THE KING- AND THE MAORI FLAG.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11009, 5 July 1901, Page 5

THE KING- AND THE MAORI FLAG.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, May 24. As the' ceremony of presenting the Maori flag to the King for his Royal "touch" took place just -before lust week's mail left, I could not send more than a very brief account of the affair. I now quote from one of the London papers what .appears to mc the best account, published regarding the ceremony. It runs as follows: —• "There can have been few ceremonies in which the King has taken part so simple and yet so sacred as that which his Majesty performed at Marlborough House on Friday. As -was evidenced at tile time of the Queen's death, the Maoris of New Zealand and Australia (sic), black (sic) subjects of the Empire, had a great veneration for Queen Victoria, whom they regarded with mingled awe and wonderment. One of the principal tribes of the Maoris is the Opeps tribe of New Zealand, of whom Taupo is the chief—an old man who serves the Empire well and truly. This native chieftain had In his possesion the Opepe tribal flag, a small Union Jack, with the features of Queen Victoria displayed prominently in the centre. This flag, so sacred to tho tribe, had been specially consecrated by Queen Victoria at Windsor, her late "Majesty touching the hem of the bunting in accordance with the traditional -custom of the Maoris., The flag then went back to Taupo, in New- Zealand, who received it with the greatest respect, and issued orders thai on no account was a hand to be laid upon it, as it had been touched by the 'Great White Queen.' When, alas! the great Queen died, and the O.pepes had mourned her loss, a council of the chiefs was called, and it. was deemed necessary that the tribal flag should be re-consecrated by the Queen successor. So the flag was carefuMy entrusted by Taupo to the care of Major Askwith, of the Roya£ Hor.se Artillery, who was returning to London after the Commonwealth celebrationis, halving commanded the Artillery contingent in the Lnperial Representative corps. The flag was most zealously guarded during the sea journey, and the King having been apprised of it* coming, it was brought immediately by Major Askwith to Marlborough House, where it was received with due ceremony by the Lord Chamberlain. Major Askwith and his burden were "then conducted into the presence of the King, who, having received the loyal message conveyed from Taupo, performed the quaint ceremony of re-touching the flag, which was then placed back in its case, preparatory to being returned without delay under military escort to the Opepes in New Zealand."

It will be observed that the geographical and ethnological knowledge of the writer is distinctly hazy. Yet. this is the best account which I have seen.