"SPLENDID LOYALTY."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 852, 25 June 1910, Page 15

"SPLENDID LOYALTY."

GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS TO THE MAORIS. A MESSAGE FROM KING EDWARD. By special invitation, the Native Minister (the Hon. J. Carroll) introduced a delegation of Maoris to his Excellency the Governor, Lord Islington, at the official residence-yesterday moiping. A number of the Maoris present had come to Wellington especially to witness, the arrival of his Excellency. Natives of both sexes were present. In addressing the delegation, Lord Islington said: — "Ladies and gentlemen,—My' object in asking Mr. Carroll to invite you hero this morning is to enable mc to express how gratified I was to see so many representatives of the Maori race present at Wednesday's ceremony 011 my inauguration as Governor of 1 the Dominion. I have been informed that many Maoris who were present had come to Wellington for the express purpose of bidding mo welcome, and had travelled a long distance to do so. I fully realise that their prescnco on that occasion was to manifest a continued expression of loyalty to the King and a desire, once more to declare their loyalty as subjects of the Empire. I' have been informed of tlui loyal and eloquent expressions ol griel you have transmitted Home to King George, on the occasion of the sad Imperial loss we have all sustained ill the death >of the great King Edward. King George will know and fully appreciate, and his subjects at Home will likewise, what loyal sentiments animate the minds and thoughts of the Maori race in New Zealand to his Royal Person.

. "There aro two Bpecial reasons why 1 desired to invito you to see mo today. First, as many of you may bo aware, I was among the very' last. of Ills subjects to see the Into King Edward; and in that last sad but memorable conversation ho laid special stress on his admiration of the Maori raco, and desired me to convey his. appreciation of tho great qualities jio knew them to possess and tho, splendid loyalty tliey have always displayed to his person and to tho Grown of England. He went on to say how ho had always watched "and admired their career, and regarded them among tho most loyal of all his native subjects throughout his wide Dominion'!). This message it is my sad privilege to convey to you to-day, and to ask you to pass on to your fellow Maoris throughout tho Dominion: I am sure that it will bo chorished among tho most precious remembrances throughout tho whole of the Maori raco in New Zealand.

"In King George you liavo a monarch who knows you personally, and has visited your lands, : wild you can feel assured that he will ever wat-cli over you and your interests—those interests which are noiv so inseparably bound up with those of tho. British community among whom yon dwell. "I am glad to seo you here to-day for a second reason, because in being appointed Governor of this Dominion I now represent his Majesty. It is to he regretted that an inevitable disability inherent to the vast extent of the British Empire must of necessity prevent- H(s Majtsty coming in person to visit all liis subjects.'' The innumerable duties that devolve on his shoulders as head of such an Empire necessitate his constant presence at its centre. I am, therefore, here in accordance with •.accustomed practice, and in succession to my distinguished predecessor, Lord Plunkot, to undertake those duties ill his Majesty's absence. "I desiro to assure you that I regard . with great interest and sincere sympathy the Maori" race, and I shall look forward to at no distant date visiting those chief centres where they reside. 1 have rend much of tho history of the Maori race, and it has given me much food for reflective admiration of the great qualities they have displayed in their interesting past. Years ago the Maori race were foes to the British community ; but throughout that period they always provedthemselves chivalrous foes. That was years ago, and has long been relegated to tho limbo of past history. Since tliat period the Maori raco have shown themselves unswervingly reliablo friends and staunch adherents to tho British connection.

"I liope you will, convoy the substance of what I liavo said to you this morning to your respective communities when-you return r to them,.and at the same time, tell them I loot forward at an early date to paying them a visit."'