VISIT OF FAIPULES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18965, 12 March 1925, Page 10

VISIT OF FAIPULES.

CHIEFS RETURN HOME. IMPRESSIONS OF TOUR. ASTONISHED WITH AUCKLAND. [FROM OUR own CORRESPONDENT. ] APIA (Samoa), Feb. 1. The faipules returned from New Zealand well pleased with their trip and deeply grateful for the kindness of the New Zealand people. Last month the) attended His Excellency at Vailima to report after their absence. Toelupe, the spokesman, said it would take a year to tell of all they had seen and heard, and he could only hope now to givo but a few impressions of their wonderful visit. Auckland astonished thern, with its great harbour, its fleet of big ships, and its vast population, and extensive area; they thought at first naturally enough that this was all New Zealand. Some Aucklanders will no doubt, agree with this. Tho greatest wonder of all was the railway locomotive which drew great lines of carriages over the country, went under the hills, came out again, dashed past wonderful field,s, over long bridges, skirted the sea coast, and arrived at its journey's end in a very short time. The next greatest pleasure was to have met their Maori brethren, and to have seen (he wonders of the Rotorua district. The Maoris greeted them like brothers, saying "Come here," you are our brothers. "Our forefathers came from Savaii, and now we see you wearing tho clothes that were worn by our ancestors." Tho visit to the factories, and the sight of raw material being turned into the finished article, seemed like a miracle to them. Another point which impressed the faipules was the great many playing grounds New Zealand had, and in visiting these, they were struck with the great kindness the children had for animals and birds. There were the birds and animals of various kinds and tho children did not interfere with them in any way. In Samoa, if a strange animal of any kind comes near to the children, they at once go after it with sticks and stones. This was a source of astonishment to them for quite a time. These weie but a few of the impressions gathered on the trip, but every faipnle has a written record of his visit to wonderful New Zealand, and when the next fono of- faipules takes place, further details of their experiences will he given. His Excellency, when welcoming the faipules back, said he had received excellent reports from New Zealand concerning them, and he was pleased indeed that they had proved themselves worthy to send on such a mission. They were an honour to themselves and to Samoa.