AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 575, 5 February 1851, Page 4

AUCKLAND.

[From the Maori Messenger.] To the Editor of the “ Maori Messenger." Sir, —In your paper of the 12th Sept., you noticed the arrival in Auckland of the two splendid pictures of the Royal Family, presented by Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, to Kingi, Hori te Waru, and Hoani Papeta Kahawai, Chiefs of Rangiaohia, Waikato. I now beg leave to enclose to you for insertion in your journal, a copy of the reply of Te Waru to her Majesty the Queen, acknowledging the receipt of a letter from the Go-vernor-in-Cbief, enclosing a portion of a despatch from Earl Grey, in reference to the above pictures. Your maori readers will be glad to hear of the safe arrival of the pictures at Rangiaohia on Monday last, the 9th inst. The arrival of the pictures caused very much excitement amongst the native tribes at Rangiaohia. On the arrival of a messenger from the party who were bringing up the pictures, saying that they had entered the Waipa river, a meeting of the Rangiaohia tribes was called by Te Waru, at which several speeches were made in which the chiefs expressed their very great satisfaction at the present forwarded to them by her Majesty, also their attachment to the British Government, and to the Representative of her Majesty, Sir George Grey. The chiefs also expressed their hope that as the Queen had thus been pleased to honour them, the Rangiaohia tribes would adopt the customs of Europeans, and that their young men on visiting Auckland would not disgrace them by committing offences against the law. The canoe conveying the pictures entered the Mangapiko River, and remained during the sabbath a little below Otawhao. On Monday morning the natives in charge pulled up the Mangapiko, and landed (to use their own ternip* the Queen” a lifflFbeTow hia mill. From that place it was conveyed to Karangapaihau, the case was there opened and the upper picture taken out for Hoani Papeta Kahawae, and exposed to view amidst the cheers of the Europeans and Natives. The case was then closed up, and Waru directed his party to remain there with it until he sent up a flag to meet it. After waiting for some time the flag arrived. It was a large shawl tied to a long pole. The case was then conveyed on the shoulders of the natives, preceded by the colorbearer and followed by the Europeans to Te Waru’s house, where it was re-opened and the picture taken out and exposed to view amidst the repeated cheers of the assembled Europeans and Aborigines. I had no idea that the Aborigines would place so high a value upon these presents from her Majesty.

The pictures have since been placed for safety, the one belonging to Te Waru, at my house at Otawhao, and the one belonging to Kahawai, at the house of the French Priest, at Rangiaohia. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, John Morgan. Otawhao, Dec. 12th, 1850. To Queen Victoria, England. To the Queen —Salutation to you. Here are we Hone Papita Kahawai, and myself feeling affection for you. Through Governor Grey we receiveci your letter, and also the likenesses of yourself, Prince Albert, and your family, as a token of your love io us. 0 Queen! we give you our thanks on account of your remembrance of us. The kindness aud love of Governor Grey to us natives, O Queen ! is very great. He is quite a parent to us; lie protects us, and gives us wise regulations ; he is wishful that 'we should become as the Europeans (in our habits.) The Governor has authorized Mr. Morgan to engage a European to instruct us in the art of ploughing ; this is the second year of this European’s stay amongst us. and now some of us have learned to plough. Governor Grey gave us two horses, a plough, and a cart. After the European came to teach us ploughing, we saw the benefit of ploughs, and carta, and we purchased many for our use with flour ground at our mills. We have many ploughs and carts, and we will purchase many more when our horses are trained to work. Our wheat fields are very extensive ; we cannot grind all the produce of our fields at our mill; we are therefore about to have a new mill erected for the sum of four hundred pounds. O Queen! better still are the schools for our children. Let Governor Grey continue to be * n having schools established for our children, in order that they may, O Queen ! grow up, well disposed, and live amongst iEe

Europeans. These things, with the preaching of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, are the means of our salvation in this world and in that which is to come. 0 mother the Queen! do you hearken. ■Will you permit Governor Grey to stay here very long as a Governor over these Islands * We love him, and he loves us ; he is anxious that the Europeans and Natives should live on terms of peace, —live together, live in love, —— live happily. This is very straight or desirable. From your friend, (Signed) Kingi Hori te Waru. Rangiaohia, Waikato, New Zealand, Oct. 1, 1850.