TAWHIAO'S PROJECTED VISIT TO ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue XXI, 2 April 1884, Page 3

TAWHIAO'S PROJECTED VISIT TO ENGLAND.

" ■ TO THE EDITOR. " ' . Sib,--Ab a resident in Waikato in the i old times,—before the flood of 1863 el segup,' tur—l write theQo few remarks on the abov-e subject. It is said thaii Tawhiao expects to be confirmed by the Queen in his aaaumed r -: position _of King of Maoriland. Baoh, of ooorse,' is oofi of the question. He may jq one respect, cf.ll our attention as a repreaen- t tative and Bticcsssor of the: most ancient sort - of kings—those whom Thomson in '-' The Seasono" represents as living "greatly inde- ■ pendentfor we old-'nna have seal " Hia '' Majesty" and his father before him craltiv&t- . ing potatoes in the royal garden at Ngaiua- - wahia, now, alas! run through by the railway. But, really and soberly, what is ; this aasumptioa.of the title of "king," but rank rebellion. It may be said that he is no i real king—which, however, he iatoan'evil • extent—but ho "has been a rebel- -for ■ quarter a century, and even now doea * all. he can -to -'thwart the. Colonial'' Government in progressive ways.;; Would that some Bly friend would whisper in bis ear—"lf you go to England, Tawhiao, look ~ out that you are not; tried for high treason, for real kings hive before been tried by the sovereign people, and executed too." It ; would be: well that these. Maori M.H.R.V ehould resign their seats if they are going to : England; but perhaps their absence'will be more beneficial and helpful to public bnsi- • ness- than their sable presences. • I am aatoniihed that Te Wheoro should now be ' hobnobbing .withTluff rebel «• Majesty," as he 5 . was the faithful-.- -friend, and. assistant ~of - General Cameron in the Waikato war.- Bat "blood is," they say, " thicker than water* ' r Te Kooti, now that ho has been into a free man,-would bo a more fitting fellow for Tawhiao than Te -WheorO— formerly so loyal. But the whole trip is' only one of pleasure, and will no doubt form a pleasant outing to all who go. Let! us not forget that the idea of " making a' king" in Waikato was' mainly started' by a foreign traveller, William Toitoi, who (about 1857) when asked his opinion, uttered this? dictum i—" Other nations have kings : why should we Maoris not have a king likewise ?*• —I am, &o, Philo-Maori.