HOME AGAIN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1332, 9 January 1912, Page 2

HOME AGAIN.

GUIDE MAGGIE AND THE ARAWAS, TWENTY LEI:T BEHIND. By the Somerset, which arrived 'in the stream about 5 o'cluck last evening with over 250 passengers from London, thcro returned to Xcv Zealand Guide Maggie J'apakura and about: twenty Maoris «f the Arawa (ribo, in charge 'of Mr. C. B. Westinncptt, who was manager for the Maoris' concert (our iu the Old Country. Owing to tlio fact that (he Somerset was unable to get a berth last night, sho could not land her passengers, although the.Port Health Officer (Dr. Pollen) was iiblo to grant the vessel pratique immediately aftor her arrival. Consequently Alnggio and her friends have had to deter till this morning the pleasure cf once more setting foot on their native vi'};fV V f? tlr T I,tt '' , who P aid n brie f wsit to tho shore last evening, was internewed by a representative of The Dominion- about tho tour "They are all well on board." lie said, and very glad to get back again, 1 assure you. : 1 And they that were left behind? Mr. Wcstiuncott shrugged his shouldcr-\ '..L ,vus , "", business," lie sajd. "We should all have come Home .v,'i!lhcT, but twenty of them insisted ou staying bcluiui, uu aouut leinnted by tho inducements held out to them to try then- fortunes, at music-hall jjerformances, instead of doing what most people advised them was tho sensible tiling to do. Business during the summer months was not so good as had been anticipated, and when we were ready to coino home to New Zealand there was some delay in getting berths, owing to the, heavy booking for third-class accommodation ou the outgoing steamers 11 that time. These two factors told on our financial resources, but a three weeks' engagement at the Palace Theatre of Varieties tided us over our immediate difficulties. Then the New Zealand High Commissioner came to our assistance, and through his good offices the syndicate in Sydney cabled the amount of the passage money. The High Commissioner then purchased the steamer tickftsi but ■ just before wo were duo to sail, - l?augiuia waited upon Sir William Hall-Jones with n deputation from the party, and said, that a number of them hau made up their minds to remain. All arguments failed to alter their determination, rii.'l just before the sailing dale, t':; I.li;:h Commissioner got a letter stating (hat twenty of them had decided not-to embark on the Somerset."

What prospects had they of making a success of the music-hall vent-ire.?

"It might turn out all right," said Mr. Westmacott. "but they would have done better to have come home with the others. Of course, Rangiuia, who has been Homo for pome years now, has some social standing in London, and under his auspices they might get on all right. But their scheme is dead against the advice of those best qualified to express an opinion on the matter. They certainly acted against r the advice of the High Commissioner, who used every effort to dissuade them from the line they had tal;en. The most unfortunate part of the whole business was that we had to leave without Mita Tnupopoki's grand-daughter, To Tai, a girl of fifteen, who remained in London to the great grief of the old chief, her grandfather."

There was some trouble about their lr-csage, was there not?

"It's all ou the Somerset," replied Mr. Wcstmacolt.

It was stated that a cable message had been sent to Teneriffe, .asking that, their luggage be .put off and tent back to London. ' .

"Yes—but the Somerset did not call at Ten.eriffo." explained Mr. Westmacott." Guide Maggie, whose engagement to Mr. Staplp-Brovm, of-Encland. was announced recently, will leave New Zealand in about four months' lime. The wedding, it is understood, will take plsiec in England.