THE GOVERNOR'S TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7003, 28 April 1884, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GOVERNOR'S TOUR.

His Excellency the Govebnob arrived from Hamilton by special train shortly before noon on March 31. The Rev. W. Jervois, Miss Jervois, Major Eccles (aide-de-camp), Hon. Ivo Bligh, and Mrs. Bligh were alio passengers by the same train. MEETING WITH THE NATIVES AT ROTORUA. The Governor received a cordial welcome from the natives at Rotorua and Wairoa. At Rotorua he unveiled a bust of Her Majesty the Queen. He visited the native school at Wairoa, and expressed hlmßelf highly pleased at the arrangements and the manner in which the school was conducted. The following is a report of the meeting at Rotorua :— Paora Am oh ait commenced the proceedings by singing a song of peacemaking. He afterwards spoke as follows :—Weloome, O Governor 1 Welcome, O representative of the Qaeen 1 Welcome to New Zealand, Welcome to Ohinemutu. Come, O Governor ! Come and be the father of the tribes, both European and Maori I Our Queen is a loving mother to the whole world. Although she liveß in a far distant land, her likeness will be given to us. Welcome. Bnt, O Governor I the work of your Ministers is bad. They object to Europeans living and settling on my lands. It is wrong of your Ministers to drive away the people I love. I will not agree to it. Mr. Graham has lived for many years in Rotorua. I have shown him kindness, and his love has been great to me and to my people. Mr. Kelly and Mr.- Taylor have also been kind friends to me.

Hewaee P oku at OA said : Welcome ! All preceding Governors have been welcomed here. We welcome you, O Governor. Come and see the people of New Zealand. It is good that you should give us a bust of the Queen. Let the Queen always rule over us ; we will always acknowledge her sovereignty. Come and see me. I have many troubles. I am bowed to the earth with grief, cansed by the Government and your Ministers. Can you clear away my burden ? I think all She roads to prosperity are closed against me. We are "glad to receive the bust of the Queen. Welcome to the Queen. Welcome to the Governor. The Queen is the mother of the people. The natives then sang a song of welcome. Several other speoohsa were made to the same effect. His Excellency addressed those present as follows : Gentlemen, —Considering the number of ladies, European and Maori, I see before me, I should say ladies and gentlemen—l am exceedingly glad to visit Ohinemutu, and to have the opportunity of seeing the wonders of this moBt" interesting district, wonders which perhaps are not exceeded in any part of the globe. It gives me much pleasure and 'satisfaction to receive so niany addreßsea in this place from both the Maori and European residents, and nobody rejoices more than I do at the fact that in this part of New Zealand the two races have always lived together in peace. I have said in other places—and I repeat it here—that the Queen takes the warmest interest in, and has the greatest love for, all her subjects, whether Maori or European. ' As her representative I hope ever to tread n her footsteps, and to act the part of a constitutional Governor towards the Crswn, the Parliament, the Ministers, and the people. Now New Zealand is among the freest, perhaps I may say the freest, of the countries on the face of the earth. The' Government of thS country ia always glad to bear what all its people have to say, and to give effect to their wishes and various opinions in the best possible manner. It is a common saying with Europeans, "Many men many opinions," and from what I have heard and seen in New Zealand, the words seem to apply equally to Maoris. This morning we ha.ve heard many different opinions expressed as to the course that Bhould be adopted for the development of this part of the country, but I am glad to think that,. however different' the means suggested , may be, the objeot of all is the same, I fully [hope and believe that whatever difficulties

exist may be only, of a temporary and that when the railwayis completed, ami the question of-the leases is settled, you all advance in. a career of, prosperity# Iwill* however, remember, the observations you have made, and they will be' carefully considered. T yon for the sentiments of loyalty you have expressed: towards the Qaeen, and for' the mTV n ' npr iQ which you have welcomed mo as her representa* tive. I have now to perform a duty. whioa gives me. special pleasure. I have come here to present to the Ngatirawbakare branch of the Arawa tribe this splendid base of Her Most Gr&cioas Majesty-Queen. Victoria. [His Excellency .here unveiled the bast amidst the hearty applause of the aisembly.] - People of the Arawa trib'B, thin is a fitting tribute to your loyalty. ' It ia confided to you and to your children' to value and cherish. When you ponder over the virtues of our Queen: you will value It the more. Throughout her long reign, which began before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, she been Queen of the British' Empire, the greatest monarch of the greatest Empire the world has even seen, and of which New , Zealand ia one of the brightest spots. Baft you must not only think of the Queen as a ruler, you must think of her in the beauty of her domestic life, as & devoted wife, as a loving mother, and as head of society throughout her realm. Think of her not only as a Queen, but as a woman—a woman o£ exceptional virtues, who has thrown _ heE bright influence over thousands of British homes. _ To yon, Arawa tribe, I entrust thia bust, and X feel sure it will be an incentive to you to maintain the character you have always borne of loyalty to our Queen. And now, in conclusion, I must upon the Maoris the advantages to be derived from civilisation; you cannot expect to prosper unless yon educate your children, and set them an example by yourself leading sober and industrious lives. Amongst other things, you must learn to cultivate your lands after the manner of Europeans, and thereby reap the • full benefit to ■be derived from the splendid tracts of country now in your possession. If you attend to these matters, .1 see no reason why you should not advance? rapidly in prosperity and culture, and be able, conjointly with Europeans, to take part in the government of the country. I must i again thank you most sincerely for the kind manner in whioh you have received me, and I wish you all health, happiness, and success.

VISIT TO DARGAVILLE. On April 21 His Excellency the Governor and suite visited the districts on the Northern Wairoa River, and received a hearty welcome by the European residents and -Mnoria residing there. He had several opportunities of having an intercourse with the people there, and on April 23 he visited the forest, and witnessed the felling of large kauri trees. Oar correspondent thas describes the scene:— On Wednesday the s.s. Kopuru was placed at the disposal of His Excellency for a trip up the Wairoa as far as Otiria. At a very early hour the sun broke through the mora* ing mists, and heralded a bright and glorioua day, and at nine o'clock the steamer was waiting at the end of the Dargaville Wharf to receive her distinguished passenger. At half-past nine His Excellency, with hia Private Secretary (Mr. Pennefather) and Dr. Campbell, stepped on board, accompanied by the following gentlemen : Messrs. J". M. Dargaville, M.H.R. ; F. W. Matthews, Mc« Vay, H. M. Williama, H. T. Smith, H. Cetts, W. E. Jackson, J. Mitchelson, _Jf.' Sheehan, Dr. Norton, Messrs. J. Dannie, W. Marriner, and M. Harding. As soon am the party had embarked, no time was lost in getting under way, and as we steamed up this fine river, ever and -anon at every berui bringing some fresk and aharmiDc; bnsh into view, His Excellency was delighted, and several special points of interest were transferred to his sketch book. After two hours' steaming the wharf at Otiria was reached, and tile party disembarked, and found that preparations had been made to take them into the bush, along (I think I may safely say) one of the best bush tramways in New Zealand. It is three miles long, and was not completed until £1600 had been expended in labour in its construction. Mr. H. Smith, the contractor, had in readiness four trucks, coupled together, and made exceedingly comfortable by conveniently arranged seats, covered with gaily coloured rugs, and after a few minutes a .start was fliade. We were drawn by three fine horses, decorated with rosettes, and the journey was conducted by the subcontractors, Baker and Keys, who-acted as guards on the occasion. The whole route was through dense bush, and the many stumps alongside were evidence sufficient to show that an immense amount of timber had already found its way to market. It ia estimated, however, that at least twenty million feet of kauri still remains in our bnsh.

Having reaoned the end of the tramway, the party proceeded on foot for a short distsnce through the trash to a spot where two large kauri trees had been prepared foz- the purpose of showing to His Excellency the method of felling. They were both fine trees, but one was a perfect specimen, measuring eight feet in diameter and one hundred and fifty feet high from the ground to the topmost branches. The trunk alone was over forty feet in length, and contained seventeen thousand feet of timber. The trees having been duly prepared for felling by the bußhmen, the party had not long to wait before the first tree fell, but previously to its falling His Excellency rapidly conveyed the image of this beantiful tree to his sketch book. It was a grand sight to see this huge monarch of the forest, after tottering for a second, crashing through the surrounding treeß, carrying everything before it, and shaking the very foundations of the bush. The party then walked to the hut—a sub« stantial slab building, about forty feet long, where lunch was provided by I)r. Campbell. No more welcome Bight could be seen than this excellent lunch, for the appetites of ail were thoroughly sharpened by the trip on the river,- the ride on the tramway, and the walk in the bush. The appearance of the viadds was also improved by the profusion o€ flowers interspersed among them, and the | whole arrangement does credit to Mr. McLean as the caterer. Not much conversation was indalged in during luncheen.time, as everybody seemed to be fully employed in appeasing that importunate part of his construction—the appetite. Luncheon over, an important departure from the general custom was indulged in— namely, there were no toasts, consequently nobody was bored. His Excellency then visited some of the huts, and addressed a few kindly words to the bushmen, who showed their appreciation by giving three.hearty cheers. The retorn trip then commenced, and en route His Excellency was taken to see a curiosity in the shape of a large kauri tree, with a set of false roots starting at a distance of 12feet from the ground, which, in their endeavour to reaoh the soil, had assumed the moat fantastic shapes. After His Excellency had partaken of the heart of a nikau palm, the party proceeded on the journey, halting to see the men jacking large logs on to the staging, preparatory to their being loaded on trucks. The Otiria wharf waß reached in a short time, where the steamer was waiting in the stream, and, all once more embarking, were soon steaming homeward.