mahuta all the mana he can assert, a,nd, tlirougfli liis a.u.th&rity, gain what we can. Should we not be more discreet to adopt a modified sugar and flour policy towards him: than to snub him? He may be yet able to induce an embarrassing pas- , sive resistance on the part of his followers. Disguise, and quibble as Mr. Carroll's henchmen may they cannot i dispose of the fact that Mahuta repi resents what was once an equivalent to kingship, which time conquered, but the English warriors never. In that sense he is a personality far more interesting than any other Maori chief. Would it be nothing for the Royal pair or their suite to "be able to relate to their children: "We were received at Auckland by the last Maori chief, known as a king, with a grand procession of war canoes?" A king of Munster or of Meath was no less a king because he did not reign over all Ireland. "A Have-Been" writes: As an old student of the R.A., I must certainly disagree with your report on Miss Judson's concert. With the exception of Mr. Maughan Barnett, who is not a native, I have heard no one in New Zealand to at all approach Miss Jud-, son as a pianiste. The only faulfc-a fault altogether due, I have no doubt, to the performer's youth—was a want of appreciation of the hidden mean-, ing of Brahms "Slumber Song," and a want of sympathy in the delicate passages of Chopin's "Valse in Di Minor." Heaven preserve, us from popiilar music!" The Auckland music is, as a rule, so "popular" that I have given up going to church, the singing disorders my nerves so much., J. Nicholson thinks that Bycroft's night-watchman is , entitled to reward for his vigilance, which prevented a serious conflagration recently. "Old Aucklander" suggests that an arch be formed across the harbour by means of boats, commencing at a point this side, and at another point the North Shore side, with the smallest craft, and gradually increasing the size of boats used until the centre was reached, the boats to be moored fore and aft securely, at a reasonable distance apart, to allow of; the smaller craft to pass through),, until the. two larger boats at the centre were reached, where more room should be. left, to allow the Royal procession of boats to pass through. From the masts of <he smaller boats on either side of the harbour, to the masts of the large? ones.in the centre, could be stretched bunting and other suitable decorations, arid so the arch could be illuminated by night. Chinese lanterns sou Id by stretched t from mast to mast. I nffl sure the arch so formed would present a fine sight, and a grand en« trance to our beautiful harbour, and should repay the committee by the grand and uncommon sight it wonW" be if done well.