THE SUPERINTENDENT AND PARTY AT THE HOT LAKES.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 154, 25 February 1874, Page 3

THE SUPERINTENDENT AND PARTY AT THE HOT LAKES.

(bt otrs " special.”) Within three hours after the arrival of the Pretty Jane from Poverty Bay on Thursday last, his xxpnor the Superintendent and the whole party were on the road to Rotorua. This visit was paid in consequence of several urgent telegrams from the A raws tribe. The party left Tauranga about II o clock a.m., and reached Ohinenautu at 10 o’clock at night. Great preparations had been made lor the reception of the Superintendent. Bonfires were blazing and the whole of the adult male and female population were assembled, and as the carriage drove into the settlement three hearty Rngliah cheers were given by the whole assemblage Mr Bennett, of the Rotorua Hotel, furnished accommodation for ail the visitors. In the morning the whole party, excepting the Superintendent, proceeded to visit Rotomahana and were occupied in doing so until afternoon of Saturday.

On Saturday, at 4 o’clock, all the European residents assembled at Tamati Kapus, and presented his Honor with the following address i To his Honor John Williamson, Esquire superintendent of the Province of Auckland. - bir, —We, the European inhabitants of Rotorua, have great pleasure in welcoming your Honor to tms district. We thank you very heartily for visiting us j more especially on the present occasion, when we know that you have done so at great, personal inconvenience. We congratulate ourselves on your Honor being again elected to the office of chief magistrate of this province, and also that your Honor has succeeded in forming such a deservedly popular Executive. We are confident that during your tenure of office our country a calls will have every consideration at your hands, and that you will do ail in your power to have the vast resources of our province developed. We congratulate your Honor on being in power during a time of peace, which you have long f ° eßtab - 18 k in conjunotion with the Hon Mr McLean. We trust that so far as our adopted country ia concerned that the period has arrived when we shall learn war no more. We hope that the extensive blocks of land now being acquired by the Crown from the native owners in this district will shortly be handed over to vour Honor’s Government, and that prosperous se't foments may be established thereon ; and instead ot their lying waste as they now do, that comfortable homesteads and fertile fields will spring up in every direction. And further, that the country may be opened up by means of roads, and that ere long steamers will be found plying on our lakes. We would respect fully draw your attention to the extension of the means of education for European children in our district, feeling confident that under your administration our requirements in this behalf will be duly attended to. We again thank your Honor, and members of the Executive who have accompanied you, for favouring us with your presence, and trust that under your administration the province will advance, and that the blessings of Providence may attend your labours.” His Honor then made the following reply; To the settlers in Rotorua and the Take District.— Gentlemen,-—I have to thank you very mU ~.f or the address of welcome just presented to me. Ihecordial manner it which you have received myself and the members of my Executive Council who accompany me, and the expression of confidence which you have thus given will, I trust, be justibed by the conduct of public affairs during our term of office. lam thankful for your expressions of good-will upon my re-election to the high office of Superintendent, and you may rest assured that I will do all in my power to assist in developing the vast natural resources of this great province. This visit is the last of a series which I hare been making in various parts of the province, with a view (amongst other matters) to making myself personally acquainted with the settlers and with their various wants and requirements ; and you will be glad to learn that everywhere I have met with the most gratifying evidences of a returning confidence on the part of the natives, and of a disposition on the part of both races to live on terms of amity with each other. Both the Hon Mr McLean and myself have long striven to bring about a termination of the unhappy disturbances which have for so many years retarded the progress of the North Island’. I think we may mow congratulate the settlers on the peaceiul condition of the country. I shall cooperate fully in the task of acquiring lands from the natives—particularly such lands as will be lit for immediate settlement and profitable occupation by the people whom we are now bringing from the old country to join us in the work of improving oup waste lands. Your district possesses a large area of such lands. But in one respect this portion of the province stands unrivalled in the colony, and, perhaps, in the world. The natural wonders of Rotorua and Rotomahana will, in coming years, be the means of bringing tourists and visitors in large numbers from the other colonies and from Europe, thus creating an extensive traffic and distributing an amount of capital which cannot fail to make these districts prosperous and progressive. I hope we shall succeed in acquiring the sites of the moat eminent of these wonders as public estate secured in perpetuity places of visit and recreation. I feel assured that the time is rot far distant when steamers and other conveniences of advanced civilisation will be extended into this district, and when steam boats will be busily plying upon the waters of your beautiful lakes. lam glad that you have drawn my attention to the question of education for the European children of the district. X give the representation made my favorable consideration, and I shall be glad if the means and machinery at the command,of the Government will enable me to supply this most pressing want. Again thanking you, gentlemen, for your very cordial reception of myself and my Executive, —I remain, &c., —J. Williamson, Superintendent.”

Three hearty cheers were given on conclusion of his Honor’s speech. Immediately afterwards his Honor met the natives of the district. Only a few hours notice had been given of the meeting, but the big house was well filled with a crowd of natives, including the principal men of the district.

Temuera, Ngahnrahurn, Taikats, and others spoke welcoming the Superintendent, and a song

of welcome w.s <mng wnich made H e roof of thl n f u ivURUH a « uiu * Then Periui presented following address : rp"9 bint?mutu » February 21, 1874.—T0 Mr I llJ ' am » on . Superintendent of the Province of f™ 1 to you, the father i - tr ' beß > European and Native, of the o rphan , 9 ' of * he "idows, and of the destitute. weccn °Ti r? 00 ’ oup kind father! Friend. elcomo, the likeness of your rangatira friends who have departed this life. This is the second time of your coming to Rotorua. the mountains are alone standing, but, the majority of the inhabitants have disappeared from this’ world in consequence of the troubles which have been in it cnend, you must see the tribes. Come aud listen to the wants of these tribes. Come, sir, and approve the wishes of your tribe .1. The meeting at Tama to Kapua 2. The house of accommodation for travellers for Ngatiwhafeaua to continue from year to year. 3. A steamer for Kotorua to be agreed to by you. 4. The telegraph station vo be removed to Ohim mutu. 5. The payment for Tokerekere block to bo made through Ju- b. Ihe payment of the workmen on the ninemutu road to be increased by you. 7. A to he established permanently' «t Chinef ’ n ,, ® lffe us «o«»o wire for fencing our £f£ B .’ The name of the steamer to bo Hinemoa. ib ® ® nd ~-From IEMHimA Amohau, l lr^B Ts WHaNOA, NOAHUaUHURU, Hotti Haupapa, and the whole of the Ngatiwhakaue

The Superintendent replied a* follows ■ io the Chiels and People of Rotorua.— fb r i 0 £ de, ~ Y ° Ur addresa of welcome to me and if® European gentlemen who have accompanied me from Auckland is very pleasing. We offer to you our salutations and good wishes in return for your expressions of good will and kindness to us smee our arrival. The several matters referred to m your address shall have ray careful consideration and attention. lam glad to find that peace reigns in your districts, which only a few years ago were greatly disturbed. Let the present condition of things continue, and you will shortly become a happy an d prosperous people ; aid and encourage Europeans who have already taken up their abode here as well as those whom 1 hope will shortly come from other places, to settle down on the land to assist you. Let all your children attend the schools and improve i n earning that useful knowledge which the Europeans can impart to you. The blessings of peace and industry will bo followed by plenty Q f food comfc,rt which Providence can bestow, so that your children after you m>»y become aeontented and happy people. I have already addressed you verbally ia your large house of meeting ; nay thought# are the same as then expressed, and in leaving you I say farewell to all of you and your European neighbours. Enough from your triend— J. TV ILXTAMSON, Superintendent.— Uhinemutu, February 21, 1874,” The who!® of the evening was fully occupied in ? e ? Utl l fc * onß from ™rioua tribes who had arrived late for the great meeting. In the evening bonfires were again lit, and the whole country was m a blaze. 3 m ° rmn g, at half-past seven o’clock, the party left by the same coach, and reached Tauranga at five o’clock. They were fortunate in having good weather the whole way. All spoke in the highest terms of the road, and of the ability and care displayed by Captain Turner in dealing with the numerous engineering difficulties which ho had to contend with. The conveyance of the party to and fro was managed m eapital style by Mr Hannon, the contractor for the Taupo and Tauranga line. The coach and horses were first-class, and Mr Beatson, the driver was a man well up to bis work. Every one of tno party carry away a host of pleasant reminiscences of their visit to Tauranga and the Lakes, and we heartily hope that the personal knowledge thus acquired of the wants, requiremante and resources of our district will prove to be of benefit to all parties concerned. At anv rate, the settlers of the Bay of Plenty are well pleased that hi. Honor and his Executive have taken a step in the right direction by coming amongst us, and jMwertaiiuug by personal experience what things are necessary for the proper conduct and progress of public affairs in the district.