MAORI GATHERING AT PETANE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4190, 27 December 1884, Page 2

MAORI GATHERING AT PETANE.

Pursuant to invitation, Colonel the Hon. Sir George Whitmoro, accompanied by Mr J. Sheehan, and Major Richardson, proceeded to the Petane pah on the afternoon of Christmas Day. Included in the party were several ladies, and residents of Napier and Petane, Mr Villers' four-horse coach being placed at their disposal. Sir George Whitmorc, Mrs Richardson, and Mrs Sheehan, wero driven over by Major Richardson in his carriage, and this was followed by the four-horso coach, three or four buggies and some horsemen. The occasion of the invitation was the visit of the Uriwera natives, our bravest foes during the Maori war, who desired to express their goodwill to tho leader of the colonial forces, that devasted the valleys of the Uriwera country in 18G9. On approaching the Petane river, a number of natives, gathered on the other side, shouted their cries of welcome, and four men, naked but for a small loin cloth, and armed with meres, stepped down to tho water's edge. As soon as Major Richardson's carriago had crossed the river, the river, tho " reception " commenced. The four naked Maoris stooped down, yelled, quivered their meres, stuck out their tongues, and otherwise accorded tho highest honors known and practised in the upper circles of Maori savagedom. They then proceeded slowly in front of the loading carriago till they were joined by others, and the same sort of h'aka was" repeated. Four contingents of these heralds successively joined forces till, approaching the pah, they joined a crowd of similarly non-attired natives who wero squatted on tho ground. Largonumbers of other natives, more or less in the garb familiar to Europeans, were around the u-harcs shadowed by willows and fruit trees, and a very picturesque scene was presented as Sir George Whitmoro and the ladies alighted, and were welcomed in tho true Maori style of waving blankets, &c., to the cry of " Earaemai, hasremai /" The European visitors having been led to tho appointed place were accommodated with chairs, and mats spread on the ground. One of tho chiefs then spoke a few words, and instantly the body of natives in undress gave a hnka, such as only can be given by Maoris who have had little or no intercourse with the effeminising influences of civilisation. The haha concluded, the speeches of welcome commenced by Kereru, the chief of tho Uriwera, a splendid specimen of the

old Maori, who said, Salutations to you, Whitmore ; welcome great soldier who formerly came to us to kill us ; welcome now that you come to disarm us by kindness. All people in this country are now of one race ; old ideas have passed away, and tho Maori and the Pakeha travel on the same path. You have come to sco those you once fought against; it is right; you have come in peace. Raku-Raku, after speaking words of welcome, said he opposed the English at Waitara (1800), and had fought against them until the Government made peace with the Maori King. The King having made peace Te Kooti could fight no more, thus it was the Uriwera wore at Petane that day. He was glad to most so distinguished a soldier as Whitmore. Whcnuanui and Gru followed in similar strains, and then a one-legged native from Waikato, and who supported himself on a crutch, came to the front, and said he had fought against the Pakeha through the war, and'had lost his leg in fair fight. He then sang a song, which he concluded by a flourish of his stump. Te Whaka Pongo, on behalf of thePetano natives, after welcoming his visitors, said that he had formerly served under Whitmore, but he was the first of his race who had followed the Pakeha to make peace with Te Kooti. It now remained for him to shake hands and make peace with Whitmore, whom he was glad to see, the more so in the presence of the Uriwera?, whose visit to Petane was a sign that ail hostile feelings had died. Therefore it was that the Government and the King having made peace, tho Maori people had come to make peace with the people of the Pakeha. He was glad io sco vteitprs from Napier who would be abic'to judge from that meeting how well disposed the two races were to? wards each other, Te Whaka Pongo then placed a whalebone mere as a presentation on the ground in front of Sir Goor^o. PaoraToki expressed his gratification at the meeting, and referred to the Unweras present as the survivors of the many battles the tribe had fought.

Henare desired to thank Sir George Whitmore for visiting them, and said at one time he was the veryTast man they would wish to have seen. Ho then presented a handsome kaka feather mat to Sir George, and concluded by hoping that t)mr& would be no more misunderstandings, but that just laws would .cement the two races and make them one people. One or two other chiefs having spoken, Sir George Whitmore rose from his chair and was invested with the mat and the

mere, and spoke as follows, Mr Shcehan acting as interpreter : — Salutations. I heard that you, tho chiefs and men of Uriwera, were here, and was

pi-id to learn that you wanted to meet me. Yuur welcome has been very kind, and I am much pleased to meet tho representatives of the bravest tribe that fought against the Queen during tho war. Tho Pakehas can always admire the bravery and en-

duranco of their enemies. Happily tho war is over ; peace has taken tho place of troubles. There is nothing to be done now but to see which of the two races inhabiting this country can excel in virtue, and in the promotion of true happiness. I am a I member of Parliament, and a supporter of the present Government, whose policy is to preserve peace, to make roads and railways that the country may prosper. It is for you to help in this matter. I was one who agreed with the pardoning of Te Kooti, and I said then, as I say now, that all persons should be pardoned who wore engaged in that war. Although I was a member of Parliament at that time, and opposed to the general policy of the Government of that day, I agreed with that one act. I am now "extremely glad to meet you on the platform of peace, knowing that at one time we were fighting each other. lam txhiA also to meet Poihipi's relation (the one-legged man). I have nothing more to say than that all that concerns yo:.- welfare shall ever have my earnest attention.

Mr J. Sheehan then addressed a few words to the natives, and thanked them for the reception given to the European visitors. A general hand-shaking followed, and thoUriweras were refreshed with tea and bread, Sec. After this one or two hnkas were danced, and after a few farewell words the Europeans clustered together and gave three cheers for their entertainers. Thus ended a very pleasant afternoon.