THE WARSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1730, 22 April 1913, Page 5

THE WARSHIP.

CAPTAIN HALSEY & MAORIS.

MEMORABLE SCENE.

THE CHIEFS IN LOYAL VEIN

PRESENTS OF HEIRLOOMS,

lu response to Hie expressed desire of Captain llal.-oy to meet representatives of the Nalive raco on board 11.M.5. New Zealand, a parly of -Maori chiefs of the Wellington province visited tho warship yesterday morning, and wero entertained by the captain and liis officers.

A,fter tho party, which numbered about twenty-five, had been received on board and tho usual exchange of courtesies had taken place, Mr. (_'. I!. 1 Parata, M.l'., addressing Caplnin Halsey and- his officers, taid that as one of tho Parliamentary representatives of. tho Native raco ho welcomed (he officers and ship's company to these islands".

Speeches by tho Chiefs, , "You liavo couio liero from the far ends of the earth," said tlio speaker, "from our king, and lord and sovereign. Wo also greet tlio great worship which has now como to this harbour, and amid these public rejoicings and greetings, it would lie well for us, the Maori peoples of this country, not to forget to pay a tribute of sorrow To our great Queen Victoria, to whom bur ciders ceded their sovereignty in tlio Treaty" of 'Waitangi; and to her late son King Edward VII, whoso loss wo lament.

"Captain Halsey, officers, and men of tho New Zealand/' continued the speaker, "to-day on this deck, we, the tons and descendants of theso chiefs who signed the Treaty of Waitangi, renew our Oath of Allegiance, and express continued loy : ttlty to tho Throne and tho King under whoso benign rule were aro proud to abide. "Wo arc delighted "to see iho ship that our lato Prime Minister presented on behalf of the people of Dominion', and proud to behold in her io-dny such a magnificent ship. May she be strong always «nd should she bo called'to buttle,' may she bo victorious in• nil her oiikoronients. Tho gift of this ship will cement stronger and closer tho bonds of brotherhood with which we, tho peoplo of our umpire, arc so happily united/' Major Tunui Arangi, tho Wairarapa chief of tho Ngatikahungunu, who commanded tho Maori company of tlio New Zealand contingent at tho Diamond Jubil£e celebration in London,, in a few words, esQiressed his endorsement of the sentimeuts of tho previous speaker. • To Hen Teu Tukino, Chiet of Taupo, said: "Captain Halsey, officers, and men, we aro pleased to seo you who luivo come from our King and Queen, with .whom wo became personally acquainted at Rotortia in 1907, and who are our friends?, lou havo been sent hero by our* King to bring this ship of ours,, which is now 111 this harbour, and which wo behold with great pride. We feel sorrowful though for tho death of our great Queen Victoria, and her son King - Edward, whoso affections will bo everlasting in our hearts. We wish you to convev to lung Georgo and Queen Marv tho love ot their-Native people, and*pray that they may reign for long years to come." iho speaker concluded with a reference to tho gift of the battle-cruiser, and to the unanimity of the Maori raco in tho desire to help the Motherland. Ilira Parata, of Waikanae. chief of tho Ngauawa, • Ngatitoa, and Baukaiva tribes, endorsed the sentiments,of ,tho h previous speakers, ami remarked that tho loyally of tho Nalivo race was not a now thin*, but went back several generali-ons. "Von behold in us. Captain Halsey." ho said, the sons and descendants of those great Chiefs who extended the hand of friendship to tho Europeans, andgavo them lands wherein to settle in New Zealand, iho ship now in this harbour is a further proof of that loyalty, and will cement the unity of both raocs stronger than ever before. We pray (hat the ship may be strong lo guard off hostile people from invading, our shores, so that (he descendants of those who gave her slntll lie safe from our foes."

Ileui Terei, chieftainess of the Nga: tii'auknu'a, Olaki, said that, as a grandchild of Tamehana To Hauparaha, who visited England some years ago, and was presented to the late Queen Victoria, slio desired lo endorse what had been said by the other chiefs.

Tokens of the Occasion, Tho party then presented Captain Halsey with a Maori battle-axe (tewha-tewha, or paiaka), two kiwi-mat robes, a greenstone langiwai (pendant—literally, crywater, i.e., a tear-drop), two korowai mats, and one lloor mat (kie-kic). On behalf of tho chief, Mana lliniona, Mr. C. R. Parata, M.P., also presented Captain Halsey with n pui-pui (loin-cloth worn by a Maori warrior), and to.tho Earl of Carlisle, as from himself, a beautiful Krecnstono pendant (koko-tangiwai, an historic heirloom of the I'arata family. H.S.IL I'i'ineo Georgo' of Battenburg was presented by Mr. C..H> .Parata with a very line "tangiwai" (greenstone pendant), and by the Chief To Heu Hcu Tukino with a handsome Native mat nnd greenstono ornament, "kawakawa rowa." The Earl of Carlisle also received, at the hands of Mr. Harry Parata, a handsome pale bluo kahurangi ("mantle of heaven").

The party was then pliotographed with the officers, and signed theer autograph books.

Captain Halsey was so delighted with' the Maori liaka nt'tho Orphans' Clul) reception on Saturday evening hist that ho has expressed his intention of including the war-dauco in tlio list, of the warship's ordinances, ns being in keeping with her origin and tlio Maori legend Ao-toßon, which id inscribed lin a prominent ulaco oil (ho main deck of the ship. Hnltas are oven now in active rehearsal nightly 011 tlio lover deck. SHIP NOT OPEN TO-DAY. 'With (il\o visit yesterday of iho Musterlon district school children—from (lit country schools between" Maslertoir anil Hukanui, and the scholars from (he local Catholic schools—the juvenile invasion of H.JI.S. New Zealand c-<mo to all end, and it is conceivable that Hie worthy skippers of the Hinenioa and Tutanekai, tlio vessels lent to tlio cduoation authorities as ferry boats for the children, heaved a sigh of relief, while the ship's company on the battle-cruiser, it is also conceivnble, no doubt did tlio same. To-day the New Zealand will not bo open to the general public, as coaling operations, preparatory to the warship's departure on liei 1 northern tour to-mor-row morning, will be in full swing, 1000 tons of Westport 'coal being required to bo taken in.

ITINERARY TO BE ADHERED TO. It is ofTicially announced that no further departures will bo made from the itinerary of the battle-cruiser' New Zealand as published at the beginning of last week. Bequests for a visit from the warship have been received from the Thames, Kaifcoura, and other places, but in caeli ease a refusal has heen returned, the applicants being informed that no additions to the published itinerary can l.io made. A SUGGESTION. To the Editor. Sir,— Anyone who has had the pleasure of inspecting 11.M.5. New Zealand will nn doubt have noticed tlio splendid collection of plate presented lo the ship by the people of South Africa and will doubtless havo been surprised that so far no such presentation has heen made by the citizens of Wellington. I have waited dn vain for some abler pen than mine to voice what seems lo be the general opinion that such gift should be made, but it is evident: thai what is everybody's business is nobody's.

1 would therefore suggest that lln citizens of Weliiuglon, mid ,'>necinll> 1 lioso who lum: been so hospitably ''iilit Uiinod by ll'c captain and ofl'tri'!'-, pi<*

.•nil to the -hip m mom en "I lh,-ir \ i-.il to the capital of the Dominion; such nic-

mento to tako tho form of a pieco of plate, t liavo pleasure in enclosinß herewith my cheque to start a fund for t)w purpose,' and trust that; tlio matter will be taken up with enthusiasm.—l urn, etc., : ■ ■ 11UCK Ul 1 WELLINGTON. [Our correspondent encloses a cheque for .£1 Is. for (he purpose mentioned in his letter.]

"TRY OUT" AT RUGBY.

"JACK"' PLAYS TRAMWAYMEN. A Kugby match was ployed on Newtown Park yesterday botweeri fifteens representing 11.M.5. New Zealand and tho Wellington Tramways. The teams worn even- ' Iv matched, but the gnmo resulted ill a well-deserved win for tho man-o'-waTsmcn by 11 poinls to 8. For the winners, tries were scored by Hriiin, Tut bottom, mid Kichards, Marwond converting one, l'or I ho losers, if. Anderson and IJramley scored a try each, lironilcy converting on®. ■ jMr. W. .1. Meredith controlled the game. The visitors wero afterwards entertained by Iho Tramway !Social Club. BATTLESHIP JOTTINGS. As guests of the Wellington Verry Company, about 200 members of tho chip's company went across to Day's Bay, and spent an onjoyablo' tiiflo in tlio pavilion grounds, where sports and other amusements filled in tlic hoßrs of relaxation. List evening a parly of ISO men, and' some of tho officers, wero tho guests ot ,T. C. Williamson, Ltd., nt tho perform-, ance of "The Bluo Bird" at tlio Opera House. In tlio morning tho Mayor of-Mimmor (Sir. Hector M'Lcod) took a party of of* iicers on n motor tour of tlio peninsula.. This evening tlio engineer officers ol tlio "\va*ship 'will" bo tlio guests of tho Australasian Instituto of .Marino Engin* ecrs at dinner in the Instituto building.

It will bo remembered that at tlio lima, of tlio offer of tlio battle-cruiser to ' tlio, Imperial Government a children's penny : subscription list was started with thoobject of presenting a ship's Ix4l. Hun-; dreds of pennies rolled in from juvenik! supporters of the idea, but in tho moan-1 limo a ship's bell had been presented by] the Navy k«.po, Mr. U. Uustgato (km. general secretary of tlio Women's Patri-! otic League) now annonnops that it lin.i been decided by the oominitteo to present: a pair of silver kettle drums to tlio New Zealand. The delay in obtaining a suit-, able gift ill limq to lx> presented to tliobattleship while who. is in New Zealand, valors is owing to tho decision of tlio committee to defer tho matter of 'tho; selection until (ho arrival of tho New: Zealand, when tho captain Cfluld lio con-i suited. Aiding on behalf of the commit-; lee. Mr. Tlaslgalo has interviewed Capl.a's lLilsev, with the result staled above. Caj>« ! lain Jlnlsey explained tliat tho leaguo; coilld not give anything that would be appreciated more thnai a pair of drunlc." They are used on all occasions. The High Commissioner is lieing asked, to wleot th«i drums in London, and to liavo tliem suitably inscribed and presented. .;