MAORIS SEND GREETINGS

Chronicle (Levin), 1 August 1947, Page 4

MAORIS SEND GREETINGS

ILLU STRATED ADDRESS FOR F&INCESS Dated Ohau, New Zealand, July 23, 1947, an illustrated address has ■ been dispatched to H.R.H. the Princess Elizabeth, to mark the occasion of her recently-announced engagement to Lieut. Philip Mountbatten, by Mr. Keipa Roera ("Skipper" Royal) , chief of the Ngati-Raukawa iribe. The address reads: "E Hine Tena Koe, Your Royal Highness greetings, As you are the eldest Princess of His Majesty King George VI and a direct descendant of Her Majesty, the late Queen Victoria of England, to whom we look upon as the aborigihal mother of our native tace? of .New Zealand, who guaranteed us and our land her Royal protection and imparted to her children of our native race the full rights and privileges of a British subject equal to that of her children of the British Empire under the Treaty of Waitangi. 1840. and

thercfore under the circumstances I feel at the present moment it will be my humble ari'd 'loyal duty to take. the honour and privileges on behalf of myself and my NgatiRaukawa' 'tribe, and the whole of our native race of New Zealand, in jbining the Govemmeijit of our Dominion and our pakeha brethren in extending to Your Royal Highness our 'humble and respectful congratulations on the occasion of your engagement to Lieut. Philip Mountbacten, Ex-Prince of Greece and Denmark. "The whole of your Maori people Will ever pray with best wishes for continued Divine mercy dnd gracious favour with blessing 'of our Almighty God upon Your Royal Highness so that you may enjoy the full justice of happiness during the period of your married life. Heio Kia Ora, Enough Long Life."