HAKAS OF WELCOME

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 27, 1 February 1934, Page 9

HAKAS OF WELCOME

SCENES AT WAITANGI.

1300 MAORIS ALREADY IN CAMP. NGATI-POROU ARRIVE. (By Telegraph.—Special Reporter.) WAITANGI, this day. The arrival of 400 natives from the North last night brought the number of Ngapuhis in camp to 1300. The liaka teams worked overtime with their welcomes, and in their efforts to withstand the habitual challenges to the visitors, even although they came of the same stock. The practice Value was not overlooked and was some compensation for the drenchings the hosts received. The camp numbers were augumented by the unexpected arrival yesterday morning of an advance party of 250 members of the Ngati-Porou, the tiibc of Sir Apirana Xgata. If necessary they will be available to assist the haka teams on Monday and i uesday. the visitors were accorded a rousing reception. The system of justice which operates in camp is functioning successfully. A court sat vesterday morning, and five cases were" heard. The charges concerned minor breaches, and where convictions were recorded lines of half-a-erown were imposed. The weather conditions yesterday were asruin unfavourable, and more trouble was experienced with marquees. Ihe new bridge over the Waitangi was unofficially opened yesterday morning. So far there are few motorists in the camp on the Waitangi reserve. The bridg-o will continue to be open for traflie at intervals of two hours daily. Linder these arrangements it is necessary for cars to form a queue, and at the end of each two hours the accumulation of traffic will be allowed to pass over. It is anticipated that about 300 cars will have to be dealt with between Friday and Monday. Weather Wet To-day. The weather to-day showed no sign of lifting, but campers are making the best of it. hoping that there will be no rain left for Monday and Tuesday—the days of the official celebrations. The encampment for the past JO hours has been full of excitement over the arrival of Sir Apirana Ngata, who, with his Ngatf-Porou followers, has been delayed by bad roads. The • party arrived at Kaikolie at noon and were provisioned by a party dispatched from camp. A ceremonial welcome to Ti Point had been planned by the Ngapuhis, but as there was no lifting of the weather when the Minister arrived at 2 p.m., the festivities were postponed. If it is fine to-morrow Sir Apirana will be shown, as Mr. Tau Hejiare, M.P., put it today, "just what the Ngapuhis can do." Telegraph Office Busy. The officers of the temporary P. and T. office, established iu the centre of the camp, have been working long hours under trying conditions to cope with the volume of traffic offering. Their efficiency and courtesy have made them many friends among the 1300 members of the homo tribe now under canvas. It is expected that additional personnel will be supplied for the rush period, I which will start from Saturday. I There was no traffic to-day on the new bridge, although the bars were removed at two-liourly intervals, as arranged. Workmen to-day laid a metal covering ou the Waitangi Estate approach.