NORTH ISLAND TEUNK RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7304, 16 April 1885, Page 5

NORTH ISLAND TEUNK RAILWAY.

THE PREMISE, AT ALEXANDRA. Mb. Stout "arrived .at Te Awamutu on ruesdayeveiiing -at ; half-past threes and it once 1 drove off to - Alexandra, .where ie arrived between eight and nine o'clock, tie was met by Mr. Wilkinson, the Govern* nent native agent. Hote Tamohana waited- on Mr. Stont in 'eferenceto his offer of a native contingent for the Soudan. The - Pbbmi:eb Mid, in reply, that in all probability the Soudan war - would soon-be >ver, as the rebel: chiefs were giving in their submission to General Graham. There was, lowever, great danger of a war with Russia, ind if it did occur the Government would jroba bly communicate with Hote in reference to his offer. ' • - • : Tu Tawhiuo, , eldest son of Tawhiao, vaited on the Premier to pay his respects. Che meeting was merely a friendly one. Yesterday 'morning' Mr. Stout went over to iVahanni's house, where he was met , and • veloomed by .Wahanui,'Rewi, Taonui, and i number of influential chiefs of Ngatimani>oto. After formal salutations, Mr. Ormsby Chairman Kiiwhia Native Committee) said in behalf .of. the natives of the dis;rict he welcomed Mr. 1 Stout to Alexandra. The natives were all aware of the great work on which' he had come, and ihsy looked upon it as important an svenfc as the Premier did. They considered ;he action to be. taken to-day would be ooked upon as an earnest of what was to be ;he policy of- the future. . The native people syere aware that Mr. Stout had oome.to turn the fir'it sod of the Main Trunk Railway. They had a request ,to make, namely, thai; the owners of the land Bhould be allowed to take part in the ssremony, and if Mr. Stout would agree to that, the way they . had appointed to assist Mr. Stout wis. Wahanui and. they would tsk Mr. Stout if he would allow Wahanui to lit; the sod and put it in the. barrow, Mr. Stout to perform the ceremony ,Of wheeling :t away, .thereby both taking part. ; Mr. Stout said he was exceedingly glad to meet the natives there assembled. He tiad heard of Rewi. He was very highly ipofcen» of - by the -Europeans,' both on ucocinit of > bis rank and bravery. He had teen Wahanui at Wellington. He thought the natives could mot have a better representative in Wellington than Wahanui, who had been strenuous in his endeavours to get the best done for the Maoris and 'promote their good in,every way. IJe agreed to their proposal as to the turning! of ' the sod.- He wished the Datives to know that the ceremony had nothing to do with ' the title to the land, nor did it affect the chieftainship. 1 Whether a man was there or not it would not make ' anyone's title better or worse, or » - chief's chieftainship greater or less. The fact of taking part in the ceremony would not give those who did so any advantage or any greater claim to the •'land'- than -: ho ■ had before. ; It was customary for Europeans who had no claim to a building ' to ' be ' chosen to lay the foundation ; The same custom prevailed in regard to the turning of the first sod for a railway. - Representative men were chosen. He wished to impress upon them the importance of attending to their health. If they.wished -to preserve their race they must preserve their health. In order to do this it was necessary that they should see that their dwellings were-situated in healthy positions, and'that they were well ventilated. y It was important that they should pay attention to their-food, and stop taking alcoho). A little book was being printed in Maori in which they -would learn how to prevent disease, deal with sickness, etc. This book would be circulated among the Maoris. He hoped they all would See to the education 'of their children. Being Minister for Education, he should . be yery glad to ■ hear that they had taken, measures to have schools erected in their districts, and to provide their young people with Knowledge* - so that they might read and wrilie English, and know what was being done in different parts of the world. _ ' * Hots TAMEHASAaaked Mr. Stout to wait till Tawhiao's return,, but Taonui rose up and said tho Ngatimaniapotos owned the land, and they had settled everything. Hote had no righi-to speak. . • — '■ ■ Hote then nat down. - The programme having been arranged; Mr. Stout, Rewi, Wahanui, and a large number' of natives and some Europeans left for Te AwimutnV f Mr.' G. Wilkinson, Government Native Ageht,"interpreted' for the Premier, and drove him across to Te Awamutu. , - „ TURNING THE FIRST ; SOD. The excursion train fob: Waikato, with accommodation for 800, left Auckland yesterday ; morning at , seven .o'clock about half filled, and took a large number, of passengers at the SBverall stations on the line of railway for Puniu and for the Cambridge races, those for the latter 'branching" off at Hamilton. After gome little del Ay at Frankton janction, owing to having to water -three- engines, the start was made about twenty-five minutes to one. But the time was pulled up • between Hamilton and Te Awamutu by the extra speed put on. At Hamilton, amongst the large number' of passengers taken" up were Messrs. J. B. Whyte, M.H.R., W. A. Graham, Mayor of Hamilton, Captain Steel, Mr. Hay, Air. D. M. Beere," District Engineer," MrC A. H. Northcroft, Messrs. Hume, Knox, Moon tier,'and many ladies. j Arrived at Te Awamutu the passengers were pleased to find „ that local enterprise 'had not been 1 behind ! hand in providing accommodation for proceeding further. ; A long row of public omnibuses, wagonettes, • and traps of all ' descriptions, were drawn up, so - that accommodation for nearly all was available. Amongst those who went np from Auckland were: Mr. W. R. Waddel (Mayor), Hon. T. Henderson, M.L.C., Hon. P. Dignan, M.L.C., Mr. Moss, M.H.R., and Mrs. Moss,, Mr. T. Thompson, M.H.R., Messrs. . R. Cameron. (manager Auckland Savings Bank), C. 'Atkins and Mrs. Atkins, Mrs. Porter, W. H. Hales (District Engineer), F. L. 3?rime, W. Crowther, Motion, J. Stewart, Constable, Von der lioyde, and others, including a large number of ladies. When the visitors reached the Te Awamutu township, the volunteer cavalry. Which had met the Hon. the Premier half-way on the Alexandra-road on his return from tne place, where he had spent the, night, and escorted him into Te Awamutu, were drawn up, and their band ' played softie lively tunes whilst sett! era in all kinds of vehicles and on horseback were gathering in large numbers from Kihikihi, Rangiaohia, Alexandra, and neighbouring settlements, Cambridge even being well represented. A cavalcade was then formed, and started for the scene of ceremony, some two miles away over a villainous cross road, to the south bank of the Puniu River, where the sod, was to be r turned on land belonging to Rewi's ances tors. . A substantial foot bridge had been placed over the Puniu, and on ascending the opposite bank the site was at once observed by the marquee and flags and banners inscribed with Maori welcomes. A large semicircle was formed and kept by the Te Awamutu cavalrymen under Major Jaokson and: Captain Rutherford. About 1500 persons, natives and Europeans, were upon the ground, including a very large number of ladies. Amongst those present with Mr. Stout at thin time were Wahanui, Taonui, Rewi, Hop* Te Rangianini, and other chiefs. Colonel Frailer (W.H.R.), Messrs. White, Lake, and Thompson (M.H.R.'s), Patrick Dignan' (M.L.C.), Messrs. Blair, Assistant Engineer-in-Chief, Isaac Coates, contractor for the first sectiion of the new railway, Messrs. Hursthouse and Beere, while standing around were most of the principal settlers of the surrounding districts. Amohcßt those present were Messrs. Storey, "Westney, fewland, Goodfellow, Taylor, Henderson, Anderson, Walton, Roaohe, Ellis, A. G. Horton, Rutherford, Cunningham, Sloane, W. S. WilsOn, Farrell (Chairman Kihikihi Town Board), Major WilsOn, and others. The barrow used was the same which Sir George Grey used at Claudelands in turning the first sod of the Waikato-Thames Valley Railway. Mr. G. T. : Wilkinson acted as interpreter throughout the ceremony. Mr. W. H. Hales (District Engineer) said: Wahanui, as engineer having local charge of public works, I am deputed to ask you, on behalf of the native people, to commence the i gireat work to-day, and the construction Dtiihis railway, by turning the first "sod. . ... .. , tyahanni {took off bis coat, dug out three sods,'' and ; placed theni in the borrow, the Maoris counting each sod in audible tone. This was completed amidst loud cheers. flEwi MAiiiAroio then said : I now call on Mr. Stout to wheel the sod. Mr. Stout . took off his coat and wheeled ( the tods' along some planks laid for the pur-

pose, and tipped the barrow at : the end. throwing the sods on the ground amidst loud cheers, the Te Awamutu band striking up the ; National Anthem, the spectators meanwhile remainiiig uncovered. . •..,••••. Mr. W. R. Waddki,, Mayor of Auckland, then called for three cheers for Her Majesty : the Queen, which were heartily gitfen by ' Maoris nnd Europeans alike. ; • .< ii >' P-'-' Mr. Wilkinson explained to the natives ; that the Premier would address the » Euro- , peans first, and then the Maoris. - J Mr. Sxoor said : Ladies and Gentlemen,"-© : 1 can assure yon that r I feel that - I occupy >' to-day an exceedingly honourable position, because I have been deputed to take part in) what is one of the greatest works that this ; colony can undertake. . -1 do not need, in a3? dressing a European audience, to point out the good that railways do. I would rather saythat this railway is peculiar in many respects. . It: is first to unite together two: parts, of this colony that have been long - separated, from many reasons and from various oauses; and It hope that by it we will still- further .become! a united nation of New Zealanders—(Hearj hear)—a,d that as colonists, while we always think of our homes and think of our districts, we will not forget to think of the colony as our nation, to look forward to the development of its national life. : But I stand therej! further, on ground '■•hat a few years ago was; not deemed to be open : to Europeans.- - We stand here almost in view of what I might term to be the classic ground of the Maori', war. Not far from here is, as you all know, what may well be termed-the Maori Thermopylae, and which future historians will; point to as a battle - that . was, - : consi-i dering its circumstances, perhaps the grandest fought between any; two races. The : bravery, as often happens in many, battles, wast not all on one side. We stand on that ground,! and when we think of what took place in; this month, some twenty , years, ago, when; the battle of Orakau was fought; when wes think of the brave words uttered from the, Maori pa, on that occasionbrave words,} that there was to be no end practically. to the fighting; and when we: think, now of what we have accomplished, and when we have here that brave chieftain, that brave: warrior -who .-then led his tribe at Orakau, and we have the representative of the Govern? ment to take part in a work of , this kind, I think we will all. see that, we have made some great advance in -our colonial history* and that it has been truly a sign of progresf to-day. (Chsers.) .1 think, we should: remember, in - doing a work of this • class, to contrast it with the old days, the days of' the past, the evil days, in which we thought . the colony was to be conquered by war, to be conquered by bloodshed. But we know that peace has her conquests far 4 more ' renowned : than those of war—(cheers) ;Tand that it is by works ol this character, works whioh are not to set race against race, nor people against people, but to unite them together. as one people—it is by works of this class that nature in conquered and made subservient to man. I Bay, therefore, let this be: classic ground in our history, ' not classic ground by keeping in memory the evil things.of the past, the war of the; past, but let this day be remembered as the day in' April has been remembered in our- history, as a day, a grand day, for this part of the colony, for here, I hope, is given to us a pledge that will Con- > tinue of peaceable relations between Euro-, peans arid Maoris ; and that also to-day we see how helpful those relations are )in our march oi: progress. I do not know that I can express ' myself well enough; how deeply . feel the fact that Rewi is .here. I feel it for a reason which may. not beknownl to ■ you. -'. When ,1. was s first . appointed, Premier of this colony, the first telegram I —before I even received one , from my own constituents or friends—the. first telegram of , congratulation : I received was one from Rewi.. (Cheers.) , I had never seerr -him,. but < something ,1, had - done or said in IS7S had remained in his memory, and that showed. me that, the rase had been often maligned by people in saying the Maori race had no gratitude. (Hear, hear.) I believe if we htid been perhaps more kind in the past, more philo-Maori than we have been ; if we in the past had treated our .brown friends in - this colony as . brothers, . and loved them, we. should never have had the wars which disgraced ; our history. I hope that in the future we will think of them as men who' have not ' had our civilisation, our training, our ideas, and if they do wrong, or what we consider wrong, that we shall treat them as we treat our own children. If we have to chastise them in order to uphold the law, we shall do it with love, and with;the objeot of benefitting them in the futuri). To-day we have taken part, as I have said, in a great .work, in a work that is to be beneficial not only to -one'section of the colony, not only to one district of the colony, not only to one race of the colony, but to benefit all. _ , I hope, as people who have taken part in this oeremony, whatever part each may have taken, how* ever humble, we will no. act up .to the honour that has been cast upon. us in the future, and we will keep .this. in our memory as having been privileged to take part in ono step of the history of the colony, and so act as good colonists in the future that those Who come after us will have no occasion to regret our actions in any way. (Cheers.) Ladies and gentlemen, it is by what we may term a small ceremony, it is by what we may say is almost a thing not to he noticed at the time, that history after all is made. History is made by the growth of the social life of the 'people. This is a step in the growth of our social life. ■ I ask those who have to deal with the -Maoris in these out-districts to think that on themselves rests a great responsibility, ' a heavy responsibility, a heavier responsibility than rests on the Government, than rests on those who live far from, the Maoris. It is your duty to educate them, to train them, and today, we have done a thing,'! hope, that will remain in the remembrance of the whole colonial people. We are standing < here on soil on which there has been a proclamation that no liquor shall be sold—(cheers) —and we are to-day going to provide you with lunoh, but you are to nave, no alcoholic liquors—(cheers)— I hope those who do not agree with me in my temperance views will think of this, that although many Europeans can take liquor without injuring themselves to any appreciable extent; if what is called fire-water gets amongst any aboriginal race like the Maoris it is condemning them to destruction. ; I ask those - who feel ' that there is some solemnity in human life-con-sidering the bravery of tho race and loving kindness which the Maori people have shown in the past to many settlers, and the many good deeds they have done—to agree ' with me when I say the Maoris ought to be preserved ; and I say if the race is not preserved we ' will be handed down in history : as a . people who '. came . to this country and met a race capable of much improvement and did nothing to improve the race. I hope that will never be written of Europeans in this colony. I ask the out-settlers to be careful in dealing with the Maoris, to teach them how to preserve their physical and moral health, and if we could only teach them these two things the race would live; and hereafter we would see the descendants of the noble chiefs of the present and past generation taking a part. in the Government of this colony. f • Surely,' l if we regard all as brethren, without distinction of colour, race, or creed, it shall- never be said of us that we, who think we have reached the highest pinnacle of civilisation, will doom any part of humanity— any . race,' however weak— destruction. Rather let it be said that we have done all that we could to raise, to elevate, and perpetuate them. I cannot say anything mora in a general way. I wish now to say one or two words to the Maoris. (Cheers.) • -. - • . The foregoing remarks had been addressed specially to the Europeans, and had : not been interpreted to the natives. Mr. Stout now turned to the natives, and said : . Ladies , and chiefs, and men of the Maori race—l want to «ay ft few words as to the benefit that the railway will do to you. I do not need to address the Europeans about the good that a railway does. ' Bat a railway is a new thing to the Maoris. . They know more about a canoe than the. railway. A railway in to a European what a canoe is to a Maori. He uses it for travelling about. But the difference between a railway' and a canoe is the railway can go a great deal faster, and can go where the canoe cannot get. ; But there are two or three things that, a raiway does. Here on this section we intend to ask the Maoris to make it, and they will get the same money for doing it that Europeans get. We do not want to make any ; distinction between them ; ' and- Mr. Richardson, the Minister for. Public Works, 'has' told me about the work of the Maoris. He had'forty Maoris working for him', at the beginning of 1863 in Victoria. ' They did their work well, and they got wages equal to Europeans, and I have no doubt the Maoris will have pride enough to see that the Europeanado net beat them , in making the r railway, b When this section is made, it will be known as the Maori section, and I hope it will be bettet than that which the Europeans make., Bat

besides the money they will get for their work, 1 the railway will do more thing* for you than. that. It ' will ' make your land more valuable, ■ and the land that you do not need, if you winh to lease it, you will get more money for it. Itesides that, as you get learned in'farming, yoa- will rear cattle and grow perhaps fruit and grain, ; and; then you will get ' more money fop all these things when you have got the. railway. Maoris cannot get on without taoney - any more than Euro* peans. ' Now, - when : the Maoris ■ get . the railway made their . land will be improved, they will get more money, and I ho[% they will spend the money in making themselves more comfortable. 'Except you take care of your health and take care of your money, both your laud and your money will-, be a curse to. you. I hope you will think of those', things. Now let me specially thank you foir coming here to-day. My thanks, and the thanks of the, Government, are duo to the chiefs who have so loyally supported us. I. do not like to mention their names in case there might be some jealously, and I might omit some. •, Let me tell yon thin that you should not be jealous of this sod turning, because it does not affect your lands, or the titles to the land. It is a mere ceremony.. Some one said this one ought to do it, and some one that one ought, to. do it; .as to the names there was much difference .of opinion amongst you. But things like this do not make a chief, and :do not make a landowner. . You should think of . a story - I will toll you of What, happened in my country Scotland. There was a great chief there named McNab, and he was.head of .a great number of people. And. some people saw him sitting at the loot of the table imitead of the head, although he was a great chief. And they said to him, " Come to tho head of the table— are a great chief," iind he said, "Wherever the McNab sits, that is the head of the table." (Laughter.) So the chiefs,will remember those who havti hot taken part in the ceremony that if ~ they are great chiefs the ceremony 1 will not hurt them. . Now let mo say ope or two words to all, Europeans and Maoris. I have to thank ' all ' the ladies and gentlemen who have attended at this ceremony for their presence here 'to-day. We - have had a good omen—the weather is beautiful. We stand in the midst of lovely, scenery. We have mountains in v iew; we have streams, bushes, and everything; that is lovely, bat all these things are not lovely unless they are graced by the ladies, and by . the Europeans, and the Maoris. Aiter all, what makes the scenery lovely is to see people in it, and people enjoying themielves, and I hope, you will all do so to-day, I thank you all very much for listening to ,me so very attentively. Perhaps some of the. chiefs, Wahanui or Rewi, will say a few words. (Cheers). . ; Three hearty cheers were then given for the Premier, and the band contributed musical honours.

„ Wahanui ; ][ shall not make a very long speech after what Mr. Stout has said. The part of his spoeah I took particular notice of is that referring to the restrictions on spirituous liquors in this district. (Cheers.) 1 consider w«i could not have a better boundary with, which to keep back the liquor than this stream of fresh water run- , ning down below us [pointing to the Paniuj. (Gbeers.) I have seen in one map that has been published a certain boundary defining this licensing district, but . that I- did not agree to. I myself consider the. proper boundary by wiliich to keep back the liquor is » river of fresh water like , the Funiu. There is one other suggestion I would like to make, and that is that we should give this railway a name, and' the' name I f give it is "Turongo" [Rewi, who was standing beside' also called;' out, " and _ I wish' 'that name to apply only to' the chain* wide of land that belongs to- the railway.. It does - not . affect the land on' either aide of the chain wide, because each 'person knows the name of his own piece. ; The person of rank has his own portion, and so has the person of low degree, and it is ntft a p roper thing for a person who is of rank to contest a person of low degree with regard to (the title to his land. That is all I have to say. (Cheers.) ; - , Mr. Waddei, called for three cheers for Wahanui and Rewi, and the call was cordially responded to. r'■ Hop a tb Ransianini, who was dressed in a gorgeous mat, stood forward and said : These are my words to Mr. Stout. All that you are to take is the line for the railway from one end to the other. You must not by-and-by branch off in the direction' of -Taupo, because I shall cause you trouble if yon do. that., Or if you branch off .in" any other direction I shall cause you trouble. All the affection that the , Maoris wish to show to you in ', this.matter is this line of ' railway only. After this is done, and t see how We get on together, then I may alter my : mind. (Laughter.) If I see that the result of this is good, and your affection to me is great, then I Bhall have no objection, ' That is all I have to say. (Cheere.) Taonui said: I wish to say a word or two with regard to the management or carrying oat of this railway. If, Sir, you were Mr. Ballance, who is the Minister for the natives, I should have something to say with regard, to lihe work or carrying out of [ this railway. But, as Mr. Ballance is not I here, I shall rtsserve what I hare to say | until I see him. I have something to say about it to him—about the matterwith regard to what iis below the surface, and with regard to what is on the other side. I shall have something to say with regard to the position of the stations. As Mr. Ballanoe is not here I nhall not do so to-day, but when he comes here I shall go into • these matters with him. Mr. Stout: That ends the ceremony. Now, in compliance with the request made by Wahanui and Rewi. that . this section should be called Turongo, it will be called Turongo. (Cheers.) . - Rewi then Introduced his little daughter and only child tci Mr. Stout. A photograph was taken of the group, and the assemblage dispersed. ' It may be stated that " Turongo" is the Maori . way of saying $ the English words '.'.Too long," and is applied inconsequence of the length of j tlui proposed line. Turongo is also the name of an ancestor of Kgatimaniapoto. rWahanUi's; reason, it . was explained, for giving this name was, that the two races being now joined, they might both now be regarded as descendants of Turongo. ' The excursionists from Auckland left Te Awamutu on their return journey at halfpast six p.m., and arrived in town at halfpast twelve a.un ; .. - > •