WHAKATIWAI.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1747, 8 August 1874, Page 2

WHAKATIWAI.

(from oub own cokbespondent).

Friday, .August 7,

There is really nothing to make a letter of here at present. You may imagine what is taking place in an assemblage of four or five hundred natives. The big bugs eat, drink and sleep, and smoke the pipe of peace ; the small fry do the work, and the women do the cooking and a power of talking. By way of amusement the usual game of poker, for coppers— seldom more—goes on almost incessantly amongst those who can afford to be idle.

The natives now present are the W"gatipaoa of Waiheke, Taupo and Piako, and those of that tribe who permanently reside here—they number about 450.

From Waikato East and Tamahero there are about 40 Ngatihaua, representing several hapus of that tribe.

Th» Ngatiwhanaunga, with their chiefs Ngakapa and Rewata JEitahi, are just coming in.

At present house building, collecting food together, and preparing for the visitors is the order of the day. A large flagstaff has been erected, which will be decked with flags on the arrival of the ■visitors. The war canoe gots over to-day for the Ngatimaru, and all the available boats are sent over to bring the Ngatitamatera and others now assembled on the Grahamstown side.

The day now fixed for the general assemblage of the tribes is Monday next, the 10th instant. The programme, as arranged so far, is : When the strangers approach the shore the people here will give the usual shout of welcome; the large flag will be at the head of the mast, several others will be suspended from the yard, and it will be swayed fore and aft, so as to cause a waving of the flags suspended from it, similar to the Maori custom of waving garments; two sixpound guns (one of which was cast in 1806, and which the Wgatipaoa purchased with a cargo of flax in the good old times to defend their pah from Ngapuhi and Waikato invaders) will be fixed one on each side of the staff —as they are rather honey-combed some blasting fuse has been procured to fire them with.

Mr. Mackay has had two or three land purchase koreros quietly in the Runanga Whare, but the purport of them is not yet divulged.