THE GOVERNOR'S TRIP to TAUPO.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 819, 19 January 1867, Page 5

THE GOVERNOR'S TRIP to TAUPO.

(From the ' Advertiser,' Jan, 9.) His Excellency Sir George Grey returnee to town yesterday morning, from Wanganui, by the p.s. Waipara. Through the courtesy of His Excellency's Private Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Thatcher, we are enabled to present our readers with an account oi the important journey into the very hear! of the Maori country which His Excellency has so successfully completed. Sir George Grey proceeded from the Kawau to Tauvanga in H.M.S. Challenger, arriving there on the 18th December. On the 19th, His Excellency left Tauranga, accompanied by Commodore Maguire, Mr. Thatcher (Private Secretary), Mr. Commissioner Clarke, Mr. Mair, Mr. Williams, of the Challenger, and- Mr. Monro, son oi Sir David Monro, Speaker of the House oi Representatives. Horses were provided for the party by the natives at the pah opposite Te Papa, and all started about the middle of the day for -Maketu, where they arrived the same afternoon, and rested that night. Next morning they left Maketu, and passing along the shore of Rotoiti, arrived at Ngae, on the east side of Rotorua, in the afternoon. At this place there is a house of entertainment, kept by natives, where the whole party dined on crawfish, caught in the lake. His Excellency visited the school, kept by a native teacher .in the neighbourhood, and then rode on to Ohinemutu, at the head of the lake where the principal hot springs are situated. The -rest of the party remained at Ngae, to give time to the pack-mess to arrive. On the following day, the party at Ngae having joined his Excellency at Ohinemutu, breakfasted at a very good accommodation house, which has been established there by a joint-stock company, in which most of the natives have shares. From Ohinemutu they started on the same day, and passed along the shores of the beautiful lakes Tikitapu and Rotokakahi to the Wairoa. There, at a picturesque spot, close to Lake Terawera, is the station of the Rev, Mr. Spencer. By that gentleman His Ex- | cellency and party were most hospitably received, and at the same place they were met and greeted by the chief Te Kepa (Kemp) and his people, who gave every demonstration of loyalty, hoisted flags, and fired a salute. There they were detained until the 22nd by the rain during which time Commodore Maguire and some others of the party made a short trip to Rotomahana in canoes, returning the same day. The 23rd, being Sunday, was also spent at the Rev. Mr. Spencer's, and on the next day the party started once more, accompanied by that gentleman, Te Kepa, Henare, I chief of the Tuhourangi tribe, and about a hundred natives. Returning on their track to Rotokakahi, they proceeded towards the Waikato river, chiefly over a very fine undulating country, with many hills emitting j vapour, and numerous hot springs. They reached the river the same afternoon, and crossed it opposite Ora Kakoraka, which lies just beyond it, and contains several hot mud springs. The party had now entered the Taupo district, and on Christmas morning they moved on again, and reached Oruanui, where they were met by Hohepa, Busby, and Te lieuheu, who received them with war dances and every demonstration of loyalty, treating them' in the most. hospitable manner, and feasting them to the best of their ability. From here the first view of the magnificent mountain of Tongariro was obtained, and the travellers saw before them the goal that they were making for. At Oruanui, they stayed the rest of that day, and on the 26th went to Tapureharuru, the chief Busby's place, where the same loyal reception that had greeted them all along was once more prepared for them. Accepting the chief's hospitality they remained with him that night. Tapureharuru is situated at the outlet of the Waikato River from Lake Taupo and is in the middle of a most fertile district. On the 27th the party rode round the eastern side of the lake to a place called Tauranga, inhabited altogether by Hau Haus. The men were away and had only left a few women behind them, and here His Excellency and party rested for the night and next morning went on to Tokanu, which is situated at the head of the lake, and where Kingi, Haere, and other chiefs received them in a most friendly and loyal spirit, having been apprised of their coming by Te Heuheu, who had ridden on before. By this time the party was greatly increased by accessions throughout the journey, and their hosts danced war dances in welcome of them, and killed sheep and pigs innumerable to feed them. At this place also it was remarked that the people were most industrious, making mats and tilling their land as much as possible after the European fashion by using the plough to turn it up, and even to plant their potatoes. At Tokanu they remained for a day, as it was understood that there were some Hau Haus in the neighborhood who, it was believed, would come in if His Excellency sent for them. They did in fact come in, but on the first occasion His Excellency was unfortunately out of the way, having gone to see Mr. Grace's house. However, on the following morning they again came in and had an interview with His Excellency, and although only a day or two before they had declared that nothing would induce them to submit to pakeha rule, after a few minute's conversation with Sir George Grey they expressed their desire for peace, and declared their willingness to be loyal. Amongst the number was a Waikato chief, whose name our informant did not recollect, and the chief Wirepu. Bad weather detained the party at Tokanu during the 28 th, and on the 29th they paid a visit to Waihi, Te Heuheu'a place. After prayers on the morning of Sunday, the 30th, they started to Poutou, ou the east side of ltotoairi, a lake between the mountains Pihauga and Tongariro, and throughout the whole district were struck with the remarkable fertility of the land, the native owners of which expressed themselves as extremely anxious to get Europeans amongst them to rent their lands from them. On the 31st Mr. Thatcher, Mr. Mair, and some of the principal chiefs, ascended Tongariro to catch the viesv from the summit, but as they mounted, the calm bright day that they had left in the valley changed to mist and rain and storm, so that for a time they lost their way and were glad to descend again' without having accomplished their object. On the afternoon oi the same day the whole party rode on about seven miles on their way to Wanganui, and camped for the night in a small gully by a stream. Next day they started early, passing the foot of Tongariro and up the

. sides of Ngarqiioe and Ruapeka, througl a lovely counify only waiting for the whiti man's cultivation to render it most produc 1 tive, until they come to a regular desert o • stones and gravel, about seven miles across 3 which th%natives are afraid to pass ovei • during windy weather. Crossing this, thej I encamped for the night by a small stream f when they suffered considerably from cole t being only five hundred feet below the perr petual snows of Ruapeka, which glistenec above them. On the 2nd of Jauuary the) i passed over some of the most magnificeni , land which the nolony contains, of aboul 1 200,000 acres in extent, and owned by na- , tives who expressed a most earnest desire . to let it to Europeans. As, an additional • inducement they say that the place is withir , a day and a-half or two day's journey oi f Napier, to which a good theep track leads f the whole way. At this place His ExcelI lency and party had to leave their horses, as they were now at the edge of the bust s which they entered on the 3rd, and aftei ' some very tiring and difficult travelling on > foot reached Ranana, on the river Wanga- , nui, on the sth. There they embarked in canoes and arrived at Korini the same evening from which they again started in canoes i next morning, and got to Wanganui by ■ mid-day on the sth. Departure of His Excellency for thi ; South. — His Excellency Sir George Grey left for the South yesterday in the s.s, Queen. He was accompanied by the Hon, Major Richardson, the Rev. Mr. Thatcher, Private Secretary, Major Grey, A.D.0., Mr, James Hamlin, Interpreter, Mr. Monro, Mr. J. E. FitzGerald, and the chiefs Te Kepa, Ponepa and Henare. It is understood that His Excellency's visit to the Middle Island will extend over a couple oJ months, and that he will make a tour oi nearly all parts of the interior under the guidance of Dr. Hector, who is intimately acquainted with that portion of the Colony. — Advertiser, Jan. 14.