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Waka Maori, Volume 10, Issue 20, 6 October 1874, Page 253

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European correspondents who have a knowledge of Maori are requested to be good enough to forward their communications in both languages. To the Editor of the Waka Maori. Wellington, 21st September, 1874. My Friend, —I send you the following letter, addressed by me to His Excellency the Governor, and his answer thereto. Will you publish them in the Waka Maori. Prom your friend, Wikemu Katene. "Wellington, 7th September, 1574. To His Excellency Sir James Fergusson, Governor of New Zealand. Long life to you, your family, and to Lady Fergusson. This is a farewell letter from me to you. Though I am alone in Port Nicholson, I will present this address on behalf of my people, and I beg you to accept it as having emanated from the whole of the tribe ofNgapuhi. The hearts of those tribes rejoice because you personally visited them in their own districts, and gave them direct words of counsel and admonition—words which are fixed in the hearts of the people, and when they hear of your speedy departure for England, they will, no doubt, be sorrowful and grieve thereat. Although you are leaving you will not have gone without having seen those tribes, and without having experienced the cordial reception afforded to you by your Maori people In the district of Hokianga when you visited that place. And all troubles which have occurred during your presence in this country have been settled satisfactorily and quietly in obedience to the dictates of the law. This now is the actual word of farewell. Go, with, your lady and children, in peace and tranquillity; you are leaving New Zealand in the enjoyment of peace and prosperity. Go, in the performance of your duty to our most

gracious Queen. Though, you may be separated from us by thousands of miles, we shall not cease to remember you. From your friend, "Wi Katene.

The following is the Governor's answer:— 9th September, 1874. My dear Sib, —I thank you heartily for the kind words of farewell which you address to me as representative of your tribe and Parliamentary district. The cordial reception which I met with when I visited the Ngapuhi Tribe and those living near it assures me that they will share your friendly sentiments towards me. I have been very happy to find associated with me as Ministers, Chiefs of distinguished tribes, who not only take an honorable part in the General Government of the country, but contribute effectively to the loyalty and contentment of the Maori population. It is highly satisfactory to observe the increasing confidence of the Maoris in the Constitutional Government in which they take part along with the rest of the Queen's subjects in .New Zealand, and their disposition to look to the Government and to Parliament for the satisfaction of their wants, knowing that their interests receive a fair and liberal consideration. Before long I trust that such confidence will extend to all the tribes, who will gain much in wealth and comfort by trade and intercourse with the Europeans. I hope that the rising generation will be educated so as to manage their property prudently, and be fitted to take respectable places in society. I can assure you that I shall all my life take a warm interest in New Zealand. I have seen enough, of it to make me understand the difficulties that still attend its progress, but also to appreciate the good qualities of its people, both Natives and Colonists. I shall rejoice to speak favourably and hopefully of it. When you return to your home I ask you to give your people my best wishes for their welfare. I hope that they will long endure in their own lands in peace and prosperity. I remain, yours very faithfully, James Febgusson, Governor. The Hon. Wiremu Katene, M.H.R.

The following letter, respecting the registration of the births of Maori children, has been handed to us for publication:— Auckland, September 16th, 1574. To Sir D. McLean, —G-reeting. I approve of the motion of the Hon. Mr. G-. R. Johnson, that the births of Maori children should be registered every year. I also approve of the suggestion of the Hon. Mr. Robinson, that the deaths also should be registered, and likewise of the suggestion of the Hon. Mr. Mantell (registration of marriages), and I agree with the Hon. Dr. Pollen's opinions on the subject generally. (See Waha Maori, No. 16). But I think he (Dr. Pollen) might have proposed that the chiefs of each tribe should undertake this duty each year, because they would know who, of their tribes, were living and who were dead, and they would know of the births,

and would be able to forward you accurate information on the subject if the G-overnment should propose to make arrangements for that purpose. I consider this will be an excellent means whereby the causes of the decline of the Maori race may be discovered, and some data afforded for the future framing of a law to promote the well being of Maori women. I greet you, the voyager upon the ocean. Tou and Major Ropata have returned from a country which I am desirous of seeing. From your Friend, Henaee Potae.

We take the following telegraphic item from the Pakeha papers:— 2nd October. A letter is published in the Press this morning from a man named R. K. M. Smyth, stating that he captured two live moas at Browning's Pass, on 25th September. Smyth says, when near the top of the saddle, the dogs suddenly set off at a great pace, and commenced barking furiously. He followed, and alter going a short distance, to his inexpressible astonishment saw two large birds, one a gigantic height, the other smaller. Seeing the dogs getting the worst of the fight, he ran back and cooed to his mate, after which he got a tether rope, and under the shelter of a small patch of bush, got behind the largest bird and roped it at first, and then took a turn round a birch tree with the rope. Contrary to expectation the large bird did not show fight to any great extent, and the smaller one remained quietly by it. After this he had very little trouble to secure the legs of the large bird, and left it fastened to the tree for two days, the youug one making no effort to leave its mother. On the following Thursday, with the assistance of Frampton's shepherds, he took the the old bird to the camp, the young one following. The old bird is 8 feet high, and the young one 5 feet. The former appears reconciled to captivity. Smyth intended starting for Christchurch on Thursday last. [Since the above was published a telegram has been received that the birds have escaped! The whole thing was no doubt a hoax, although the circumstantial nature of the account gave it a colouring of truth.] The native chief, Paul Tuhaere (of Auckland) has often done the state some service. He, in both great and little matters, has always been the friend of Europeans. The New Zealand Herald says:—" Several months ago a waterman's boat, belonging to James Conley (Wynyard Pier), was stolen from her moorings. The boat was afterwards traced to the Great Barrier, where it was found to be in the possession of some Natives. Endeavours were made to regain it, but without avail. Lately, the Chief Paul has interested himself in the matter, and the boat has at last been sent back to Auckland by the cutter ' Victoria,' and returned to its owner. Owing to the ill-usage it has received, the boat, however, is not worth half its value when surreptitiously taken away." The up-river Natives are ordering the necessary plant for another flour-mill to be erected up the river. This will make the fourth, and we are glad to notice that so much attention is paid to this industry. —Whanganui Herald.

An additional Native school is about to be established in the Bay of Plenty district, between Cape Runaway and Opotiki, where there is a large Native population. The Press, of the 2nd September, states that no less than 154 waggons, loaded with at least .11,000 tons of dead weight, passed through the Lyttelton tunnel on the previous day, the largest quantity, by 300 tons, that has ever passed in one day. To-morrow, the 7th of October, will be the 105 th anniversary of Captain Cook's arrival in New Zealand. A Native named Hapeta, residing a short distance north of East Cape, in firing at a hawk lately, accidentally shot his nephew, a little boy about seven years of age, killing him instantaneously. On Ist September a Maori named Timoti, and a old Maori woman, and a half-caste girl, named Eliza Smith, attempted to cross the French Pass in a dingy. The boat got into an eddy and went down with the Native man and woman, but the girl kept above water until a boat from Elmslies, where her cries were heard, came to her assistance, and succeeded in saving her just as she was sinking. The total nnmber of immigrants from great Britain to this colony for the half-year ending the 30th June last was 21,400. The accounts of the famine in Asia Minor are of a thrilling character. In one district 5,000 perished, and numbers subsisted for many weeks on grass. Bodies lay unburied for many days, and many villages are wholly deserted. Subscriptions are being received for the building of a hospital in the Wairarapa. The Hon. Gr. M. Waterhouse has given £52 10s. Operations on the Ahuriri Port bridge have at length been commenced, the first pile having been driven on Saturday, 19th September.