FIRST MAORI BABY BORN IN ENGLAND.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1297, 28 November 1911, Page 11

FIRST MAORI BABY BORN IN ENGLAND.

Sir.-Some d.i.ys 'ago. ,i. paragraph anpenrorl in New Zealand paper's stating that the child born at the iVhUe'Citv, London was the first Maori child bom in bngland. This is not so. In ISG3 I was at school at Bruce Castle,' Tottenham nud in that year some Maoris used to come and play football ■ with us. I remembered that a man called Pomnre am his wilo had a baby born to them, and that Queen. Victoria was godmothe am gave the child, u boy, a silver mug ami gold knife, fork, and spoon,' with his name engraved on it. Knowing that Mrs. Colenso know all the circumstances' nf tho case, I wrote to her daughter, Mrs! Simcox, who gave me full iuformalion V.ti the subject. ;■ The names of the Maori parents were Hare and Hariata Pomare, and the son's name, which tho (Jueen gave it, was Albert Victor. They were sent by the Queen to reside in the same house as Mrs. Colenso. who was a good Maori linguist, so that the mother could bo properly looked aflcr. Somo time after this they were invited by the Queen to come to" Windsor, and there wore received by Queeu Victoria and all her Uoyal Family, who were much interested in the little, dark-eyed, dusky Maori. It was kissed all round 6y tho Queen, her family, and ladies-in- , waiting, one of the children taying: "What a pretty little hand ho has, and what pretty lingers," vide Mrs. Colenso's diary. IPomare died .soon* offer ..ho came back from England in the Wellington Hospital from consumption, his wife marrying a man of rank of tho Ngnti Huia tribe at Otaki. The boy was taught at St. Stephen's School, Auckland. When he was old enough the Maoris say he went on board "one of tho Queen's ships" and passed out of their knowledge. Only onco did they hear of him from San Francisco. Mis. Colenso wa; born' at the' Bay of Islands in 1821. When, at' Windsor/and .in reply to the Queen's question as to how long she had been in New Zealand, she said •. '.'I .was. born there, and that 1 well 'remembered the time.'of cannibalism."- Her diaries, which her familjvlmve, would bo valuable, and should, if possible, be secured 'for safe keeping. They must be of great historical value.—l am, etc., ... ■ ■ : . JAMES G. WILSON.