THE MAORI RECEPTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 127, 30 May 1901, Page 5

THE MAORI RECEPTION.

INTERVIEW WITH MB CARROLL, MAHUTA CRITICISED. : ' THE ROTORUA. DEMONSTRATION. (By. TelegTaph.—Own Correspondent.) GISBORNE,,this day. The Hon. J. Carrdll, Native Minister, is still under the doctor's orders. He is suffering from a severe ulcerated throat. He. is confined, to a milk diet, and is prohibited from talking-, but an interviewer, who invaded his sick chamber to-day, managed to get a column-of interesting- information regarding that portion of the Duke of York's reception for which he is responsible, and towards the success of which he has worked with a great deal of enthusiasm. ' From the reports he.has received, Mr Carroll states that the natives have been practising their dances assiduously at their villages, and when assembled they will arrange a form of procedure. Each tribe will make its own demonstration, and then unite in a general welcome. Natives are bringing with them from the different districts large quantities of food. Already 600 bags of potatoes, 150 casks of mussels, and quantities of kumaras and smoked eels have been' received. The Government will also assist to victual them. When asked whether it had been definitely settled that Mahuta was not to have a display in Auckland, Mr Carroll said: "He is to have no display as far as we are concerned. There will be no official recognition of him. I think the Auckland people are.absurd. They are really making more of Mahuta than of the Royal visitors, and they are playing his game for him. There is no reason why he should not go to Rotorua, except that "'he apparently wishes to make himself more important. We will not have it. Why should we? The Auckland Committee are anxious to get a unique display for the sake of Auckland, and they jump at Mahuta's proposal and fight tooth and nail for it. It is very funny to talk about his Royalty and that sort of thing." '..-,.: •- - -~- "He is no bigger chief than others going there?"

"Not at all. His kingship was simply the result of the position being refused by the other chiefs to whom it was offered. Of course, the idea was conceived in Waikato' by William Thompson, the "King Maker," as he was known, and they formed what was called the Land League at thai time, and then they appointed Potutau as King. As a matter of fact, the first man they ottered it to was the great •Te Kani, at Tologu Bay, but he declined it. It is time the question of this pretension to Royalty was settled. Let Mahuta make a public declaration and abandon all pretence and presumption to be King, and act like any other subject, and say, 'I am a subject of the King of England.' Besides, this wish to make a display in Auckland, apart from the other natives, is an insult to the natives of the colony who are gathering at Rotorua. I may mention that the Ng-apuhis first asked me to try and get the Ophir to call at Bay of Islands so that the3 r might accord the Duke and Duchess of' York a reception at the historic spot where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. I referred it to the Governor, and the result was that I had to tell them that, owing to the programme having been fixed and only one place having been decided upon at which the Maoris were to meet their Royal Highnesses, namely,' Rotorua, it could not be arranged as they wished. But they, took no umbrage at that. They appreciated the position, and about 400 or 500 of the Ngapuhis are coming down to Rotorua. If we granted Mahuta's request it would not be fair to the others."

Questioned further as- to th"c arrangements, Mr Carroll said the Royal visitors would arrive at Rotorua at 3.30 p.m. on Thursday, the 13th, wheii they would be welcomed by the natives as the train arrived at the station. The natives were to line the street from the line to the Grand Hotel, and there would be a chorus of welcome all along the line, and if there was time enough the natives would present their addresses then, thus leaving- the last day free for the grand display.

The demonstration on Saturday will be of a varied nature. There will be poi dancing, hakas and war dances. The North Wairarapa Mounted Rifles will form the Royal escort. Captain Rcmeni. who was present at the Queen's Jubilee and the Commonwealth celebrations, will be in command. It i.s iutended at present that on the second day the Royal party will go to Whakarewarewa and Waiotapu, but he rather hopod that Waiotapu would be omitted, because it would make the day too long.

It is intended to leave Rotorua for Auckland about one o'clock on Saturday, reaching Auckland at 7, when the parrY will at once embark for Wellington.

THE GOVERNOR AND MINISTERS

As at p'russent arranged, the Governor and all Ministers except Mr Carroll will g-o dosvn the" West Coast by one of the Government steamers, proceeding by train from Turaoaki in time to meet the Royal party on arrival at Wellington on Monday afternoon.

STREET! 1 DECORATIONS.

In reply to a question as to whether the Government were assisting in the decorations in the various cities, Mr Carroll stated that he thought the Venetian' masts and other decorations purchased by Mr Ward in Melbourne would be distributed amongst the four centres. There were too many for one place.