Arrival at Rotorua.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue XXV, 22 June 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

Arrival at Rotorua.

Punctually at half-past four p.m. on June 13th the Royal train swept round the long curve leading into Rotorua station, and drew up alongside the platform. The reception the assembled multitude of the Arawas was a sight long to be remembered. As the train steamed up the hundreds of the people of the soil sprang up, and with their women waving green branches and the army of men brandishing, in splendid time, up and down, to right and left, their wooden weapons, they sang, or, rather, shouted, their stentorian “powhiri” of welcome to the King’s son. “Haeremai, haeremai, haeremai” (sang in long-drawn, high notes, a kilted chief in the front rank). “Welcome, welcome, welcome! “Oh. welcome, ye strangers from beyond the sky. “Welcome. Come to the Arawa. “Come to our canoe.” Then all together they chanted, with a splendid shout, which might have been heard a couple of miles away, their greeting song to the Duke: — “Naumai, naumai, come hither to us. “Draw to the shore the Duke. “Bring him hither to our canoe, “To our waka, the Arawa, “To our shores, to our sky. “A ha, ha! “So that we may be- uplifted; “That this canoe may have high honour. “Approach ye; draw near us. Oh, welcome, welcome! “Aue, au! Au eha!” The effect of the welcome song and the combined stamping of many hundred feet and simultaneous drill. with the plumed tewhatewhas, was exceedingly fine, and greatly interested the visitors, to-vnany of whom such a sight was quite a novel one. Accompanied by Lord Ranfurly and the rest of the occupants of the train. Their Royal Highnesses alighted on the carpeted platform.’ They were met by Captain Gilbert Mair, an old colonial officer, who is in charge of the Maori encampment, and Captain Turner, Chairman of the Town Council, together with several of the more prominent Maori chiefs. The Duke was in civilian attire, dressed completely in blaek. This caused a good deal of'disappointment among the Maoris, who had expected that His Royal Highness would appear in uniform. A Maori associates the mana, or prestige of a “tino rangatira” (great chief), with his outward symbols of authority, sueh as a military uniform. It is understood that influence will be brought to bear to persuade His Royal Highness to wear uniform to-morrow. The Duchess was also dressed in black, wearing a perfectly fitting tailor-made costume and black toque. Lord Ranfurly and the members of the staff were also' in mufti. Captain Mair wore the uniform of a New Zealand officer of militia. The proceedings at the railway station were very brief. After Miss Dorothy Turner had presented a bouquet to the Duchess Lord Ranfurly introduced Capt. Turner to the Royal visitors, and then presented to the Duke the two principal representative chiefs of the Arawa “waka,” or ancestral tribal canoe,

the high chief Te Hehuheu Tukino. of Lake Taupo. and Te Keeps Rangipuawhe. the principal chief of the Tuhorangi tribe, of Whakarewarewa. Both these rangatiras wore handsome mantles of native manufacture, and carried valuable weapons of their race.

Te Heulieu is the grandson of the great cannibal chief Te Heuheu, who was killed in the Waihi landslip. Lake Taupo, in 184(5, and is a lineal descendent of the wizard priest Ngatoroirangi. who came to New Zealand from the legendary Hawaiiki in the Arawa can<ie six hundred years ago. He is a young man of great ability and intelligence. and has been co-operating actively with Mr Hone Heke. M.H.R.. and Apirana Ngata. in consolidating the Maori tribes of the colony in the union, or kotahitanga. for political purposes. Te Keep* Rangipuawhe is an old chief of considerable influence. He formerly lived at Wairoa. at I-ake Tarawera. up till the time of the eruption of 1886. Both the Duke and the Duchess shook hands with the Maori chiefs. This brief ceremony over, the Duke and party walked through a carpeted passage to the rear of the station, where the carriages were waiting. There were stationed the Wairarapa Mounted Rifles, the only native volunteer corps in the colony, the Opot.iki Mounted Rifles. Tauranga and Te Puke Mounted Rifles, Whakatane Mounted Rifles, and the Rotorua company of infantry. The mounted men were under the command of Major Morrow, V.D.. of the Auckland district. staff. Captain Rimene, commanding the Wairarapa Rifles, 90 strong, and Captain Barron commanded the infantry. The Hamilton and Rotorua brass bands were also drawn up outside the station. As the Duke and Duchess emerged from the station the band struck up the National Anthem, while the troops presented arms. Outside the gates the expectant crowd of Maoris cheered lustily, and chanted their songs of welcome, their “powhiris,” to the Duke.

The Duke and Duehess entered the first carriage, accompanied by Lord Wenlock, and drove through Fenton and Hinemoa streets to the Grand Hotel, which had been reserved for accommodation of the Royal party. The rest of the party followed in carriages. The Mounted Infantry acted as escort to their Royal Highnesses. The Maoris were wildly enthusiastic, and swarmed in hundreds along the route behind the Royal pair. Manybroke through the lines, and ran along behind the Royal carriage, waving their wooden battle axes and spears and chanting songs of welcome. It was a great pity that the weather was so bad. The effect of the decorations, and indeed of the whole reception, was marred by the drizzling rain, and the fast-gathering darkness. The line of route tramped by the swarming crowd was literally a sea of mud, and the unfortunate visitors who had to follow the procession on foot had rather a livelytime of it in getting up to the Grand Hotel. But neither rain nor wind seemed to damp the enthusiasm of the Maoris, who splashed along the road as fast as their legs could carry them. Some pushed right in among the horses, and the large staff of .policemen had their work cut out to curb the exuberance of the excited throng.

The drive to the hotel occupied about five minutes, and the procession travelling at a walking pace. The Hon. J. Carroll, the Native Minister, met the Royal party at the entrance to the hotel, and was presented to the Duke -and the Duchess. The ceremony of presenting the United Maori tribes’ address of welcome took place at the verandah steps. As the Royal couple reached the steps the band struck up again, and the irrepressible natives broke out in another dance of welcome. Both the Royal visitors seemed pleased with the cordiality of their reception, and the quaint Maori gathering was evidently full of interest.

Il was some little time before the shouts und chants of welcome subsided, but presently the natives managed to restrain their enthusiasm for a while, and the formal welcome was proceeded with. Mr Carroll, mounting the steps of the verandah, read in clear tones the following address of welcome from the Maoris of the colony: —