THE ROYAL VISIT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 14 June 1901, Page 4

THE ROYAL VISIT.

[pub press association.]

Mercer, June 12,

The Royal party embarked in the train at 10 o’clock amid great cheering. The train arrangements wore perfect. The order of the train was—The Ministerial car next to the engine, containing the Premier, Mrs Seddon, Ruby Seddon, Stewart Seddon, Ward, Vincent Ward, Eileen Ward, Mills, Mrs Mills, and M'Gowan. The next car—The Governor and suite. The fourth car—Household and staff, as follows Lady Lygon. Lady Coke, Hon. Mrs Derek Keppel, Ladies in Waiting; Lord Wenlock, Lieut-Coloncl Sir A. Bigge, Commander Sir Charles Cust, Hon. Derek Keppell, Rev. Canon Canon Dalton, Sir John Anderson, Sir Donald Wallace, Commodore Winsloe, Commander Godfrey Fawcett, Major Rdr, Captain Viscount Crichton, and Duke of Roxburgh, Dr Mauby and Mr Sydney Hall, artists for the press, were in the carriage next, and the van with the Constables. The whole was preceded by a pilot train in which was the small Ministerial party,

All along the route the townspeople and outlying settlers lined up at the stations, and wherever there was a settlement they gave a British cheer as the, train passed. The Maoris were in no way behind in this. At Mercer, the first stopping place, the Maori men, women anti children assembled, and, led by a chief, performed an impromptu haka on a small scale, and having expressed in Maori their loyalty and love to the thronej“for ever and over,’ gave three hearty cheers in British tar fashion, “Hurrahing” with a lustiness that could not well be exceeded.

Nothing of importance occurred between Frankton and Rotorua, save that a drenching rain set in, which marred the proceedings seriously. As the Royal train reached Rotorua platform, a perfect hullaballoo assailed the visitors. This was the genial but noisy welcome of tho assembled tribes of the North Island, numbering 'IOOO in all. Mahuta’s people were not represented, except by a few individuals, who were unofficially present.

When tho train pulled up Capt. Mair (who is in charge of the Maori camp) Oapt. Turner, Chairman of tho Town Council, and several leading chiefs in native costume came forward and the Governor introduced Capt Turner, the two chiefs of tho Aroha tribe, Te Heu Hcu, and Te Keepa Eaugipuawke to His Highness.

Miss Dorothy Turner presented tho Duchess with a fine bouquet. Meanwhile the Maoris about the platform, in native and European costume, sang songs of welcome and danced. The men waved tahues and the women branches of greenery, and all were frantic in their joy. There was a mouctfd escort of Wairarapa rifles (Maoris) and European volunteers from Opotiki, Tauranga, Tepuke, Whakatane, and Rotorua. Rain and the approaching darkness marred the effect and their Highnesses without delay were driven to the Grard Hotel, accompanied by the military escort. There a gathering of the clans was unique and of unusually happy significance, for assembled together were men who in but comparatively recent times fought against each other or fought with and against tho Government forces. Hoary headed, gnarled and picturesque warriors, who had fought against the British from 1845 to 1871, now assembled to welcome the heir to the Crown against which they had levelled all their hatred, and tho subjects of which they had often ruthlessly slaughtered. Here among the frantically joyful assemblage, which represented tho old state of things and the new in combination, Their Royalties were enabled to understand at a glance the fitree savagery i i the earlier days of tho first attempt at settlement and refcelUou, and the blessings which the Treaty of Waitangi and subsequent beneficent rule had brought about. Fitree looking warriers, brandishing spear and battleaxo in joyous greeting of the Duke and Duchess, mingled with native, gentlemen in well cut, fashionable, up-to-date garments, surmounted by bell-top-pers, and native women, fat, sleek and haopy in their now peaceful lives. Even some of the ferocious Hau-Haus who had participated in the brutal murder of Volckner at Opotik', and in the Povcrt/ Bay massacre, were now eager to proclaim to the Heir Apparent their affection and devotion to the crown. ‘ For ever, for ever, for ever,” for ake, ake, ake closed every Maori loyal exclamination. Tho following is the natives’ address to Their Highnesses at Rotorua:— Welcome 1 Welcome! 0 son, to these isles, Aotearoa and Waipounamu. Welcome to Maoriland, and welcome thou who art of the blood, the emblem of the mana and majesty of the Empire under whose benign rule wo are proud to abide. 0 Royal daughter of Princes, joined to him who is the son of our lord, the King. We likewise greet you. Wo heard with our ears, and hoped that wo might see. Now we see with our eyes, and rejoice that this thing has come to pass in our day and generation. This is a great day, a day that will live in tho memory of our race while God I ormits them existence. Yet is it a day' of mourning. We mourn the great queen to whom our fathers ceded by treaty sovereignity over these Isis, and who was the guardian of our rights and liberties from that time until she slept with her fathers. Tho humblest children, alien in blood, yet kin by law and allegiance, mourn the loss of the mother who sought good for high and low alike, who loved peace, that by peace among her peoples they might yet rise higher in greatness, fcihe was all that our fathers knew in her day. Her name is the gift they bequeathed ere they passed away, 0 mother, to thy rest with the mighty dead who went before thee.

Welcome, welcome, welcome, in the name of the King, your father, we hail the new King in your person. He has succeeded to the Throne of his mother to be our Chief, our Lord, our Sovereign.

Here in the presence of His Eoyal Highness wa renew our oath of allegiance. We confirm the ac‘s of our fathers, who gave all to Queen Vic'oria and her successors. Hear, O ye people, to-day. We make a new treaty—new, yet old, inasmuch as wo confirm the old, to which we but add expressions of continued loyalty from our generation, and pray that our Sovereign and our white brethren may give us of their strength to live and thrive with them and among them. Hear, 0 Prince ! hear 0 Princess from the far ends of the earth and remote Hawaiki across the great seas of Kiwa. You have come to see these lands and peoples. If is well, for by so doing you have drawn closer the bonds of love which doth knit us sll together. Welcome and farewell, farewell ! since you must pass on. It is enough that we have seen. We wish you a safe return to our King and and his Queen, from whoso presence you have come to gladden our eyes in this most distant part of the Empire.

London, Juno 13.

The newspapers commenting on the Cornwall’s visit to New Zealand refer to the spontanuity and intensity of the enthusiasm, the freshness and impromptu features at each stage.