PRINCE AT ROTORUA.

Gisborne Times, Volume LII, Issue 5466, 29 April 1920, Page 6

PRINCE AT ROTORUA.

TYPICAL NATIVE WELCOME,

HAKAS, POI DANCES, AND ADDRESSES. GIFTS showered on royal VISITOR. R VIN CAUSES POSTPONEMENT OF BIG DISPLAY. MAGNIFICENT CEREMONIES TO BE held TO-DAY. w v Telegraph —Special Correspondent. ROTORUA, April Ab, Continuous rain spoiled' fcLC- elaborate arrangements for enter taming His Royal Highness to-day, and' the magnificent native display, ior winch oio-irt thousand Maoris are assembled has been postponed until J.dU a.m.’ to-morrow. The showers hero less severe in the early part of the day when welcomes from the Maoris at bhin.emutu and Whakarewanm a occupied the main portion of tlio morning. His Royal Highness, accompanied by Admiral Sir Lioiie Halsey and a large party motored to Ohinemutu, where, despite the nuzzling rfiin, the Arawas turned out in native costume to honor the visitoi. Leaving the town the I mice descended into the hollow in which the township is built, to be greeted: by two natives, one am old chief with irrev hair and the other a- youth of magnificent build, dressed m the traditional costume of his people. The two Maoris broke into a pacn of welcome, retreating before the Pniice until fie passed into the dealing fore the meeting-house, where the Arawas were assembled. His Royal Highness was particularly impressed. Tim tedium of civic reception was here waived, and the greeting took a new form. Instead of meticulouslytailored statesmen scantny-elad .Maoris met him; instead of a uellphrased, ponderous speech of uelenue, a deep-voiced chieftain chanted a soul-stirring greeting, in winch the expression of loyalty was sticngtliened by the imaginable phrasing for which" the Maori is famed the voung, pale face lit up with inteiest and tile Prince watched every movement of the Native spokesman and his supporting assembly of warriors. Here at- least were fifty magnificent specimens of the Maori race who have retained their physical superiority in spite of the invasion ol civilised ideas. WHITE PRINCE OF THE ARAWAS. The men opened with a peaceful chant, which broke into a madly-ex-cited liaka. The dark bodies swayed back and forth, and the ground vibrated beneath their tramping lcet; the magnificent mats rustled and waved as their wearers became enthused by the significance of the occasion. Between the warriors and their Royal guest the small stretch of ground steamed in places, raising a thin veil between the Prince and Ills dusky subjects. The warrior s withdrew, and their place was taken by about- a hundred poi girls, who performed- the canoe poi dance in front- of the meetinghouse. The rhythmic beauty of this item was no less appreciated than the weird dance of the. men. A mat was placed; around the Royal shoulders, and the White Prince of the Arawas descended from his platform to greet the Maoris personally. The poi girls were not content with the formal handshake, and most of them bowed and kissed the Prince’s hand. The natives were quite lost in the excitement of the occasion, and their genuine, unstinted expression of loyalty was magnificent. Old Maoris who remember the Ohinemutu of preEuropean days danced on their feeble Jegs and waved their meres in the air. and the men rolled their eyes and stamped before His Royal Highness, who smilingly shook hands with all who passed before him. On that same ground the present King and Queen were greeted on the occasion of their visit, and this fact was mentioned by the spokesman, who also referred to the memorial to Queen Victoria, which stands within sight of the meeting-house. A huia feather andi a- carved pipe inlaid with pawn, shell were added to the gift, and the Prince left Ohinemutu with all the insignia of a chieftain, including a fine tainlia or staff, which he examined with interest. PRINCE AMONGST INVALIDED SOLDIERS.

Accompanied by Dr. Pomare. who had attended the Prince during the ceremony, His Highness left (Jhinemutu, slowly climbing the hill to the King George V. Hospital, and waving liis farewell to the shouting natives- Up on the hill above Ohi.nomutu, the King George V, Hospital as engaged in the sacred duty of restoring invalided soldiers to health, and the Prince spent some time in greeting every patient. After shaking hands with Colonel Bernan, m charge of the hospital, and the matron, Miss Thurston, the Prince presented a D.C.M. to Lance-Corporal Ackrovd. ANOTHER ARAWA WELCOME.

Before departing from the hospital about three hundred patients were lined up for the Royal inspection, after which the Prince left for Whakarcwarewa, where another Arawn welcome was accorded him. By this time the rain had increased considerably, and the second native welcome was given in a dismal setting, hut the consciousness of this discomfort soon disappeared. The Prince sat in front of the meeting-house and was greeted by a Maori speech, interpreted by a returned Maori officer. Tlie aged spokesman was deeply stirred by the honor of hirs duty, and he advanced slowly, shaking with excitement and allowing gesture and expression to enhance the welcome which lie chanted. It was a. primitive, Wonderful greeting. The long line of brown men bowed and gesticulated to the command 1 of the old M aori, and behind the warriors there rose the everlasting curtain of steam from the mud-holes and boiling pools.

’Hie Prince replied to the greeting and accepted an illuminated "’address of welcome, framed in handsomely

carved wood. This gift was supported by. a native sash and a greenstone mere.

There was a great ring of sincerity in the native welcomes. The Maoris were delighted with the Prince, and' their unbounded cheering and shouting were .significant of their appreciation of the visitor and the power which he represents. GEYSER REP USES TO PLAY FOR PRINCE. There was another period of handshaking, and the Prince wus then conducted around the TVliakaiewarewa reserve by two Maori girls, who were -delighted with their shafyo of the welcome. Pohutii Geyser, the Cauldron, the Terraces, and other points of interest were visited, t-lio Royal party being followed by hundreds of Europeans and Maoris. Steady rain fell all the time, and the pleasure of the tour was naturally lessened, but ITis Royal Highness stayed persistently waiting for the geT.ser t- 0 play. A large number of officers from HALS. Renown were added to the party. V hakarewarewa. with its rude native dwellings and steaming pools, was never viewed by a more fascinated company than to-day, when the visitors disregarded the downpour of rain in their eagerness to see and understand everything. For a period of about fifteen minutes the Prince stood on a hillock near to the Polmtu geyser waiting for the display and ignoring the steady rain. His two native guides did not fail to explain the meaning of everything, and a. few Maori words were added to bis vocabulary. After circuiting Whakarewarewa reserve His Highness returned to the entrance amid wild excitement, -in which the European cheer and Maori cry were intermingled.. The rain spoiled; the departure and the party was forced to hurry back to Rotorua without ceremony.

The afternoon programme, which was to be thq central feature of the Rotorua visit-, was postponed, and the visitors spent this afternoon privately. Crowds continue to surround the Grand Hotel, where the imaginative speculated as to when His Royal Highness would appear and as to what he was doing. In the early evening the rain ceased and a gentle breeze brought a hope that Wednesday would dawn sufficiently fin ( ., for the Mffori gathering, the postponement- of which has caused, great disappointment. Coupled with this, the railway disorganisation is arousing anxiety, for Rotorua is thronged with visitors, halls, sheds, and even motor garages being utilised, but the authorities are not allowing this to interfere with the Maori Assembly, which wil] carry out its programme to-mor-row morning if the weather continues to improve as jt is doing at the present time.