TAWHIAO AT WHATAWHATA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6936, 9 February 1884, Page 5

TAWHIAO AT WHATAWHATA.

[from our own- correspondent.] .. WhatAwhata, Friday." . The village of Whatawhata' was awnkened out of its ordinary quiet by the return from Kawhia, on Tuesday laat, of Tawhiao and his party, who were received, and welcomed by the local chief Hapata and hie followers. Tawhiao's people say that so far they have been very Bucoeeeful .in their canvass for subscriptions for Tawhiao's trip to England, and certainly, judging by the treatment received from the natives in this locality, who have disposed of a goodly number of cittlo :td: the.' eettlersj the proceeds; of which they handed overrtohis majesty, it would appear that they approve of the project. ; It IS' stated,....as--coming .from Tawhiao's lips, that Mr. Sydney Taiwhanga will not form one of the royal suite on the home trip. The suite will consist of the chiefs mentioned in my communication published in Thursday's Herald, with : the addition of Hone Patene, .the son of Wiremu Patene (Barton), as Secretary, On the arrival here the rumour, which I also telegraphed- you pn Wednesday, got abroad that Tawhiao had lost, his belt, containing a Bum of £300, on,- the road between Waitetuna' and the foot, of the Hakaratnata KaDge, bub the amount lost appears to haye ■ been considerably exaggerated, as it is now stated to be only £15, which was the amount, of subscriptions received, at Waitetuna on his way to Kawhia. Tawhiao, however, naturally enough, appeared to- be much put, out about it, ,and perhaps : as a consequence was more moderate than uuual in hje potations. The party left here yesterday morning at eleven o'clock for Whatiwhatihoe. . It is | stated, but I cannot vouch for the amount, that the natives here handed him the sum of £100 before leaving. . . ■ : .- :