Our Parliamentarians IN THE Pacific.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue I, 4 July 1903, Page 35

Our Parliamentarians IN THE Pacific.

At 6 p.m. on Saturday night, May 16, we left Niue, formerly known as Savage Island, and to be known in the future according to Mr. Seddon as the “Island of Love,” and steamed almost due west towards the Tonga Group. ON TONGAN SOIL. A run of 24 hours brought us to Vavau. where we had tne luxury of stepping otf the ship on to a wharf. There are about 100 islands in the Tongan Group, and Vavau and the islands round about it account for between 60 and 70 of these. The appearance as you enter into the harbour reminds one of the Bay of Islands, and as you get further in you think of the bays of Sydney Harbour, giving a vote in favour of the superiority of Vavau. Neiafu, where the principal wharf is situated, seems an important business centre, and the surrounding bays are very beautiful, but the place in the evening is very quiet. Even the excitement of the arrival of the New Zealand Government yacht, with its distinguished party on board, failed to attract more than a handful of people, mostly

natives with clam shells and oranges, which they wished to turn into cash.

It was very noticeable that not a single woman or girl came on to the wharf during the evening, very different from Tahiti and Samoa and Niue, where the majority were females. You cannot strike any part of Tonga without remembering that this is the land where Rev. Shirley Baker ruled as Premier for many years, and was deported for many years by the High Commissioner of the Western Pacific. It is probably true that he was arbitrary in the exercise of his great powers, that he was inclined to crush with too great severity anyone who opposed his will, but I firmly believe that history will give the rev. gentleman credit for having done much good work for the people of Tonga. His methods were different from the methods of other missionaries, but the result from the natives’ point of view has not left a great deal to complain about. The total population of the Tongan Islands is about 21,000, or nearly twice the total population in New Zealand beyond the seas. On the morning after we landed several of the party went to the top of

a kill in the neighbourhood to get a view of the Archipelago. Most of the party went to the large cave known as the cave of the swallows. It is a large opening in ths coral rocks, capable of ac-

commodating quite a large number of boats inside. The water is clear and blue, and at a great depth the various forms of the coral can be plainly seen. There is another cave known as Marriner’s Cave, where you dive into the water and pass underneath the coral reef, and come up in a large cave on the other side. Only very few Europeans have attempted the feat of diving, which is a difficult one. A captain of a man-o’-war in doing it some ’ < ars ago received injuries to his back, from which he died.

A deputation of the traders at Neiafu, Vavau, waited on the Minister, and complained of ths treatment to which their fruit was subjected in New Zealand. They asked that they should be treated in the same manner as the Cook Islands.

We left Vavau at one o’clock on the 18th, and reached Nukualofa at 7.30 on the morning of the 19th May, but as Tonga, though east of the 180th degree,

keeps New Zealand time, it is really the 20th of May. THE FRIENDLY GROUP. Nukualofa, as seen from the sea, presents a very attractive appearance. The vegetation around the beach is not so dense as on some of the other islands, thus giving a better view of the buildings in the town. The King’s palace, with the private chapel adjoining, lends quite an imposing appearance to the place. There is a fairly good wharf, alongside which the Mapourika was able to lie in safety, enabling the party to go and come at their own sweet will without the delays and dangers of boating. On our arrival we found great preparations being made for the opening of Parliament, which was to take place the following week. Several of the residents were surprised that the coming event was not considered of sufficient importance for the party to wait over to witness the ceremony. A magnificent arch had been erected between the Palace and Parliament

“rift" to the lake, and there took a boat, rowed by four Maoris, and inspected the sights. Amongst others was a cliff about 200 ft, from the base of which innumerable vents were issuing steam as hard as they could go; the water of the lake here was very hot, elsewhere it was warm. A! some places under the boat could be heard and felt the thumping of the boiling waters which were coming up from the depths. It sounded like someone beating the bottom rapidly with many hammers. The most infernal place perhaps was the site of the extinct Pink Terrace. Here everything was most active. We landed, the ground was very hot, and we were soou lost in steam. This steam was very violent. It was like standing on an immense lid of a kettle, when the water is over-boiling and the lid is on the move. At any moment one felt that the place would collapse, and that we should be blown into the air. We rowed on to the end of the lake, where everything was peaceful, the site of the White Terrace being quiet and harmless looking. This terrace is supposed to be intact, and covered by 100 ft of mud. Here we lunched, and then walked to Lake Tarawera, along what used to be the stream which connected the two lakes. It is a very interesting walk, showing the action of water on soft mud, now hardened. Eight miles in another boat brought us io Wuiroa. This village was destroyed in four hours by a fall of 6ft of liquid hot mud. We examined the few remains, heard all the yarns, and took coach to Rotorua, some 12 miles off—a pretty drive through tine bush, which has re-grown since the disaster. It is wonderful how soon it grows again. Guide Warbrick accompanied us round, and as he was in the neighbourhood at the time of the eruption, his tales gave additional interest to everything. On reaching Rotorua, we concluded one of our best days in the colony by the ladies taking a warm bath in the ‘‘Duchess” swimming bath (opened by 1i.R.11. the Princess of Wales), and we disported ourselves in the warm “Rachel.” The next' morning before breakfast some of us went to see the pretty Government Gardens surrounding the baths, and left directly after breakfast for Morrinsville, a small settlement of about 200 people. We. visited the school, and some 80 children were present. There are always plenty of children about, as a rule fine and healthy. The schools are Government schools, and education is free and compulsory. We then visited Te Aroha, further down the line, a place we had been to before at various times, visited the. school, and had the baths, for which the place is noted. In the evening His Excellency presented a medal to a Maori who had saved life at two fires.

In the afternoon the Rev. E. M. Gowie (son of the late Primate) and Mrs Cowie came to tea, and in the evening Mr Cowie came to us for a smoke. An old tattooed Maori also put in an appearance in the evening to see tile Kawana (Governor) on a question of certain lands. A cigar satisfied him for the time being, and he was told to write a letter about his grievances, ami that tliev would be attended to.

The next morning we left for Poro-o-tarao, some 1200 feet above the sea, where we have been before. We delayed our departure from Te Aroha to get our mails, which came some thirteen miles on a jigger or trolly along the railway line from Paeroa, where they had arrived that morning by the steamer from Auckland. It was necessary to get them, as there was an English mail, and Poro-o-taroa does not run to a daily train service. Mr Hill-Trevor left us after leaving Te Aroha, as he had hurt his knee hunting, and our constant moving about did not improve it. He returned to the care of Dr. Parkes, in Auckland. Captain Boseawen joined us at Te Aroha for the rest of the trip. On the way up to Poro-o-tarao, where a tunnel pierces the range, we stayed a short while at Te Kuiti, to inspect a Maori House.

We had been having beautiful weather for our trip so far. and very cold nights, and Captain Boseawen arranged an ingenious design for putting hot bricks into the ladies’ cabin at night to warm it. We spent a quiet Sunday near the tunnel, Mr Butler

amusing the party by suddenly appearing in a hollow tree. M e had lunch down the line, some two miles away, getting there on our jiggers. It was beautiful bush country.

The next day we sailed for Ongarue; the weather had changed; the rain had lieguii. A bridge here not being finished we had to cross it on foot and get into a covered truck with a small engine, and went some seventeen miles to the end of the Hue which is laid. One mile from the end is Taumaranui. a small settlement at the junction of the Ongarue and Wanganui Rivers. One day this place will l>e a big tourist centre. The whole neighbourhood is well worth a visit. We drove in buggies for ten miles to a hill above Piriaka, where there is tine bush scenery on the outskirts of the Waimarino bush, a large forest through which the line is to go. The heavy rain, however, prevented us seeing the view of Ruapehu Mountain (nearly 9000 feet), which is said to be very fine. The men are working some ten miles further on. Thirty-two miles from Piriaka is the central point between Auckland and Wellington. There are now one hundred miles of line to be completed, of which about forty miles have been graded. The distance from Auckland to Wellington byrail will be 426 miles... Mr Loueh, the Government, engineer, • took care of us in this district and did much for our pleasure.

The heavy rain spoilt the rest of the trip. We slept at Ongarue that night, and visited Te Awamutu next day, and the day after that returned to Auckland. Unfortunately, no photos could be taken of the latter part of our expedition. My best thanks are due to Captain Boseawen for a few photographs, and to Lord Northland for the greater majority of photos.