THE RECEPTION AT ROTORUA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11679, 14 June 1901, Page 6

THE RECEPTION AT ROTORUA.

ENTHUSIASTIC NATIVE WELCOME. A MEMORABLE SCENE. INTERESTING MAORI ADDRESS. THE DUKE'S REPLY. [FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.] Rotorua. Thursday. » Before the arrival of the Royal train at Rotorua a large body of Maoris, chiefly of the local Arawa tribe, were lined up on the embankment, just outside the railway station, and as the carnages passed they gave a luvka of welcome, which introduced the Roval visitors to their first glimpse of native 'customs. Waving their tewhateiwhas, or battleases, in perfect rhythm, they sang an impromptu song, in winch they greeted the Duke and his consort. The railway station was artistically decorated with greenery and bunting, and the platform where the Royal visitors alighted was shut in with a temporary railing of nikau palms. Upon alighting from the train the Governor presented Captain Turner, county chairman, Mr. W. H. Hemes, member for the district, and Mi J. Herries. Miss Dorothy Turner, grand-daughter of Captain Turner, presented a lovely bouquet to the Duchess. '"Cod Save the King" was struck up by the Hamilton and Rotorua bands, and the guests were received by a guard of honour composed of dismounted men from the Tauranga, Opotiki. and Whakatane Mounted Rifles, under Captain Lewis. They at once proceeded to their carriages, and," accompanied by an escort of the Wairarapa Mounted Rifles, a native corps, under Captain Remene, numbering 90 men. were driven via Tutanekai and Hinemoa Streets, to the Grand Hotel. Opposite the railway station the local tribes lined the road, and when their Highnesses emerged from the station gave vent to a song of welcome, the unrestrained vigour of which must have rather surprised the Royal visitors. Accompanying the chant •with wild gesticulations of welcome and flourishing their taiahas, meres, and battle axes, they raised a deafening song which left no possible room for doubt of the intensity of their feelings. Almost every man and woman wore a handsome mat of tine workmanship. A guard of honour, composed of about ICO of the most influential chiefs of the assembled tribes, in full Maori costume, and carrying their taiahas, which accompanied the procession, made a very imposing spectacle, and from their dignified bearing they seemed to be fully aware of the great event they had gathered to celebrate—the welcoming of the grandson of the great white Queen Wikitoria, the fame of whose mana had always been a favourite theme. Lining the route were thousands of natives, who took up the loud chant from •mouth to mouth and continued the haka of ■welcome till the' hotel was reached. Here were hundreds more of enthusiastically loyal natives. Those who had lined the first part. of the route rushed pell-mell after the carriages, and soon the vicinity of the hotel and all the adjacent streets were thronged with excited and pleased dark-skinned subjects of the King, all clamouring to catch a view of Mokopuna ole Kuini, as they called His Royal Highness. As there were close on 5000 tribesmen and women assembled, the sight, in spite of the fact that the rain was now coining down in earnest, formed an inspiriting and memorable picture. At the hotel their Royal Highnesses were received by a guard of honour composed of 60 men "of the Rotorua Rifles, under Captain Barron. The whole of the troops were ; under the command of Major Morrow, D.A.A.G., who carried out this part of the ceremony admirably. The line Otaki Native Brass Band played the National Anthem, and the demonstration by the assembled thousands was renewed as the party alighted and were met by the Hon. J. Carroll, who was presented by the Governor. It was some time before the clamorous welcoming of the throng ceased, and then fiom the steps of the hotel Mr. Carroll piesented and read in his well-known sonorous voice, an address from the tribes of New Zealand, of which the following i 3 a translation: —

THE MAORI ADDRESS. " Welcome, welcome, welcome, O son! Welcome to these isles, Aotearoa and War pounamu ! Welcome to Mawilaaid ! Wei come thou who art of the blood, the embleir of the Mana and Majesty of the Empire, un der whose benign rule we are proud to abide 0 Royal daughter of princes, who is joinec to him, who is son of our Lord the King we likewise greet you. We heard with oui ears, and hoped that we might see; now we see with our eyes, and rejoice that thi: thing has come to pass in our day, and gene ration. This is a great day ; a day thai will live in the memory of our race while God permits their existence : but it is a day of mourning. We mourn the great Queen, to whom our fathers ceded by fealty the sovereignty over these isles ; who was the guardian of our rights and liberties, from that time until she slept with her fathers. We, the humblest of her children, alien in blood, yet kill by law and allegiance, mourn the loss of a mother who sought the good oi high and low alike, who loved peace, that by peace among her peoples, they might rise yet higher in greatness. She was all that our fathers knew in their day. Her name is a gift they bequeathed to us ere thev passed. Pass, O mother, to thy rest, with the mighty dead who went before thee! Welcome, welcome, welcome, in the name of the King, your father! We hail the new King in your person. lie has succeeded to the throne of his mother to be our chief, out lord, our sovereign. Here, in the presence of- your Royal Highnesses, we renew our oath of allegiance ; we confirm the act of our fathers who gave all to Queen Victoria and her successors. Hear, oye peoples! To-day we make a new —new and yet old—inasmuch as we confirm the old to which we but added expressions of continued loyalty from our generation, and pray that our Sovereign and our white brethren may give us of their strength to live and thrive with them and among them. Hear, 0 Prince! Hear, 0 Princess! From the fai ends of the earth ; from remote Hawaiki, across the great seas of Kiwa, you have come to see these lands and peoples. It is well ; for by so doing you have drawn closer the bonds of love which doth knit all together. Welcome and Farewell ! Farewell, since you must pass on! It is enough that we have seen. We wish you a safe return to our King and his Queen from whose presence you have come to gladden our eyes in this. the most distant part of the Empire. God Save the King.'' THE DUKE'S REPLY. His Royal Highness, in acknowledging the address, said : — To the chiefs and tribes of the Isles Aoteroa and Te Waipoun&mu. The warm words of welcome which you have spoken to the Princess and myself have gladdened our hearts. From the far ends of the earth, over the wide seas, we have been sent by the great King, my father, to hear and behold, in their own beautiful land, his children, the Maoris. (Cheers.) The great Queen, whom your fathers knew and loved, and for whom you mourn with us, and with all the nations and races under the Mana and Majesty of the Empire, had, before she passed to her rest, desired us to visit her people beyond the seas, to tell of her gratitude for the aid of their brave young men in the cruel war into which she, who ever loved and worked for peace, had been driven. Proud and fdad was the great Queen also, that the sons of her Maori children, eager with love and loyalty, longed to stand side by side with their brethren in the field of battle. (Cheers.) The King, my father, though his cup was full of sorrow, and parting with us, his children, but added to its bitterness, could not endure that her wish should pass unfulfilled, and T, in his name, anci, on his behalf, do de-clare-to you the deep thankfulness of his heart for your loving sympathy in his loss, and for the noble and tender words in which you speak your love and reverence for her memory. The words of the Maoris are true wordsthe words of a generous and chivalrous people, who are ready to make good with the hands the promise of the lips. (Cheers.) To receive your pledges of loyalty and to learn from me that you have renewed your oath of allegiance and confirmed the act of your fathers, who gave all to Queen Victoria and her successors, will give joy to my father's heart, and will fill him with strength and courage for the great work that lies before him. The heart of the King is warmed to his people in New Zealand. He rejoices to see them dwell together in peace and friendship, and prays that they may continue to be united and to strengthen each other in the works of peace, and that they also may strive for. the common good, and in aiding him to keep one and united the many peoples under his sway. (Cheers.) If our visit helps that end we shall bi> glad and count as nought the sacrifices we have made in order to see your chiefs and you face to face in your beautiful country. Of our brief visit to Maoriland we shall carry with us lasting memories of the loyalty and love and generous kindness of the Maori people. May peace, prosperity, and every blessing abide with you for ever. The Duke's reply was interpreted by Mr. barrel!. At the conclusion the immense fathering, led by the Native Minister. ihanted the following familiar old Maori song: — Ka mate, ka mate, Ka ora. ka ora, Tenei te tangata pohuruhuru Hara kos e whaka whiti te raT Hupane, Kaupane! Whiti te ra ! THE ARCHES. Just outside the railway gates was erected he first arch— small but very pretty bit if work, clone principally- in nikau palms. )ver the central part of the arch were the vords, " Hoeremai, haereinai," in reel and vhite. At the intersection of Fenton and rliriemoa Streets, close to the Grand Hotel, vas probably the most beautiful structure he Royal guests have seen since they anded in New Zealand. In the centre of he road rose a pillar of greenery, and louble arches were thrown across to each of he four corners of the streets, completely illing the intersection. Xikau palms were ■hieily used in the scheme of decoration, •lit all the edges of the arch were outlined vith lycopodium, which gave an air of softless and grace to the structure which was xtremely artistic, and the people of Rotoua have eVery reason to feel proud of their ,rcli of welcome. Till-: ILLUMINATIONS. In the evening the town was illuminated »y means of the recently-installed electric ight. The arch was brilliantly lit up with number of powerful arc lights, and among ther noticeable illuminations were those t the post office, which was outlined in ed, white, and blue globes. THE DUKE'S SUITE. Those of the suite who are not staying t v.he Grand are at the Palace, Lake louse, and Thirwell House.