GOVERNOR AND PREMIER AT NGARUAWAHIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 69, 20 March 1908, Page 6

GOVERNOR AND PREMIER AT NGARUAWAHIA.

FAINT ECHOES OF THE PAST. MAHTTTA'S WELCOME TO WHITE CHIEFS. A BRIGHTENING FXTTTTRE. By Telegraph. —Special to "Star.") JtOTORVA. Thursday. X<rarnawahia. where the two divisions of the big river join, has been a meeting-ground between Maori and pakeha for the amicable settlement of dispute, since first, the invadin? white penetrated u> the Waikato. Here, on the Jovpi c" rxina ;i Jjovo lfac si.roiiiii. (»i ■ v»*rnor Bowen met the great chiefs of the Waikato and obtained a-ssurance of peace a.nd security for the Kurnpean settlers. Here. aLso. Governor Fergti.«?on met the ■warlike natives of the turbulent Waikati). to confer upon the relationships of Maori and pakeha, and yesterday another link r>f historic interest was welded to this dividing place, of the waters. In many respects, however, it was different to the others, for the Maori chief and his people, in the oldr-ii days. dongriiv and arrogant with the pride of conscious power, made the earth thunder with tire thad of frenzied brown feet, •while the mere and raiaha. were di-finite-lv shaken by naked arms, quivering with the lust of" battle. To-day the Maori forefathers for conference dad in pakeha clothing, many of the votrng men affecting the latest style in pakeha fashion, twirling the most approved variety of pakeha c-ine. the whole presenting an ensemble that in the little distance distinguishes them nothing at all from the usual congregation of whites. The wahines are behind their husbands and brothers in the matter of pakeha fashion, for they yet love to adorn themselves with loose-flowing and brilliant Houses, and with skirts that discover a pettiroat gap between hem and pround. Divest, a Waikato Maori gathering of today of its w.ohine n> louring. and it "becomes a thing of little picuiresqneness. There was a modified thud or feet —very modified —in the haka of weJcome at Nganiawahia for the Governor and his Ministers yesterday, but the two or three hundxeri that took part in it were for the greater part girls, who looked upon the whole thing as a glorious piece of frm. The Kaihoutu. who governed the dsnee. was bravely eqnipped in ancient garb, but he and one or two inspiring warriors were unable to infuse that unwartike array with the passionate and necessary thrill of the .->ld times and famous haka. It was. however, an interesting enough spectacle for the casual pakeha onlooker, and the long column of paJm-waving performers retired before the illustrious guests in splendid order to the place of meeting. Mahuta"s own brass band then played a lively pakeha air. the dancers broke up and mingled with the semi-circular assembly of expectant natives, and two thousand Waikat-os of their various hapus and sub-tribes, with a leavening of visiting natives from as far south as the Wairarapa. and north to the Kaipara, awaited tie words of the great chiefs. PAKEHA AND MAORI. After a fitting interval. Manuta and Henaje Kaih.au advanced towards the Governor's pavilion, clad over their European coats with handsome marks of high cJiieitainsitip in the shape of kiwi, korowai. and kaitaika mats, the stained skeins of the flax mats woven together with the peculiar cunning of the Maori, and. after reading the address of welcome from Mahuta to his Excellency, Kaihau unfastened from his own shoulders and from Mahuta"s. the mats, and : laid them at the feet of the Governor, according to the immemorial custom from host to distinguished visiting chief. "Welcome to you. the Governor, and your Ministers, the Premier and Native Minister." ran the address, "come to Ngaruawahia. to the place where the column was erected, and to which is attached the thoughts, memories, and aspirations of the whole of the tribes of Xew Zealand, as expressed by their chiefs. Hence I am styled the King of the. Maoris. Welcome., the Governor, the son of our mother Queen Victoria, from whom originated the Treaty of Waitansi. as a last covenant between the people of the two races, and to which we adhere as a legacy to us. Welcome the Governor, come to see your Maori people, ]t gives us great pleasure to see you and your Ministers here on this occasion. Welcome in these days of permanent peace. Welcome you who bold power and authority, come with your Ministers to make arrangements for our welfare, and for the setting apart and conserving of lands for u=. in accordance , with th<" laws enacted by the Parliament of New Zealand. Although there have been dark clouds and great troubles in former times, to-day we tread on a new path which we will travel on, so that peace, enlightenment and prosperity may obtain for the people of the two races. Maori and pakeha." Mahuta and Henare Ktiilmi then in j turn extended further salutation s . I\ai- i Iran pr.ircr °n to explain the desire of the Waikaro people in respect to the disposi- . tion of their land, and their hopes of redTrss for confiscation after the war. | The Governor acknowledged the kindly, end loyal sentiments ot Mahuta, Kaihau j and the tribesmen assembled, and an ad- I jnurnmem was made to The hotel, where I thi native committee had provided a j luncheon of pakeha suiupfuousnes? fnr j thf gubernatorial party. In the afternoon the Prime Minister and Hon. .las. Carroll returned to the- : place of conference. Sir Joseph advising the Maori? as to the best method of settling ill- Treaty ut Waiiangi incubus,; and attainment of lasting prosperity ! for themselves and their descendants. Tl.. i'rinv Minister, addressing the as- j sembled people, expressed the hope that ' Bnch n large and representative gatherins "i Maoris would agree before departing to accept the practical proposals *ci b'-i..r.. Un-ni. He would dismiss from th.-ir minds, he trusted, all feeling respotting the lands confiscated years a"o. ' All knew what the experience of The i was in by-gone days, when they had the right of free trade i n i anf f ; History had shown that the Maoris I when in full control of their lands, had] been unable to deal with them with the I wisdom that was necessary to obtain) due benefit. There, were now between lour and five million acres of native land, and in dealing with these lands tnn Government had to think how they •were to be dealt with so as to benefit th- children of the Maoris. The Go £*rnment had to make proper provision K.r landless natives in the South Island and the same question was being dealt I with in regard to the North Island The J* Government had no object to serve but ■[.w protet*;th.e rights-.of tie-Maori, and

therefore it was well that its authority should be submitted to. Many of the rebel natives after the war received 50 acres, and in some cases the chiefs received 200 acres. When the lands were confiscated, the population of the country was between one and two hundred thousand, and to-day it was nearly a million, therefore the Government had to consider that fact. I n the old days, when Sir George Grey offered to set apart three or four hundred thousand acres on the west bank of the Waikato for the natives, they felt so strongly that they refused it, while they also desired to retain the mana over their lands. Why were they assembled there that day? There was a difference of opinion among the Maoris themselves. In any case it was no use trying to bring back the dead past. The Maoris desired to deal with their own land in their own way. Sir Joseph promised M-ahuta. and Mr. Kaihau that before the Native. Land Commission came to Waikato they should hare an opportunity to confer over the land matter. Let thorn get the plans of all the blocks of land of which they were the custodians or owners. let them sot to work and show on these plans every block required for the Maori, the permanent reserves, what was required for recreation purposes, and then lot them show what parts wore available to be leased or sold. He was not suggesting that the Government or the Commission should do this, but that the Maoris should do it themselves. Now, if the Maoris, after setting aside these lands, disposed of the residue in a good way. it would bo good for the country, and if they made reasonable proposals the Royal Commission would confirm them, and they would become law for all time. They would then have their mana applied for all time to their permanent reserves, and could dispose of all that was not required by themselves. The land must bo brought into full and profitable production, both for the bonelit of the Maori and the whole country. Let them all. therefore. Maori and pakeha, strive to do what was good both for the Maori and European of to-day: let them set to work, honestly and earnestly, to effect his suggestions, lie thought they would depart then, leaving very happy memories behind them, and do permanent good to their descendants. He wished them "Kia Ora and Aroha." Mr. Kaihau. in return, expressed himself -as in agreement with the Premier that the Act of last session was good, but added the opinion that amendments were necessary. The Government should cease purchasing native lands until permanent reserves had been made, as otherwise many Maoris would raise money on their land and get into debt on the strength of sales. The Premier left at this stage, having to reach Rovorua that night, preparatory to the motor journey on fhe morrow to fauranga. Ha To Puke. The Minister for Native Affairs remained at Xgaruawahia to discuss the situation with Mahuta and his people. MAORIS MCCH IMPRESSED. The general tone of the conference during both days at Waharoa and at Xgaruawahia was amicability of argument. and the general impression among the Maoris seems to be a deep sense of the pakeha resolve to do what is considered to bo in the best interest of the natives. :r-peaking to the Premier upon the matter on the train, a chief of high rank expressed the opinion that matters had been progressed 20 years by the conference. The Maoris had been spoken to and advised firmly and unhesitatingly, the necessity of a different line of action on their own future part had been impressed upon them, and had sown the seed of promising fruit, while the meeting of the two factions of Waharoa and Ngaruawahia in friendly and common interest had cemented what had promised to become a serious rupture among themselves. The conference, in short, gave every promise of having been time well and profitably spent, and to the great future welfare of the Maori race.