KITCHENER OF KHARTOUM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9167, Issue 9167, 16 March 1910, Page 2

KITCHENER OF KHARTOUM.

Says the Hot Lakes Chronicle: —An incident which took place on Sunday last while Kitchener of Khartoum was being escorted over the model Maori pah at Whakarewarewa by Maggie has been given much prominence to, and the general reader would be apt to give some importance to it if the facts were not known. A Maori who has been wandering about the streets of Rotorua for some time, with no aim in life, apparently—a stolid indifference as to what to-morrow will bring about—intruded his presence on the distinguished party as Maggie was escorting them round. Ho was somewhat persistent in his endeavour to get a hearing from the Field-Marshal, and was told byMaggie that there wa6 a time and place for everything. Nothing daunted, ho bailed-up Lord Kitchener in the model pah, and insisted on presenting him with a sword which 'he (the Maori) declared had been given to his ancestors by Captain Cook. Realising the true facts of tho case, and a glance at the sword impressing him with the fact that the Maori was romancing. Lord. Kitchener assured him, with a smile, that he would fain accept so valuable an heirloom, and forthwith returned the sword- to the would-be donor. The same Maori a day or two ago assured two ladies who hail from the land of the Stars and Stripes that the Prince of Wales Feather geyser was situated at Lake Rotoiti. that he had not yet been to England, but that ho was going there soon, and he was to be the next King. This will convey an idea of the state of mind of j the man who alleges ho holds Captain I Cook's swords