KING TAWHIAO.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 64, 27 January 1883, Page 3

KING TAWHIAO.

Wednesday was a great gala day with | the Maoris at Awahuri, every possible •effort being put forth, by our colored neighbors there to do the utmost honor tfo the Chief of Chiefs. During the day, and as late as eight o'clock in the evening, the Europeans from all parts of the •surrounding district poured into the pah (by ihmndreds, and the sight was one not 'Soon to be forgotten. Early in the aftermoon a procession of the local Natives, making oorne peculiar noises, but all in ;pex£ect order, marched to the king's tern{poijary residence, built specially for his entertainment, and brought with them a oaKiber of (presents, among whic l » werej •large quantities of money in .fine shape of) •bank notes tied on sticks. These were ' ilaid down at the feet of the jqyul visitor, ' with, apparently so .much tcoolness andj ■uaconcern on the part of either -the givers j tor the J»ceiver, that it was pretty ; &uch presentations were a perfectly un- ! •derstood thing, in the enclosure front- j ang the I» rjje meeting house was -.ilgo ai •Luge pile of provisions, including about ;5 tons of flour and nearly as much of po- i itatoes, together >w.ith .a quantity of 1 .tea, sugar, -duied eels, &c. These, we •understood, vwe*e presents lo T&wskiao avid his .followers, and would be sent on •to head quarters. His .Majesty was ; seated ihe whole df .the day on the ifloor •of his little .palace, where most of the 'pakeha visitors visited him, and amoi^ •these we noticed .a great many ladies. Jt appeared to .give him .much plea .sure, fto*ee and -shake 'hands with so .many •white jpeojple, although he could not conwerse with them as he seems as .much a stranger to the •" Queen's English" as to .-algebra nts At. We wore -specially mtro•duced by his interpreter, and on telling .him that .the <white people wero very to see .him, lie heartily reciproeaitedthe compliment, and on further ata'tiingithat.it waa.ho ed his visit would itend •to strengthen ihe iriendly relations 'existing between £he two races, he irejplied vthat.thut <waß 'the lohject ior which he ihad'Come, and that .he wanted ithe <of the Kuini and his own to be one. At •5 o'clock a .haka was .govern by his own imen, and .presumably :it was given in jmagnificent-stye, ff one may judge from athe .intense inlerest .the.visiting and local .Natives manifested. {Then followed **' prayers," " crying," and other ceremomies of Maotidom generally practised on ; state occasions. These were kept up >by ithe till a late .hour '©f the might by the light of ihuge .fires ignited if or the purpose. Thursday's proceedings <consist«d. chiefly of a .lepetition of those ♦of itbe'day before, and a large number of j)eople visited the pah, actuated no doubt Iby theifact that "live kings" are scarce, .-and .that an opportunity of .feasting one's. *eyes with a sight of " royalty " .is not <one of every day -occurrence.