ARRIVAL OF H.M.S.S. ESK WITH HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 8, Issue 607, 6 May 1865, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF H. M.S.S. ESK WITH HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.

Eari,y on the 10th April, H. M. s.s. Esk, 21 guns, Captain Luce, with His Excellency the Governor : on board, steamed into the Bay, dropping anchor in the roadstead about half past 6a.m. His Excellency, accompanied by F. Thatcher Esq., his private secretary, and Major Grey, his aide-de-camp, landed between 8 and 9, and was received on the Spit by His Honor the Superintendent, Lieut-Colonel Douglas, G. S. Cooper, Esq. and other gentlemen. He immediately drove by way of Battery and Milton roads, to the residence of Mr. McLean, where he remained till half past two, At that horn* His Excellency, accompanied by Mr. McLean, Mr. Cooper and others, went to the Council Chamber, where a hurried meeting had been arranged with the native chiefs. The number of natives/present was very small, and the duration of the meeting did not exceed half an hour, We subjoin an outline of theproceedings :— His Excellency having invited the chiefs present to speak, — Karaitiana said that they had nothing to say, but expected that His Excellency would have something to tell.them. At present the position of the district was not so satisfactory as it had been (Referring to the exertions of the Hau hau propagandists.) His Excellency had come expecting that the chiefs of Heretaunga would have something to say. He expected to hear some expression of their feeling in regard to the Opotiki murder and the proceedings generally of the Hau hau parties. He wished to know, as well as to have jit published abroad, what were the feelings and Intentions in thia matter of the people of Heretaunga. He had received a letter from them on the subject of the Hau hau ; that letter he had sent home to England to shew that the Maories did not all approve of the late murderous proceeding. He now wished to know whether the chiefs of thi..district still abided by the contents of that letter. Paraone referred to the meeting at Pa Whakairo, where, he said,. the feelings and intentions of Ngatikahungunu had been fully expressed. They still abided by what had been said on that occasion and in the letter, and wished to see a good feeling between the races. They joined the king movement because they thought it.good, but they had since discovered that it brought nothing but evil. His Excellency said that if they were agreed as to what was expressed in the letter, that was all he wanted. Henare Matua. hoped the Grovernor would not imagine that they would content themselves ' with having written that letter — that they would cease their/exertions tp put the evil down. They would do something more; if parties carrying European heads "entered the • district, they themselves would apprehend them. . Karaitiana said that, when he said he had nothing to say, he meant that he could say nothing in excuse of the murder and the conduct of the Hau hau parties. It was exceedingly bad. .It was the revival of- a custom which had been long sjnce abandoned for a more enlightened state of things. The natives of this generation were not familiar with such scenes. They had never seen them and were the more shocked at them. The Governor was not to suppose that they would depart from the terms of their letter; they would not allow themselves to be led astray by the Hau'haus.

, His Excellency hoped they wonld recollect their promises and fulfil 'them. .''■'' Hori Kerei, a young cliief from Wangamii, accompanied His Excellency^ and gave the few natives who were in town a full account of the defeat of the Hau hau natives at Wanganui, to which they listened with great attention. Hori Iterei distinguished himself upon the occasion referred to. At the close of the meeting His Excellency paid some private visits and returned to Mr. McLean's house about 5 p.m., remaining there just half an hour, after which Sir George proceeded on board the Esk and she at once steamed for Poverty. Bay — His Excellency hoping to meet the St. Kilda. The Esk would then go on to Auckland, where His Excellency intends remaining some time. He expressed himself much pleased with the improved appearance of Napier since his last visit.