A WORD FROM THREE MAORI CHIEFS

Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1183, 26 January 1869, Page 3

A WORD FROM THREE MAORI CHIEFS

The following is a letter which we copy from the Lyttelton Times: —

Sir, —On the 10th of January our ship anchored in the port, but we did not go ashore because it was Sunday. On Monday, nt eleven o'clock, we landed ; a salute was fired from the man-of-war, and the yards were manned ; some of the officers of the ship accompanied th« Governor. When we reached the wharf there wern (thousands of Europeans standing there, a salute wac fired, and the Governor was conducted to a house where an address of welcome was read by the Mayor of the town, and the Governor replied ; an address from tbe Maories was also read ; vhe duty of replying to that was left to us. The governor, accompanied by ns, then got into the train, and in ten minutes we arrived at Christchurch, at the house set apart for doing honor to the Governor, amid the firing of cannon ami the sound of trumpets. When the Europeans had finished their address of welcome we got into a carnage, and were conveyed to a ) \ouse set apart by the Europeans of this town for givii »g a dejeuner to the Governor. When the feast: was t'-ou-cluded, the Mayor of the town rose and proposed .• — The health of the Queen.

Th .3 Prince of Wales and the other children of tlr.e Quffaen.

"L'he health of the Army, Navy, and Volunteers. After that, toast had been responded to, The health of the Governor was drunk and replied

The health of the Superintendent (Mr. Rolleston) and the Mayor was then drunk, and the feast ended. Wo were then conducted to a house fixed upon as a place of residence for vs —Mr. White's. In the evening, Mr. White took us to see the panorama, and we saw the battles of the white people.

Let that Panorama be taken to the Worth Island, to the Maori settlements, that the Maoris there may see tlie fine things of the white people.

We have now for the first time seen the light which burns without any oil (gas) ; it is very good. We are very much pleased with the works which are being done in this town of Christchurch. We went with the Governor to the house where the iron is melted and made into plough-shares, into wheels for the railway carnages, and into all the numerous things of tho white people; the iron ran out like water. One thing was a large hammer kneading the iron like bread. After that we went to see the lionise where the timber i- sawn ; the owners of these pte.ces were very kind to us in explaining everything. We went to see a large and fine garden, but we did not see the owner of it. God has taught everything to the people of this place. Well done the people who ai'e living in peace ; but we have seen this word in the Smptures.

This may be applied to New Zealand (the North Island), who are living in an evil way; they have not. seen the splendid works of the Europeans. But (his island was first in the days of our ancestors ; the greatest treasure of both North and South Island was greenstone, and that was found here at Canterbury; and no# at the time that it is inhabited by the Europeans this island has the money ; there i.3 no money in the other island ; the railway also was made here. We are very much struck with the number of people in this town ; perhaps presently the white people in this island will become,as numerous as the sand. Friends —all the Maoris of this island and of the other island —look at the work of the English ; they were ignorant in the days of their ancestors, and now. the later generations have been taught everything by God. 0, our European friends, leave the Maoris alone in their ignorance ; perhaps God will grant wisdom to our descendants in the future, for you are establishing schools. We have, been to the Telegraph Ofliee, and we conversed with our friends Mobi Ngapanga and Hemi Parai at Wellington. We are very much pleased with that telegraph. In less than a minute we received ,an answer to bur words sent to our friends in Wellington. We will keep the telegraph in mind as a subject of admiration at our own place. —Sufficient. We will describe what we have seen more fully -when we return to Wellington.

Tamthajta, To RauparaJia. Wi Tako, Ngntata. Mete Kingi, M.H.R., T;© Kangipaetabi, Christchurcb, 13th January.