THE GOVERNOR'S TOUR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 473, 3 April 1909, Page 8

THE GOVERNOR'S TOUR.

VISIT TO THE BAY OF PLENTY. CORDIAL RECEPTION BY THE MAORIS. Tho visit of his Excellency tho Governor to tho Bay of Plenty has been somewhat interfered with by wretched weather (says tho Auckland "Star"). Tho landing was de-! laved by a north-cast gale, which compelled tho Tutanckai to tako shelter under Wlialo Island for a couplo of days, and consequently tho Opotiki and Ohiwa part of tho progranmio had to be cut out, much to tho disappointment or tho residents. Tho weather was beautifully fine on Sunday for tho drive over to Whakatano from Ohiwa, •uid it looked as though tho trip would finish in fine, weather. Tho respite, however, .was only of short duration, for on Sunday night heavy rain again set in, and it continued all day Monday, but his Excellency would not hear of disappointing tho residents ut tho various places ho had promised to visit. It was only when word camo through that tho Waitnaua River was not fordablo that tho visit to .Ruatoki was abandoned.

At half-past nine on Monday morning his Excellency and party went down to the Maori pa at W'hakatane, and were there received by Hurinui and his people. An hour and a half later saw the vice-regal party on board the coach once more, bound for Taneahia, a settlement about nine miles inland from hakatano township, up the valley of the Whakaiane lliver, in the direction of the Urewera Country. An informal reception was held in tho public hall. Mr. Alex. Peebles, chairman of tho County Council and one of the original settlers of the district, welcomed tho Governor. Mr. J. Dillicar road an address of welcome.

Tho Governor said that, as tho visible lirfk between tho Crown and tho people of New Zealand, he desired to thank tho Dominion for its, magnificent offer of a Dreadnought to the' Mother Country. It has been appreciated at Home at its proper worth,- and the effect of it was most admirable. It meant; that people at Homo and in other colonies would see that tho loyalty of the Dominion was' no mero lip loyalty, but a loyalty to the heart, and to tho- death, if necessary. •

After lunch, at tho residence of Mr. I'ecbles, word was brought' doivn that tho rains had not swollen the rivor at Waimana as much as had been expected, and that Ruatoki could bo visited after all. Rain pouring still did not doter Lord Plunket from taking advantage of the opportunity to pick up his programme again;' and tho visitors, set off up the valley .for Ruatoki, six miles further on.' ks tho 1 party drove through Opouriao, and ' to its destination, mounted settlers joined in, and by the time Ruataki was reached there was quite a considerable procession. With tho exccpiio.i of half-a-dozen white people, Ruatoki's population is, composed of Maoris, short muscular Urcweras, who are the Gurkhas of tho Maori race. Even the rain did not damp their ardour, which was something to to remembered, as there were several hundred natives in the pa, but it shortened the proceedings out of consideration for the pakcha, and an adjournment.was made to tho wharo Runanga, a largo building about 60ft. long, whero a korero was held. The Nativo' speeches, which were interpreted by Mr. Pitt, were most cordial. Koreru,, tho principal chief, rnndo an excellent speech. Turakuraku, another. TJrcwcra chief, who added a zest to ,his remarks by "takuing", (marching up and down beforo his guests. brandishing a taiaha), in tho true, old-fashioned style, poetically bade .his Excellency welcomo to Tuhoeland to seo tho.remnants of,a onco numerous race. Soveral bthci-'prqmjrient men spoke, and laid at his-'Exceljen^-s, feet a number of presents. '

Tho Governor (Mr. Ngata interpreting) said ho had something serious to say to them. He did not think a governor had been among them at a more important time, and ho wished to give them somo advice. Their land bad hitherto been kept for the Maoris alone, but now it was about to. be opened up at the' of ri ;tlip. w jVl;}onß themselves, •and r 'whtti" , 'ivould 'settle among tlicm.., il .!fj|is l would.- b0,.,t0 r ,thov Natives' great advantage-if. they, were impressed with tho necessity of imitating all tho good qualities of tho pakeha, and rejecting those that were bad. If their young men followed only that which they saw was good in the habits of the white peoplo who would come among them', they would not hear any more about the remnants of a race, to use tho words of Turakuraku. _ Ilis Excellency strongly hoped the Maoris would tako the greatest caro to advance their schools and seo that their children were properly educated. Ho thought it was greatly to bo'dosired that after tho rudiments of education they should agitate for some form of technical education for, their children. His Excellency also spoko of the advantages which would follow the individualisatiou of their titles to tho land. Driving back, the vice-regal party stopped at tho Lower Ruatoki pah, where Rua the prophet (who usually lives about 25 miles up tho valley) is temporarily in residence with half a dozen wives and a couple of hundred followers. The invitation to Ruatoki came from Koreru, but his Excellency, hearing that Rua would liko to f.ce him, sent word that ho would bo pleased to receive him. Rua, with his long hair earefullr done up tinder his hat, secured by a lady's tortoiseshcll comb, was_ escorted to tho coach by Mr. Ngata. His Excellency, after greeting him, said i ho had heard ho had done good work among his people in connection with sanitation and farming, and suggested that in order to achieve tho most good Rua should

work ill unison with the other leaders of the tribe. Rua, in tho oourse of his reply,' said ho would like to do so, and thought the presenco of Mr. Ngata in the district would enable the details to bo arranged.

Rain accompanied the-party all the way home, and Whakatano was reached again in the evening.