HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR IN THE NORTH.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3961, 3 May 1870, Page 5

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR IN THE NORTH.

The fine p.s. 'Luna' returned, to this harbour shortly after three o'clock yesterday afternoon, having on board his Excellency the Governor ; the Hon.D. McLean, Native and Defence Minister ; Chief Justice Sir G. A. Arney, the flon. Colonel Edgecombe, and several other gentlemen, who had accompanied his Excellency during his recent tour in the North. We are unable to publish today the extended account of the tour from the , en of our special reportei', but we hope to be able to place portions of it before our readers from day to day. His Excellency's principal object was to fulfil a promise made by him some months ago of visiting the various divisions of the two great tribes of Ngapuhi a .d Te Earawa, ' which have for many years past lived in obedience to British law, and between whom and the European settlers the most friendly and cordial relations have subsisted. Pressure of other important business had necessitated the postponement of the visit from time to time, and, when at last the opportunity arrived, the preparations had to be hurriedly made. This difficulty was still further complicated by an unfortunate delay in the transmission of a number of circulars forwarded to the Bay of Islands for distribution ; but notwithstanding these drawbacks, and a further delay occasioned by bad weather, the many appointments made with the natives of various places were adhered to, and faith was kept with them. At every place where his Excellency met the natives, sentiments of unaltered loyalty to the Crown and firm friendship to the Europeans were expressed. At almost every place the natives showed their appreciation of the benefits of European settlement, by unanimously requesting that towns might be established, and that civilised institutions might be founded. "Send pakehas to live heie" was the universal request, and at two places the principal speakers asked that gaols might be erected, " for the punishment of evil doers, both Europeans and Maoris." Surely nothing could more clearly indicate the existence of kindly relations betw en the two laces in thp North, and a sincere desire on the part of the natives to become more intimately connected with us. Brought into close contact with European trade and commence, from the earliest days of European^ settlement in the colony, and treated with kindness and consideration by the seutleis, they have learned to respect our laws, to admire our free institutions, and to appreciate the benefits that follow industrial and peaceful pursuits. Whatever may be the state of feeling between ourselves and some of the tribes in the South, we are at least always sure of unwavering loyalty and firm friendship from two great tribes of Ngapuhi and Te Karawa. Still there is no doubt that these periodical visits do much good, and we believe that the visit which his Excellency the Governor ha«t just paid to the North will be productive of very beneficial results, cementing still more closely the friendly relations subsisting between the two races, and still more strongly confirming the loyalty of the natives. We have already given a few general particulars of his Excellency's visit to Korcc-a-reka, Waimate, Waitangi, and Kawakawa. His Excellency proceeded overland to Taiheke, where boats were in readiness to convey him and the party of gentlemen who accompanied him to Onoke, the i esidence of Judge Mailing, the talented author of "Old New Zealand.' 1 On the 23th ultiuU), the ' Luna' as engaged picking up native j chiefs from different localities id Hokianp;a, and in the evening of the same day Judge Maning gave a ball to his Excellency and party. On the 26th, about 100 natives met his Excellency at Onoke, ami speeches expressive of loyalty and friendship were delivered by them. After the meeting the Governor and the pai ty were hospitably entertained at a dinner by Judge Maning. In the evening the 'Luna' conveyed the party to I aumatawiwi, the residence of Mr. George Webster, and, as it was impossible to cross the bar in its then state, the steamer anchored for the night. At a few hours' notice the Messrs. G. and J. Webster made preparations for a very excellent ball at their picturesque residence, and to which his Excellency and party were invited. <'n the 27th, being st'll bar-bound, his Excellency the Governor and several of the gentlemen on board the ' Luna' visited various places of interest in the neighbourhood, and spent the evening at the Taumatawiwi. On the 2Sth the ' Luna' steamed to Ahipara, where the remains of the 'Favourite' weie seen. On the evening a very heavy sea was met with, and the 'Luna' was anchored in a small open bay seven miles south of Cape Maria V.m Diemen, and to which Captain Fairchild gave the name of Fisherman's Cove, from the number of fish that were caught here during the night. On the 29th a tremendous sea and very strong wind were experienced, compelling the steamer to seek shelter in a bay a few miles northward of the previous night's anchorage. In the evening, however, a second sLart was made from the bay, which like the other was unnamed on the chart, but which Captain Fairchild christened Governor's Bay. Mangonui was reached at 6 o'clock on the morning of the 30ch, and here at an early hour the natives mci his Excellency, and akorero took place. The natives of this place are unfortunately much addicted to intemperance, as was shown by their dissipated and enervated appearance. Whangaroa, which abounds in beautiful and romantic scenery, was reached at noon, and here there was another grand war dance and korero by about two hundred natives. Here his Excellency received the same assurances of attachment to the Throne, and of sentiments of friendship towards Europeans, as at the other places. TCororareka, or Russell, more familiarly known as the Bay of Islands, was reached at 8 the same evening. On Sunday, the Governor, Mr. McLean, and the people on board the ' Luna,' attended Divine service at the neat little Episcopalian church, where the Resident Magistrate, Mr. Barstow, read prayer , and an appropriate sermon. Several influential chiefs were here received on board, for conveyance to the East Coast. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon another start was made, the 'Luna' leaching Whangaruru at 4 p.m. Here the Governor and Mr. McLean went ashore, and met the chief Hoterini Tawatawa. Whangaruru was left the same evening, and at an early hour yesterday morning the ' Luna ' anchored at the Kawau, wnere his Excellency, the Hon. D. McLean, and several other gentlemen, went ashore and enjoyed a pleasant stroll ever the place. At 9 a.m. the ' Luna' was again steaming away for the Hot Springs, where she anchored at 1 o'clock. Here again his Excellency, the Hon. D. McLean, and others of the party went, ashore, and several of the gentlemen bathed in the springs. The chief Te Hemara was here introduced to his Excellency. The ' Luna' arrived alongside the breakwater at 3.15 p.m. yesterday, having made the run from the Hot Springs, a distance of 26 miles, in two hours, against a head wind and an ebb tide. j Throughout the whole trip the ' Luna' behaved splendidly, and Captain Fairchild and the other officers and the crew earned the entire confidence and goodwill of his Excellency and party.

'' It is related by a vei'acious chronicler that once ution a time an American farmer sprinkled in his corn some whiskey-soaked kernels with a view of befuddling the crowa that frequented it, and then shooting them, After a while he visited the place, gun on shoulder, and the veracious chronicler aforesaid desposes and says that he saw the following -state of affairs existing in the af ore-mentioned field : — A very, large crow had collected all 1 the whiskey-soaked, corn, had built a bar with some clods of earth, and was selling this, corn' to the others, barging three kernels of ordinary for- one kernel of prepared corn. , And the ' farmer forbore shooting at them, because' they acted' so like, humairbeings ! , ' Cattle wiU leave any other chewing to, eat grass or hay" grown on land that has been lately bone-dressed. They "don't recognise phosphate of lime by name, but they know the taste of it in grass, ' -