TAMAHAU’S VISION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4261, 22 January 1901, Page 7

TAMAHAU’S VISION.

THE SYDNEY PAGEANT FROM A MAOIM VHHV-FOIXT. IT OPENED TY KVPhS: i COULD NOT SHUT THEM.” On Saturday afternoon last '.lamahnu •Mahupnku, the head chim of Lite Wairarap» tribes, entertained an iaicrc-Ac-d group of pressmen with a recounts! of his expcrionc' , s at the Sydney Commonwealth pageant, 'which its attended a- ; a roprnsenUitiv© of tho New Zealand .Maori tithes, accompanied by Nirealui Tama id ami Hatana Ngnhina. Tamahuu is a fine specimen of the -Maori; ■ opulent , jet generous, noble in appearance as in deposition, the lather of his tribe, and i lie lover nf his race. He is. in fact, the typical native gentleman, [standing oat on ail Great occasions, commanding, pictures.; :e. dignified, snifcotilaincd. When seen 1A the pressmen on .Saturday lamalrrui was "at mine oa>e at mine inn”—tho YvTAlingUin Hotel. lie was in undress uniform, sur. ;unanted with a khaki coat. He preferrod fa speak through an interpreter--.Mr Tare Parata. • ' As a preliminary to his narrative, TamaJiau wished it to he. made known how ntncli he appreciated the entente eordi.de which existed between the Maoris and tho Europeans throughout the colony. There had been differences and misunderstandings in the past, hut the future would draw l.icm together—cement them eternally as one people. “Eor your prosperity is our prosperity ; your Queen is oar Queen : and your God is oar God!”—a. fine sentiment admirably expressed. Then he spoke of the longing which for years had possessed him to view with his own eyes ( lie great continent of Australia, of which he had heard so much. Like many other voyagers, over his experiences of the Tasman Sea he preferred to draw a veil. “The son was very angry,” lie volunteered, “ and a. strange feeling came over us. 'but all on the Mokoia were very kind, cud when we left the shores of Nin Tireni. and entered into tho Pacific Ocean, there tho waves wore peaceful, it was as level as the surface of glass.” Sighting Port Jackson within three days, they sailed into Sydney Harbour, where lay a Fleet in -Be-ing—-the most wonderful collection of shipping which •Mahupnkn had ever seen. Accommodation being scarce, Government placed the Tutanekai the disposal of the chiefs, “so that we could always enjoy the breezes of the son to cool its in that hot country. I must toll yon that when I got there all tho sickness which I had. felt during the voyage disappeared, my body became most peaceful ; no troubles to disturb my inner parts, and I felt I was a new man.

“ Then I began to look round ; I .seemed like one in a mist. Night came on, and it seemed as if the stars of. heaven had been brought down and placed upon the house-tops and. on tho masts of ships and in the streets. The whole firmament was ablaze with fire, and lights twinkled! in all the waters. Our Maori traditions say that it was the stars of heaven which, guided our forefathers across the waters from a far country to this land. In Sydney I found stars brought from heaven to guide the footsteps of a coming nation. 1 said to myself: ' Th0.,0 people are second gods” In the streets I saw great houses made of rocks towering up into the sky. I saw the tramways running without horses. There were three kinds in one street. One was like a train, and 1 was drawn by an engine; another one had hands which grasped a wire; but the tim - d tram, was most, wonderful of all; it. was conveyed hy a small who hung up, and another wire was thrust up from the - car and to the wire above, and during the connection it moved the car. It is, I say, a wonderful 'tram, fasten- than many of our (trains here. 1 said to myself, 1 What I have seen are. wonderful things indeed.’ . “On the Ist of January, - the groat day of that demonstration, I’ beheld thousands and thousands—yes a groat multitude of people of all kinds, races and denominations. We were tdfeon up io the housetops on .a, building containing, I think, four floors. Wo saw the great procession down below. There, were the Imperial troops and the India, troops. Both appeared so stately in their magnificent robes, their Swords glittering like diamond-. It was indeed a great spectacle.. vVu sat R9.aij.ig in astonishment from 10 in the mornhv until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Then the next thing was at the monster pillar whore that great and illustrious child the Commonwealth was baptised. hr people.massed in round that monument, and X was astonished to see the order of those who were present, there being no- crushing >nd no d‘i*_ ci tier whatever during tho whole ox that sacred ceremony. ‘■Then, next night, wo wore taken on hoard the Mokoia : nto the harbour, and were made witnesses cl the fires !:•. bv the Europeans. I saw wonderin' sights. Thunders seemed to appear at the hands of the- white. people; th - iightnings hashed as from Heaven, a-.', fact that fire display was of gW'-M splendour and magnificence. ’ Mahupuku then went- on to explain hew he was introduced to Lord lLooo hum, to whom ho extended an invitation on behalf of the Maori people to .'.(•company the Queen’s grandson to Now El aland. ' Afterwards he went to Botany Bay. “There we saw*, some of the Muucomungcs or what you would call tho Maoris or the .aboriginals or A jsi valla.. There were about thirty in ai!.‘ I -and my companions approached very close to them so Unit we might roc the make and term of these peoplr. their physique, and also their fighting

IV- Sj.oiis. I ■ ihat these people seem- !< d in i ; o e hardy race; but as to their jV.ees I unable to' judge, end they ai! covered v ith .sonic kind o! i.ahiy and f could not see what ..they I wen.* ’’ike. 1 saw that their eyes vverr sot- far hack into their sockets, and their eyebrows projected and almost made a, .shade. Their bodies were covered with hair, an ,1 J witnessed that -heir fighti::;' weapons were very dangerr,u:-. Ynmy say that I had my taiaha in. my hand at :he time. Tiie Europeans, all wonted to feel end roe what it w.v lilto : mod although the weapons of the .Miniyoinnues, wore of vririous kind- am: i,amiiroii;i. the pakeho said the Maosi vtanfm -..h0 ialalia 1 had—was more pictureseno with its carvings and mountjnj/s than those of the natives of that place. A!-.-) ;hm greenstone .symbols cf ’■ inor* ehiefti.iiisbip were much admired i )v the people of that country, and fh, pihihiiia. lolmecs of the hv.ir.> which i’ccons ted out hat; also proves! interesting Timn a flemonstrr.tion took - ]dace repro-s'-iitirn; the Jauduig of Captain Coed iiostil-ry of the annrigir.rds y (1 , lire, ■ ,v!p-. v.-Jnch we have seen have iniprsv-stM- rise v. oi’ our tojiuis mk iioilio* ;*L ! >io of that country and its inhubr.aMs. This is printed in (,nr he ,rl- pc ausnitly—ake tpnu adi—for over and ever.” What “astonished the natives" as much as anvlhiar; was the good order that* prevailed during tiie celebrations, and the frcodf.ni ironi accidents. Said Tamahau : "L .-aw all tiie vehicles—the trarnwavs, train.--, horses, carls, buggies pass by. Xo accidents. Yes, one! I saw with my own. eyes an old man who fell just in 'front of n tram, then, like a, Hash, a so cop was let down and the man was shovel fed up and gently thrown, on one side. The tram passed on, and f,ho old man got up and shock the dust off him and walked away unharmed. 1 say this is a great people. I was so amazccL T stood tUero and looked afc the ok! man. I was amazed. I had no words to say. I could not speak, and then I walked away astonished.” Maliupuku then went on to describe the wonders of Sydney Harbour: the deep waters close in shore, the trees sprouting luxuriously from the huge rocks, the presence of trees and shrubs which ho had always thought indigenous to New Zealand and which made him think- of home, the surprising greenness of the vegetable gardens in Midi a hot- climate. Then he wont on to say that the kindness and hospitality of tiie Sydney people would over live in the hearts of the .Maori representatives. lie intended to cal' tho Vtairavapa, people together and tell them what he Juki seen and suggest that tho young Maoris should broaden their minds by visiting this wonderful place. lie cundudet! : "Air experiences opened my eyes to such an extent that it took mo two nights to shut them on leaving that place. I could not rle'-p for pandering over all tho wonderful things I had .see-n. Long may you representatives of the press live.' God guard over you all, and guide you to higher and loftier works. What I. have just given yen are my impressions—the tilings that have hit me iii the head—while I was over at that Groat Land.’’