MAORI AND PAKEHA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 573, 30 July 1909, Page 4

MAORI AND PAKEHA.

INTERESTING GATHERING AT PAPA- ' WAI. PRESENTATION TO HON.' J. CARROLL. Papawai pa was tho scono of a notable gathering on Wednesday, tlio occasion boinga presentation of an address to tho Hon. J, Carroll ,by tlio Maori tribes of his ancestral canoe, "Takition'u," in honour of his accession to tho position of Acting-Prime Minister. Among those present were lion. Wi Pore, M.L.C.,"Mr. W. C. Buchanan, M.P., Mr. t. Pnrata, M.P., Dr. Dunk, M:P., Hen Heu Tukino, Hira Prorata Maru Maru, W. Pitt, Kani Pcro, Dr. \Pomarc, Niki Kemp, Mrs.',Ngata, Mrs. Buck,. Mrs. Pitt, and Niniiva. . ..Whon the party from town approached tho pa tho women there raised loud cries of welcome. Mr. Carroll led.the party to tho entrance, whoro a largo number of men and womon danced' a haka of wcloomo. "Drag hither the canoe to its resting place," they cried. Tho visitors' thon took their scats on the verandah of tho largo meeting-house. Prior to the ceremony of hongiy the. visitors wero welcomed by H. H. tc Huki, who also 6aid that although Mr':. Carroll would hold i-he -position of Acting-Primo Minister, for drily three'months it gavo. them as much satisfaction as if it were:for'a much longer period.' By his success Mr. Carroll, had achieved .the desire ,of their elder Tomahdu; 'that,a representative of the. Native race should one day be tho head of tho Government. They trusted that Mr. Carroll and his people would have, long and happy lives.

'•'. . "Wo Sit In their Searot Places." ;:Hon.'Wi Pore, in reply, said they were all delighted to bo present: The desire and wishes of the .chiefs of the past had ■: now been, realised in a measure—"Wo sit in their secret places." Who know: ;but-. that in the .future another of. their, race might follow ; the/great, example set by Mr. Carroll? v '■„. Heu Heu Tukino,; of Taupo, pointed out that tho present age was an age of'progress, t.t was to the younger pfepplo that they must now ; look to guide; them.-'/ To •'■■■ meet tho changed order of things, they -must unite the head of the European to the Maori body.Thoy had gone through a .process •of evolution from the time of .the; sighing of N tho Treaty of. Waitangi through tho Kotahitangi movement- down i to the present; stage.-- . Mr.,T. Parata, M.P.ifor. Southern. Maori district, remarked that, as, Mr. Carroll, possessed the blood of both races, ho was' ablo fairly to. represent ■ both Europeans-... and Maoris.in tho'State. ■'-'■ Seeing that ho was' able ,to understand, the aspirations and; do-sires-of both races,-his views wero especially valuable. .Vi ''.';'■■ '.. -' .;.■,• An Illuminated Adc!rcs3. ; ...After, "kai" had been partaken of, 'tho home people and tho,visitors,:.-who.we're re inf o'reed by ■ a largo nurnbor of residents' 6' the district, assembled in 'the -Court yard; where' Niuiwa, a distinguished cliieftainess, :presented, to Mr. Carroll, a beautiful ilfiimin ■ ated'address (tho text of which was read first in tho.Na'tivo .tongiic.'.by-Mr. C. Parata, ,aiu' af forwards' in English. by ; Dr.; Buck), ' irj which. the following sentences occurred :-7 - : A "To you who aro : now. as ; .tho PVimc . .| Minister, ;ycs to you .0 son 'of famo, • may blessings guard your soul. Be ever.; watchful and guard-the, fort on every ■', ; side, lost disaster come to, our people and v '.-' country. Bo hot:as /'the: eel-fisher■ who ■. ..-.knows-: no ~ uncqiicorn;-/but., as ;. the.'".war . • v;/.sentinel who must.ever: watchful -bo. ~:,: ' -';. Climb.; thou, to the. higher .altitude of : -, action to the twelfth, heaven to .the.' heaven that was reached by your godlike ; ; ancestor Tawhaki arid; grasp firmly tho paddles of your ancestral canoe so that , -. you may .-.conquer or assuage the fast and powerful waves that.may besot us. v. .v. For the first timo is one of theusoilso ';' honoured over those wo.are indebted "to, ■ ■' our/pakeha 'friends.-;andi-follow-coloiiistß.' ...Great indeed-is-the joy within : ..... at.-tho,,justice of tho:daws'.-.wliicli allows: ; , a' member. of the -Native. people to -rise;' ;.'!t6".-such: a'iposition—the: highest .whichi ' '; ,: v ,it is in the power, of /his country.to.be-,!:, ,';/ stow,;:::;'. In.:yqur:pqrsbn.r,qb you ; unite-: J';. two .peqpl'es' who are now : united , as ; the '.'. :': outcome of the Treaty of Waitangi by the ; firmest 'indissoluble- bond. of /; /trust and lovo.fromgoneration to genera--.' -"■ tion to come. ..,. ..AVo know,- that you , „ will do justiqo to ; both races, '■ leaning ; neither, to,;ono side ,or the other. . We;. ; ;.''. would ;not accept benefits oven .from ..you ':'-, at., expense, of our fellow -.settlors.-; .; ■Fqr,yoursolf, ; ;you have-served yoUr coun;,try/and we:knqw/;you are too.rational in ■' ...spirit to be Warped,in narrow, prejudice." ;■:'■•' In- you wo' sec a, tribal descendant -of ■,j . the godliko and the heroes-, of ./ancient'' . Hawaiki. ...You served our late Quccli , Victoria, the,' Beloved as; as'you ; ; now, serve her illustrious son 'King Ed-'- '. ward an'd that in your high position will ../continue that .fealty,,; and 'will ■ V'.sorye our: country ' and: the Empire of 'which, wo form part— an- Empiro which, '.'. ' in: spite, of all alarms and /all assaults, '. ' stands firm as. a'great rook in the ocean ; against which, the" tempest and the bil-: lows dash in : vain.-... : May/.' God .'be ' ,-. gracious to you and 'to, your 'bouse in :' ./the. years'that, are to come.". ■.'',-.' ■••-.- •.,-,<'';■ "'' : '\ Then and Now. : / ' Mr; W. C. Buchanan, M.P., who then' addressed .the gathering,- said, that it gave him very great pleasure'to bo'present." Ho asked them to picture the Wairarapa sixty years before,, when ' tho ; Maoris wero numerous, and the,settlers but.a, handful.,', There was no other district in'the Dominion in which pakeha-.and Natives had .lived on more! friendly.terms.. Both the old.European.settlers and the; old. Maoris . would ■ have.' been very proud to' have been present at such' a notable gathering. ,„ln no - other portion of the Empire had a member of tbe native race risen to the position occupied by Mr. Carroll, 'who enjoyed 'the affections of all the members.of Parliament. Ho sincerely trusted that Mr. Carroll. would long enjoy good' l health.' '.'.; ■'.-, "''•'■"' '/ .) .'■■;,;■ ...': ;Mr..'Carroll's'.-Reply.,-.-,.'. , f ! - , Tlio Hon. J. .Carroll, in reply, said it was difficult to express one's thought-when the springs of emotion were stirred so deeply by such a greeting as had come from the peoplo that day. . Such qualifications as he possessed were due to his parentage and. ancestry. In the past, the Maori people- had succeeded in battjo by their prowess in the use of.weapoiis, but, there wa6 .another.'method of..fighting ithose who opposed: them—viz.,-by giving a soft answer ,to; words of wrath. ' Perhaps it was.in the,latter form of.strife.that he'-had achioved success. He,would ; ask'them to accept his best thanks for their gift, which he would always treasure. Mr. Carroll theai proceeded to: deal with: the. Native, landand other, problems, upon which his remarks are reported in another columnl ■■■'■•■•'-/.•■.■'