AN ENGLISH TRAVELLER IN THE KING COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7268, 5 March 1885, Page 5

AN ENGLISH TRAVELLER IN THE KING COUNTRY.

Mr. Ashbury, who formerly, represented Brighton in the Imperial Parliament, is at Present on a visit to New Zealand. This ia not the first time that Mr. Aehbury has visited these ehores. Two or three years ago he arrived in New Zealand from San Franciaco. But at that time he was not so well known to the natives or to colonists as he is now. Daring the visit of the last Maori embassy to England, Mr. Ashbury took a lively interest in the various chiefs. His sympathies were enlisted, to a large extent, in the cause of Tawhiao and his companions. He made their acquaintance in London, and during the illness of Major Te Wheroro he invited the latter to hU residence at Brighton, where he showed him every kindness and attention. Being deeiroua of eeeing the Maoris in their own country, and of forming a personal acquaintance with their various chiefs, as - well as learning something of the character and peculiarities of the territory which they inhabit, and from which all Europeans had, for so long a period, been excluded, Mr. Aehbury determined to pay another visit to New Zealand. He arrived in Auckland last month, being accompanied by Mr. Schofield, of Whalley Range, Manchester, a young gentleman who is destined for Parliamentary honours,, and who is wisely making himself personally acquainted with the growth and importance of the colonial dependencies of the British Empire. Mr. Ashbury is a traveller of varied experience. He is one of the few Englishmen who have penetrated to the upper regions of tb,e Niger in Western Africa. During hie travels in these parts his health became impaired, and on his return home his medical advisers prohibited riding exercise. But in spite of this injunction be has been able to accomplish the journey on horseback from Whatiwhatihoe to Taupo, a task which all who know anything about travelling in the King Country will be able to fully appreciate. On his arrival in Auckland Mr. Aehbury received a telegram from Major Te Wheoro in a language which he did not understand. But Maori linguists are plentiful enough in Auckland and Mr. Ashbury had little difficulty in getting the message deciphered. 'It was an invitation to visit the native settlements of the Maoris. Mr. Ashbary readily accepted it, and on his return to Auckland a representative of this journal yesterday waited upon him for the purpose of learning from bis own lips an account of his meeting with the natives, and his impressions of the country through which he passed.

." Our meeting with the natives, and experience of travel in their country was," said Mr. Ashbury, " extremely pleasant and enjoyable. At Hamilton we met Major Te Wheoro, and 'drove with him to Alexandra, via Tβ Awamutu. We got to our destination in the evening, and the Major went on to the native settlement at Whatiwhatihoe, and subsequently returned with an in* tation for us to visit the King and chiefs and people there at eleven o'clock next morning. We cordially accepted it and on the following forenoon drove over to Whatiwhatihoe. To our astonishment we found Tawhiao and numerous chiefs, whose names I oan't remember, with their wives and families, singing and dancing and waving shawls and flags, in a very enthusiastic and ceremonious manner. These demonstrations of welcome I acknowledged iu the only way I could—by politely taking off my hat to the natives. Tawhiao then came forward in the most polite manner, and shook hands, and requested us to take a seat in the shade, and on our doing so, he commenced to make a formal set speech, which was interpreted by the half-caste Turner, sentence by sentence. In his speech Tawhiao expressed the great pleasure which his visit to England, had afforded him, and hoped that it might, ultimately, be productive of good. He thanked me, and through me my countrymen at home, for the various kindnesses shown to himself and others, and especially to Te Wheoro, whom they were glad to find back again in renewed health. At the conclusion of, his 1 address I was about to express my thanks, when he laughingly remarked I bad better continue seated, as many of the other chiefs wished to make a few remarks. Thereupon they one after the other rose and welcomed me, but in each case drifted into political matters from their point of view, and expressed a hope that their petition would receive due consideration at headquarters. After they had all completed their remarks I said a few words to them. Not being a member of Parliament, and having no official position of any kind, I felt I ought to be very guarded, in my remarks so as not to create or lead them to indulge in any hopes which could not be realised. I spoke in general terms, and alluding to the treaty of Waitangi, to which repeated reference had been made, said that if,, as they alleged, the treaty had been seriously violated, they had done right, as 1 believed, in submitting the matter to the Imperial Government, with whom the treaty, I assumed, had been made. I also told them that if any material grievances existed, I had no doubt they would receive due consideration at the hands of the Government for the time being, as I was quite suro that both here and at home there was every desire to do them ample justice, consistent with the terms of the treaty. I also said I thought they had acted with good judgment in sending their King and chiefs to. England in so friendly a manner. It had created a good impression in Englaud, and they had a staunch friend and champion in Mr. Gorst, M.P., who was so well known in this country already. But not being in Parliament, I did not see in what manner I could assist 'them, but if in any indirect way I could do so either in or out of Parliament, it would afford me much pleasure to bring their views prominently forward. I was careful at the same time not to admit that they possessed any substantial grievances. The point I took up was that seeing the treaty to whicn they referred was made, not by the colonial Government or Parliament, but by the Imperial Parliament of England, by the medium of whose troops the war was concluded, if any grievances existed at all I thought they were right in appealing to the Imperial Government, assuming they could not get justice, as they thought, in this country. That is to say, 1 thought that representations from home to the local Government might ultimately result in their benefit, provided any grievances, substantial grievances existed. Various peraonal points were referred to by some of the chiefs to which I thought it was better, for many reason*, not to reply, and in fact upon the subject matter of which I had no knowledge. My remarks were as far as possible of a purely general character.

"I may just remark," continued Mr. Ashbury after a slight pause, " that some papers in the South—although I have not seen them—appear to have been informed, or to have inferred, that I stated to the natives that no matter what their grievances might be they would be sure of redress, by means probably of some commissioner being sent out from England to investigate their claims. But ao such words passed my lips, nor did any such question arise. I have heard or seen it stated that Major Tβ Wheoro is of opinion that Mr. Gorst may be sent out as commissioner in connection with the land question and the treaty referred to, but I think it is extremely doubtful if any such promise was made by tho home Government, and all the more so as Mr. Gorst is a strong opponent of the present Government, and therefore, however competent he might be for such i position, I did not think there was the slightest prospect of his being sent out—certainly not by the present Government. I also considered it in the highest degree improbable that tho present Government, or indeed, any home Government, would overrule or override by any official despatch the action of the New Zealand Government. In the event of any difference between the two Governments, the matter would be referred back to the New Zealand Cabinet for further consideration. Of course, with an interpreter not posted in political matters, it waß, naturally, very difficult for me to convey my remarks to the natives in the sense as understood or expressed by me. I notice that a good deal has been said about the visit of the Maoris to England, but to my mind it is all nonsense for the people of New Zealand or their Parliament to assume that the King of the Maoris and the chiefs have no right tp go to England. The treaty having been made by the home and, as a consequence, peace concluded, it follows that if the Maoris have any grievance under the treaty, they must refer them to those with whom they made th«> **-"R.ty as a final Court of appeal. But, in tat I told the natives, I rather led uium *- believe

that any. representations made by the home Government on the subject would be made through the local Government, and not in any despatch from the Imperial Government direct to the natives. They could not do that."

This ended the formal speech-making, after (which the visitors were invited to partake of refreshments, and were provided with horaes and guides to go through the country. Mr. Aehbury made the acquaintance of Wahanui, and had a long interview with him. "To my eurprise," eaye Mr. Ashbury, " he got np and made a set speech —there were only two or three penons present—to which I replied in general terms, and pretty much to the same effect as the speech I had previously delivered to the native*. He appeared perfectly pleased with all my remarks, and gave me a letter of introduction (written, of course, in Maori) to the natives whose settlements I bad to pass, explaining our object and so forth, and bespeaking a welcome for us. On arrival at each settlement great curiosity was expressed as to who we were and our object in passing through the country. All, however, were very polite and friendly, and on the reading of Wahanui's letter became even more so, if that were possible. In going along I spoke to several chiefs as to their probable intentions in connection with the enormous lands they owned as soon as they were in a position to sell. All to whom I spoke appeared to have a fixed idea that when they were in a position to do so they would lease their lands and not sell them. One man to whom I spoke said that he and his relations owned a tract of country 30 miles long and 20 wide, through which the railway would pass, and they had quite made up their minds not to sell any' part of it. I said 'Why? , 'Well, , he said, 'when we begin to lease that will give us quite sufficient income for our purpose, and when the leases fall in, in whatever number of years, then our children or grandchildren will be enormously rich in consequence of our not having disposed of our lands, which will then be increased in value by the railway passing through, and by the developments and improvements effected by those to whom they are leased.' It seems clear to me that the natives have been educated, up to the leasing system. Even in England, after having made all my arrangements for coming out here, I said in general terms if I wa3 in the country and wished to buy auy native land, would. Tβ Whaoro or his friends assist me, and he volunteered the remark that there would ba a general indisposition to sell land, but there would be no difficulty in leasing, indicating a fixed determination on the part of most of the chiefs and their friends to lease their properties so far as they can, thereby taking care of posterity. They all appeared to be fully aware of the great importance of the railway passing through their country and opening it up, and thereby making their lands saleable either by leasing or otherwise, and materially, of course, increasing the value of their property quite irrespective of the distant future."

The journey from Whatiwhatihoe to Taupo occupied six days. The party had two pack horses and three guides. Mr. Schofield kept a diary during the journey. There are frequent entries referring to the wonderful nimbleness of the Maori ponies, and the amazing number of fleas at the Maori settlements ! The first night the party slept at Otorohanga, and the tecond night at Te Kuiti. One night they missed their way, but fortunately came across a surveyor's camp where they were afforded shelter for the night. This was the more acceptable, as it was raining hard. On another occasion they failed to reach a native settlement before dark, and had to pass the night in the open. After these experiences and constant riding—sometimes being ten an/1 twelve hours in the saddle, — they were not sorry to reach Taupo, and something approaching civilisation. Part of their route lay along the line of the Central Railway. "The country" (Mr. Ashbury eays) " doe* not seem to present many formidable difficulties to the construction of a railway. The only work of importance, as far as I could judge, will be a tunnel about three-quarters of a mile long- The principle the surveyors are adopting is to wind round the valleys. The general character of the country is hilly. For the first two days we passed through hilly country, with large undulating plains,- well watered, and to my mind a most beautiful country. After the first two day» you come into aheavy farm country and tea-tree anl dense bush. The latter, however, is not extensive. As we got near Taupo we came across many beautiful valleys, and here we saw a number of wild horses. It is my opinion the country is well adapted for pastoral purposes. From Taupo we took a buggy to Ohinemutu, and saw the Hot Lakes, which are most beautiful and wonderful, then went to Taurangs, where we met M. de Harven, and went up the Whakatans Valley, returning to Tauranga and thence, to Auckland. The natives everywhere struck me as being most polite and hospitable."

At Whatiwhatihoe Mr. Aahbury was presented by Tawhiao and others with a large number of very choice and handsome presents, including a most beautiful kiwi mat, a variety of native shawls of very fine texture and clever workmanship, whalebone mere*, a large piece of rough greenstone, kits, spears, and a variety of native weapomt. Indeed, Mr. Ashbury was made the recipient of more presents than probably has fallen to the lot of any European to receive from the natives. They are greatly prized by Mr. Ashbury, and would form (as they probably will) a most attractive feature in the New Zealand department of the forthcoming Colonial Exhibition in London.