A.—No. 1

8

DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OP

Enclosure in No. 7. Extract from the ITew Zealand Advertiser, 21st June, 1870. At noon yesterday the ceremony of presenting the swords of honor sent out by Her Majesty the Queen as tokens of recognition of the fealty of Majors Bopata, Morgan, and Kemp, and their many faithful and timely services to the Colony, took place at Mount Cook Barracks. On arrival there, His Excellency was received by a detachment of the Armed Constabulary. After presenting arms, they were marched to the parade ground, and drawn up in line in front of a table on which the swords were lying. The chiefs having advanced to the table for the purpose of receiving the swords, His Excellency, who was attended by several ladies and gentlemen, said — My friends, Te Kepa, Eopata, and Kouia Mokena, —The Queen has sent out from England swords of honor to be presented to you and to certain other Maori chiefs, in recognition of your loyalty to her Crown, and of your gallant services in support of her Government and of the cause of law and order in New Zealand. Her Majesty has commanded me, as her representative, to invest you with these swords, as tokens of her Royal favour. I now proceed to perform this honourable duty on this day, the 20th of June, which is the 33rd anniversary of the accession of the Queen, who, soon after she ascended the Throne of England, became, through the Treaty of Waitangi, the Sovereign also of this country. I am glad, moreover, to carry out the commands of our Queen, by bestowing on you these marks of distinction in the presence of the Ministers and other chief officers of the Government, and of many members of the Parliament. And now to you, Te Kepa, I deliver this sword. Never shall I forget how, when I went to Wanganui, in November, 18GS, at a time of much danger and distress, and called upon your tribe again to take arms for the Queen and the law, reminding you of the dying words of your great chief and near kinsman, Hori Kingi To Anana ; never shall I forget, I say, how you, Te Kepa, sprang forward, with the gallant spirit of your ancestors, and declared that you were again ready to take the field. Since that day you have been almost constantly on active service against the enemies of the Queen ; and your march across this Island, from Wanganui to Opotiki, in spite of many and great difficulties, is an exploit thoroughly appreciated both hero and in England. Tou have been ably and bravely assisted by your friend Topia Turoa, on whom also a mark of the approval of the Queen's Government will be hereafter bestowed. Te Kepa, here is your sword. It bears on the blade this inscription —" Given by Queen Victoria to Te Kepa for his unfailing loyalty and valour. May you long wear it in health and honor." To you, Eopata and Mokena, I now present, in the name of the Queen, these swords, which also bear your names and similar inscriptions with that presented to Te Kepa. Tour tribe, the Ngatiporou, have rivalled the Wanganuis in loyalty to the Crown, in goodwill to your English neighbours, and in gallantry in war. Tour services in many a severe conflict on the East Coast since 1865, ns well as at Ngatapa and elsewhere, and your late expedition through the Urewera country, are well known and thoroughly appreciated ; and I am confident that you will continue your efforts, in co-operation with the other forces of the Government and with the other loyal Maori tribes, until peace shall have been permanently established throughout this Island. Here, Eopata and Mokena, are your swords, presented to you by the Queen. May you also long wear them, in health and honor. And now, my friends, I trust that the ceremony of this day may be auspicious, and that, by the blessing of God, before another anniversary of the Queen's accession shall arrive, her heart may be gladdened with the tidings that the clouds of war and evil have passed away from this fair laud, and that both races, the Pakeha and the Maori, are dwelling together under equal laws and in friendship and prosperity. Mrs. Fox,in presenting the swords, said, "I am very glad to present you with these swords, but I trust that they will never be used except as ornaments, and that we shall always live together in unity." Te Kepa Eangihiwinui.—Victoria, by the grace of God, long may you live. May your children, Prince Albert, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Princesses live long. I thank Victoria, Queen of this world, for casting her eyes in this direction, upon me, this black-skinned people, this foolish people, this naked people. I thank the Queen heartily for sending me this proof of her love across the billows of the great sea. Here it lies, the sickle with which evil is to be cut down. Tour ancestors, the Kings, have been protected by God, and so even yourself. There you stand on the most sacred place of your ancestors —the Kings of great fame of old. And now you have caused the sun to shine over this dismal Island. It is very good that the elder and younger brother should live together as they did in the Ark. After that the elder and the younger brother were divided. Now, in this year for the first time they are again united. I and my tribes are under the authority of the Queen. This was Hori Kingi's last word to me, to Mete Kingi, and to all his tribe: " Whe7i I am gone, remain quiet under the authority of the Queen :be loyal to her." And to me especially he said :" Be strong in putting down evil, that peace may be secured during the future." Well, now that the pledge of your affection lies here before me, I trust that peace will always be with you, 0 Queen Victoria, and with your children. May peace be with you, 0 Governor Bowen, with Lady Bowen, and your children. May peace be with the Government of New Zealand. Let love be in your hearts. Do not keep all the good word to yourselves,— let us share it. Te Mokena Kohere.—The first proof of the Queen's affection for us was in sending missionaries here ; the second was the law ; and the third is this. I thank you, Queen Victoria ; I greet you. Major Eopata Wahawaha.—l have nothing to add to the words of Te Kepa and Te Mokena. I thank you heartily, 0 Queen Victoria, and you, O Governor Bowen. Mrs. Fox did the chiefs the honor of buckling on the swords, after which the Premier called for three cheers for Her Majesty, which was heartily responded to. The swords bear the inscription—" Given by Queen Victoria to (name) for hia unfailing loyalty and valour. May you long wear it in health and honor." The swords arc fine specimens of workmanship. The hilt is of the basket kind, and ia lined with crimson velvet; the scabbards are of crimson morocco, richly mounted with silver, and are slung from the shoulder by crimson morocco belts and slings, all silver mounted.