MAORIS AND THE QUEEN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4291, 26 February 1901, Page 5

MAORIS AND THE QUEEN.

PRESS ASSOCIATION. GISBORNE. February 25. A Maori message that now has a touch of melancholy about it is given in the “Maori Journal” just published._ It was addressed to the late Queen Victoria, but was purposely kept private, so that the Poverty Bay tribe who sent it might not be forestalled by other tribes, hollowing is a summary of the message: “'Oh, mother, accept our sympathy in your sorrows. Accept our sympathy in the anxious time you must bo having during tho trouble now ■ existing between yourself and the Boers. We, your native people, do feel Impatient to render yon our help, but owing to your cautious mind, we could not obtain our desire, and showed onr attachment by helping in another, way. Olf, lady aged, our hearts do hope and long to see your face, but this may he impossible, ' .In the year 1868 tho Duke of Edinburgh visited these islands, and we hoped to have seen him, hut were disappointed. The other tribes, however, of the West Coast, of the North and of the South, wore honoured by his presence amongst them; and now oqr bosoms -throb, our breath quickens‘and our hearts quiver for, behold! thy grandson, the Duke of York, together witlr the Duchess of York, are to visit our shores; and as wo thy people know, that he is like the kotnku, that makes one flight only and never returns, we. therefore pray you to invite your igraudson; to let,:ins war oanoe turn its bow into our _ harbour, and lot his feet' tread our soil at tho spot upon which Captain Cook planted his footsteps. We, your, subjects, have proved loyal to your mana from 1840, tho year of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangl, to the present day,* and we will continue to- do so to the end of the world. Our blood has been spilt in upholding your mana, and in suppressing troubles that arose, and we feel proud of the fact that you presented our old men with swords and other tokens of your gratitude.”