TREATY PAGEANT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23574, 7 February 1940, Page 13

TREATY PAGEANT

! COLOURFUL DISPLAY FAITHFUL TO FACTS MOMENTOUS DEBATE SPLENDID REPRODUCTION fitY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT J WAITANGI. Tuesday Presented with the utmost faithfulness to historical fact and with artistry and ingenuity, to-day's depicting the signing of the Tieaty Waitangi was a conspicuous success and won high praise from all The European cast carried out their narts with evident enthusiasm and the Maoris' natural oratorical gifts were utilised to the full. The first brief scene was enacted on the small, sandy beach among volcanic rocks on which Captain Hobson landed on February 5, 1840. The many visitors who had just arrived as guests of the Government climbed the hill to an enclosure from which they had a good view of the shore. «, _ After waiting for a short time they saw two Maori canoes approach the little cove. The crews hauled them on to the sand and then massed on the beach, where a crowd of Europeans in the dress of the period had already gathered—women in crinolines and large bonnets, whiskered men in highcrowned hats' and tail coats, - children, and four people on horseback, tlie women 'wearing long, trailing habits.

Captain Hobson's Arrival Presentlv three small whaleboats,, j hove in sight, yoned by seamen in blue jackets and white trousers, with red bandanna handkerchiefs round their heads. Captain Hobson, accompanied by Captain Nias, of the Herald, was in one boat, and naval officers an ""police m the others. On the beach Captain Hobson, wearing full naval uniform and an immense cocked bat, "' was brieilv gr'eeted by Europeans and Maoris, a few chiefs shaking him by the hand. The spectators mJid not wait for him to ascend the track, but made their Trav to the arena, where, after an interval, they saw the official party of 1810 ascend the path and march ' two by two into'the Residency. European settlers entered the enclosure and ranged themselves on either side of the stage, their costumes making a fine display of colour. The Herald s sailors seated themselves on the grass, where -there were groups of chiefs and othei Maoris of both sexes; some in scarlet „or checked blankets. Varied Styles ol Oratory* When all tfas> ready the procession emerged from the house, led by two mounted police wearing red tunics and shakos. It included Mr. James Busby, British Resident, Bishop Pompallier, wearing a purple soutane or cassock, his attendant priest. Father Servant, and half a dozen Church of England . missionaries in black broadcloth led by the Hev. Henry Williams, who was impersonated by a descendant. Canon W. G Williams. When the principals were seated at a lonn table on the stage, Captain Hobson, played by Mr. L. Middleweek, addessed the Maoris and explained the purpose of the proposed treaty in the words of the ,very full narrative left by the Rev. William Colenso, on whose account the whole pageant was built. He then read the draft of the treaty, which was interpreted into Ma9ri by -Canon Williams. Thus began the his- /:--- toric debate, in which 20 chiefs in turn addressed the Queen's representative. Each of them was represented by a hneal descendant, dressed for the most part in fine old mats. Thev exhibited i - yarious styles of Maori oratory, wail- • ing and sometimes running toward the table and back again, while their gestures with the weapons which they carried did much to emphasise arguments or express emotions.

The speeches, which had been retranslated into Maori from Colenso's narrative, were interpreted into English by Canon Williams, who had much the most arduous part in the whole cast. The debate was interrupted several times by white spectators, who criticised the interpretation, and arguments arose among Europeans, especially regarding the land holdings of Mr. Busby and Mr. Williams. Two Opposed Ghiels . Hone Heke, who was later to lead his people in war against the British, made a militant figure, but Tamati Waaka Nene, whose speech turned the day in favour of the treaty, delivered it with great calmness and an almost complete absence of gesture. Finally the conference adjourned and the official party made its way back to the Resiuehcy to indicate an interval of one day. The second day's meeting was comparatively brief and most of the time was occupied by a discussion, involving Mr. Busby, Mr. Colenso and Mr. Williams, on the question whether the natives understood the meaning of the treaty. Finally Hone Heke assured the chiefs that all was well and they came forward to sign the document. When all had affixed their marks Captain Hobson rose and departed from the ground with his entourage amid hearty applause from the spectators.

Director's Fine Work The whole performance was carried through with dignity and a full sense of its historical importance. Amplifiers working from concealed microphones carried the voices, including those of the chiefs, to all parts of the ground. The European principals obviously had been chosen for resemblance in face and physique to the characters they impersonated. This applied equally to those who had the speaking parts and those who had not. Dress in every case been studied with great care.' The role of Mr. Busby was taken by Mr. H. K. Patrick, producer of the recent pageant at Waimate North, and that of the Hev. W. Colenso by Mr. H. T. Atkinson. All the European cast was drawn from the Bay of Islands district and the Maoris from practically every northern tribe. Great credit is due to the director, Mr. W. S. Wauchop, of Wellington, national director of centennial pageantry, on whom the whole responsibility for the very difficult production rested.