THE ROYAL VISIT.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 134, 17 June 1901, Page 2

THE ROYAL VISIT.

THE ROTORUA GATHERING. A MEMORABLE EXHIBITION. I • THE GIVIN i OF PRESENTS -VALUED .a’ OVER £2OOO. £ PROMINENCE OF EAST COAST i NATIVES. t (Special to Times.) Auckland, Saturday night. * To-day the Duke and Duchess wero treated to an excellent exhibition of hakas and poi dancing by the different hapus. The Gisborne Natives, Ngatiporou, excelled all others. Never in tho annals of history has the Maori of Now Zealand performed' to such advantage, they ono and all having heart and soul in the work. Immediately tho Duke and Duchess arrived on the ground, Mrs Carroll, wifo of the Hon. Jas. Carroll, stepped forward and placed a valuable pigskin mat around the shoulder of the Duchess. She also fixed one of those rave kiwi mats on tho Duke’s shoulders. These mats were the property of Te Kani Pere, of Gisborne. Mr Carroll, who had a pigskin Maori mat across his shoulders, and a piupiu round his waist, made a grand general. He kept his men together splendidly. The Gisborne Maoris were repeatedly oncored, tho Duke and Duchess also applauding and demanding an encore. Mr Carroll would rush forward, and lead the men in real Maori war style. Wi Pere also worked assiduously in endeavoring to bring tho function to a successful issue. The Royal pair allowed tho Maori mats presented to thorn to remain on them until their departure for Auckland at midday. Their Hignesses were presented with numerous gifts, including a model of tho Maori canoe the Maoris had rowed in from Hawaiki, a Maori kowai, tailias, whalebone and greenstone meres, whalebone hutilris, and whalebone hoeroa. It is estimated that the total valuo of the gifts exceeds D2OOO. The East Coast Natives gave the most presents. Wi Pere and Heta te Kani, of Gisborne, presented a largo number of . gifts to the Royal pair. Te Kani Pere’s eldest [daughter, Puti, presented the Duke with a very expensive Maori mat. Among tho Gisborne Maoris who wero presented with medals from the Duke in recognition of this eventful occasion, which | will bo remembered as long as memory , lasts, were: Wi Pere (gold medal), To Kani (silver medal), Hota to Kani (silver J medal), and Houkamou (silver medal). | The Duke, in presenting the medals, I shook hands with each recipient, and ( thanked the Natives for their great kind- , ness in presenting him with such valuable . gifts. Of their meritorious performance j that day he would inform the King, and , he felt sure the King would be delighted. , Tho Duchess and himself, he said, had ' come a long way to see them, and what a j grand people they were. In conclusion, , he again thanked the noble race, kindly , and feelingly, for their expressions of loyalty. Mr Carroll stood by the Duke '. when returning thanks, and acted as interpreter.