AN INTERESTING VISITOR.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8046, 1 November 1906, Page 2

AN INTERESTING VISITOR.

Sir John Eldon Gorst. whose arrival in New Zealand as the Imperial Governm nt's Commissioner to the International Exhibition, we chronicled a few dayi ago, will receive a w<rm welome from pioneer settlers of the Waikato, where his name was a household word in the stirring times of the earlier administration of Sir George Urey, In those days he was Civil Commissioner of the Upper Waikato. 'lhe New Zaalund Herald depicts an interesting meeting between Sir John and an old friend ou the arrival of the Sonoma. Amongst the crowd on the wharf was an old Ma'iri whose face was a marvel of tattoo carvinsj. No one took particular notice of him, but when he was escorted up the gaDgway by Mr Hose, the Collector of Customs, and up to the dejk where Sir John Gorst was standing, there was a buzz of interest, and the passengers who had not previously visited New Zealand gathered together to see the old native's face. Sir John turned round, saw the tattooed old face, exolaimed " Tenakoe," and in a moment the two who had consciousness of associations, and whose memories were stored with recollections that the by-standers could not know of, were shaking hands over and over again. The old Maori's face beamed, as in the picturesque imagery of his native tongue he tendered the greeting, and then greeted his old friend's daughter. I'he Maori was none other than Patara te I'uhi, the cousin of the Maori King, and editor of the Te Hokioi, the native j jurnal, which supported the king movement. That was away back in 1862, and Sir John, then Mr Gorst, was the editor of the Te Pihoihoi Mokemoke, a papjr founded by Sir George Grey's Government at Te Awamutu, in opposition to the Maori King movement. Thus it was the twe editors, once in opposition, who met on the Sonoma. Sir John Gorst had Borne rough times in those days, although he laughs at them now. lie came out here with the idea of becoming a lay helper to Bishop Selwyn, but instead found himself mixed up with the troubles of the Waikato when the war cloud was perpetually on the horizon. Tha first issue of Sir John Gorst's paper, produced under Sir George Grey's personal revision, contained an article which held the Maoii King's Council to ridicule, Then the famous Kewi Maniapoto cune down on that newspaper office with 80 men of the wild tribes of Hangatiki, and removed the pruss. The editor was ordered to leave the district, and the alternative was death. He refused to go, and Kewi sent a letter to Sir George Grey, giving him three weeks to get (iorst away alive. Ultimately, Sir John went to Ngaruawahia, where he was most hospitably entertained by therivil editor, Patara, and actually lodged in the printing iflice of Te Hokioi. 'he histories of those times make frequent references to Sir John Gorst's tact in dealing with the Maoris.

When asked about his programme while in the oolony, he replied that he was sent to New Zetland by the British Government at the invitation of the New Zealand Government, and was therefore entirely in the hands of the Government hare; he would do as the Government desired him to do, so that he could have no definite programme in the meantime. lie had, however, expressed the desire to spend a little time in Auckland before leaving New Zealand again, and doubtless that wtuld be allowed him, for he much desired to see some of the old plaoes again. When the Waikato, Te Awamutu, and Ng.ruawahia were mtntioned, Sir John replied: "Yes, those are the places. I knjw chey must be vastly diffjrent now, but the Waikato waa entirely a native district in my day. Yes, those were troublous times, and a good deal has happened since I pulled duwn the pakeha boundary post erected by Kumete, at Maungatawhiri. Whit a lot of talk Lheie was over that post I ihe natives claimed the whole of the Waikat), with tht exception of the mission stations, and I was sent there by Sir George Grey to live amongst them and mediate in the trouble between the pakehas and natives, and I did what 1 could, but it was of no use. The natives never would believe in us, and they never wavered in their belief that there would be war."

".Settlement was scanty then? " " Yes, tnd Auckland was a mere village to what it seems to be now; the whole place has changed, and it will indued be a great pleasure visit some of the old i-cenes. iho Tourist Department has very kindly sent oil a representative to meet me, and we aro going to drive to Ouehunga to catch the S-iuthern boat. I am looking for ward tj that drive. I hope on my way 1 chall see tte statu} of my old chief, Sir George Grey. 1 remember a little chnrcb that used to stand over thnre (pointing to Parnell), I believe it is now Sc. Mary's Cathedral; yes, I can soe the spire." But it was the white cross above the chapel at liishopscourt that he pointed out. Wtien mention was made of the " pie " the natives had made of the type of the little newspaper at Te Awamutu, Sir John laughed, and said, " Yes, 1 wondjr what happened to 30im of that type. Editors nowadays don't get that sort of exoitement that I did when Eewi and Te Eangitake sentenced me to death for the crime of being editor of a Government organ." Sir John, who ia accompanied by Miss Gorst, will be detained at the Exhibition for some time, and his visit to the Waikato will be eagerly looked forward to.

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