MAORI VIEW OF THE WELCOME

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 89, 15 April 1913, Page 5

MAORI VIEW OF THE WELCOME

One would think that it -would need a particularly- pronounced optimist to see anything cheerful in the weather which has so far greeted.H.M.s. New Zealand in..these wnter3, but there-are people.who see in it much cause for: congratulation. The Maoris have ii strange'belief, which they applied to the -visit [of..the. battleship. They consider' th'at'.aiiy' visit.paid by one chief to another, in: fine-.weather is sure not to, be a'lucky one., Oh the other hand, when a canoe-load-'of visitors arrives in a storm .or,with.a storm, then is the success of their, mission assur'e'd7ln the old'days a Maori chief when on:a visit, rather' than enter, a pa in fine weather, would camp'outside; andi wait for. the bad" weather. - When it came he" would march through the postern with'a-light heart:" .'A-story is told of. Rewi, 'the famous bid fighting chief, concerning a journey' he "made from his- stronghold to Auckland..for';the' purpose of interviewing Sir George Grey. ■He entrained in. beautiful weather, the sky was blue, there was no wind, and :to. the ordinary: mortal conditions seemed perfect. i_ Rewi' was..not-''ah-* -ordinary! mortal, however, and be sat in the train downcast and disconsolate:.' : When aboiit a mile or two from Auckland, the sky darkened,; and ■ rain came down in torrents. The effect Rewi was electrical., He brightened lup," and for the rest of the journey he kept: saying over and over' to himself,' in his own-tongue: "I am.saved, I am saved!" „ Yesterday,.,the natives who ; were '. in town did. not" farl to : : connect the battleship's .visit and the weather, and more than one remarked on it cheerfully. It was a good omen for the "Wakanui.:'