AMONG THE MAORIS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1935, Page 10

AMONG THE MAORIS

VICEREGAL FAMILY

WELCOME AT ROTORUA

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

KOTORUA, June 7.

The Governor-General and Viscountess Galway are at present paying their first visit to the Rotorua district, accompanied by their family.

The viceregal party was accorded a civic welcome on arrival on Thursday afternoon, and in the evening their Excellencies were the guests at a social function at which they met representative citizens.

They were welcomed on the marae at Ohinemutu by the Arawa tribe this morning when a splendid demonstration of Native pois and hakas was given by over 200 women and warriors. Traditional Native ceremony marked the welcome, and their Excellencies were obviously impressed by their first glimpse of Maori ceremonial.

Lord Galway inspected a parade of Maori returned soldiers and received a petition praying that the word "massacre" be removed from the signboard erected on the site of the Opepe engagement, near Taupo, in June, 1869, when a part* of Bay of Plenty cavalry were surprised and killed by hostile Natives under the Hau Hau leader Te Kooti. The petition pointed out that the engagement took place between armed forces during a state of war, and could not, therefore, be called a "massacre." Lord Galway promised to refer the matter to his Ministers.

In the evening their Excellencies attended a Maori concert, and during the weekend they will visit a number of scenic attractions in the district.