AUCKLAND,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 48, 10 January 1862, Page 2

AUCKLAND,

By favor of the captain of the Bita, from Auckland, we have a file of the Auckland New Zealander to 28th Dec.

Sir George Grey had been making a tour through the Mauku, Woiuku, and "Waikato districts, where he had been extremely well received by the natives, who, at Waiuku, got up a banquet in his honour, in which the white settlers joined.

His Excellency visited Waikato on the 12th December, and was.there equally well received. We extract the folldVing account from the A'ew Zealander Dec. 21stj:—

" On the.mh ins't., Sir George Grey with his party, reached Kohanga, and here his reception by the Natives was of the most gratifying description. The usual war-dance and shouts of welcome greeted him by the water-side. Arrived on the rising ground, above the landing-place, escorted by the Natives who first met him, there was found a triumphal arch, decorated with great taste, and having in its centre the letters "V. B." and the words " Queen "Victoria," and, on one sidi', the name of " Sir George Grey." From the arch to the houses of the settlement, the way was lined by Natives —men on one side, women and the children of the Native school on the other. As the Governor passed through the lines, the school children, we learn, sang " God save the Queen" with great energy and effect; indeed it would seem that every form of Maori welcome was likewise lavished by the Natives upon their old friend, Sir George Grey. In the evening of the same day, an interview with the Governor was sought by a number of the Chiefs. On the 13th and 14th the weather was wet and stormy, but on the lGth the great meeting was held in the open air at Waata Kukutai's place, Taupari. From seven to eight hundred Natives were present, about two hundred and fifty of whom, it ii said, represented the King party and the Upper Waikato. Takerei was there, and Tipene, a redoubtable Kingite.

"The Governor explained to the meeting assembled the line of policy which it was proposed to pursue towards the Natives, which we reprinted a few days since. The exposition was listened to with' grave and silent attention. At two o'clock the assembly broke up ; a request was made by the Natives and accorded by the Governor, that there should be a second meeting at three o'clock. An eye witness has described to us that a singular change appeared to have come over the spirit of the men in the interval, and which made itself evident in the expression of their countenances. They spoke freely and with apparent frankness to Sir George Grey; declared that they approved of his policy ; that they recognized him as their

friend —as tlie skilful doctor by whom the evil which afflicted the hind might be healed. The Wuikatos could not, they said, make any promises for their own people, but they would return and report all that they had then heard und learnt. Then a conversation took place between Sir George Grey and Tipene, of which this is, as wo are informed, the substance :— Tipene asked ' about Taranaki, what was to bo done ?' The Governor replied, ' that the plunder taken from the settlers at Taranaki must be restored, and that if a large tract of land were given in payment by the Natives for the wrong committed by them there, then they might come to ask grace at his, the Governor's, hands. The Governor would not, he said, allow these Natives to close up the old highways, or to interrupt the course of communication from Taranald Southwards. If that were again attempted, he, the Governor, would establish Military posts along that line, and it would then be for him to say who should be allowed to come or to go.' '■The Governor has also heard, he said, that a runanga of Waikato has come to a determination to prevent persons travelling in that district. Any arrests of or interference with Europeans travelling would be an offence punishable by law, and the offender, if caught, could be prosecuted in the Courts of the Colony, whatever might be his position, even if he pruved the person himself whom they called a king. "".At this meeting the kingites sat immediately round Sir George Grey, they having in the morning located themselves on his left hand and apart. At the conclusion of the conversation Tipene, we are told, expressed his contentment ; aud said that " day was beginning to dawn." When the Governor left he was loudly and heartily cheered, in British fashion, by the assembled natives. "On the 17th there was another meeting; those assembled were representatives of five tribes; Ngatitipa, Ngaritcatea, Ngatitahinga, Ngatimahona, and Ngatipou. The place was a large native building erected, we believe, for the purpose and gaily decorated. Atone end there was a door by which the Governor entered ; at tho other end was the entrance for the people. Above his Excellency's seat was fixed an image of full length carved* in wood, the tatooing exquisitely performed ; • feathers of the pigeon ingeniously put together represented the liair ; the feathers of the Huia, so highly prized by the Maori, were used as ornaments ; the body of the figure was covered with a Native mat of the finest texture, and a stone axe of great antiquity hung by its hand.

" Again, Sir George Grey stated to the meeting the things that he proposed to do. He was answered by the Natives, one by one, each individual expressing, in language more or less figurative, his loyalty to the Queen, and his attachment to her Representative, the Governor. When all had thus spoken, one Chief, the principal,stood up and, pointing to the figure , which we have above described, said, '' Governor Grey, that is our ancestor. We all, these five tribes, take our origin from him ;he is our mana; he is our ancestor ; we give him to you ; we give you also his mat and his battle-axe ; we cannot give you more.' The Governor said, ' I accept him, and I will keep your ancestor with me.' The periti say their is no form in which fealty can be more solemnly offered by the Maori than this one, and that the ceremony has a deep and real significance. On the evening of the 17th, forty young men were selected to take the Governor up to Maungatawliiri, and in the early morning; the party started in two large canoes, that one in which his Excellency sat being distinguished by carrying the flag of Tipa, the ' ancestor' of the tribes, whose image figured in the ceremony of the previous day. From Maungatawliiri the Governor came into town by the Great South Road. The new Institutions of civil Government have been accepted by the people of Lower Waikato.

On Monday next, some two thousand soldiers will be employed in completing the road to the Waikato river, at Maungatawliiri.

On last evening, the following: notification in English and Maori was published in the General Government Gazette: — "Auckland, Dec. 19,18G1. '•' His Excellency the Governor directs it to be notified that on his recent visit to the Waikato, he had the pleasure of ascertaining that the seuiiments of the Lower Waikato natives are of a very friendly character; and that he has good reason to hope that those of the Upper Waikato^ will before long be known to be of the same character.^ " In order that no misapprehension should exist regarding the movements of troops about to take place, His Excellency further directs it to be notified that these are onlv made wilh a view of placing in security for the future Her Majesty's subjects, Native and European, inhabiting the country lying between Auckland and the Waikato river; and of completing the roads which are now in process of construction through land bcionging to the Government, and which will prove of great advantage to all the inhabitants of the Waikato ; and that no intention exists of interfering- with the Native inhabitants of that river. By His Excellency's command, H. Sewbll.

In the New-Zealander of December 18, two orders in council are published, the one constituting a Maori district to be called the Upper Waikato district, and the other prohibiting the sale of spirits in the same district.

Proclamations are also published " appointing a circuit court at Taranaki," and " for the protection of certain birds lately introduced into the colony." There is also an order in council " appointing the district of the Bay of Islands under the Native Circuit Courts Act."

The Hon. TV. B. D. Mantell's resignation of the office of Minister of Native Affairs has been accepted. ... The colonial revenue for the quarter ending the 30th September 1861, whether as compared with the corresponding quarter of the previous year, which it exceeds by nearly 50 per cent., or as compared with the quarter immediately preceding it, which is less in amount by one-sixth, is highly satisfactory. More especially as regards the increased receipts of the Customs for this Province, may we congratulate the public; the increase of the September quarter 1861,. being 75 per cent in excess of the corresponding quarter in XB6O. — New-Zealander, Dec. 25.