PRESENTATION TO NATIVE CHIEFS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1440, 28 April 1905, Page 2

PRESENTATION TO NATIVE CHIEFS.

LETTER FROM LORD BANFURLY

The Hon. Jamas Carroll is in receipt from His Excellency Lord Banfurly of 13 beautiful ailver medals: to be presented to leading Maori chiefs throughout the colony as mementos of the trip mado through the Urewera last year by the late Governor. The medals are oblong in shape, designed from a crest that has been in the Eanfurly family for a lengthy period. On the medals are the words: Buatoki, March 16th, 1904, “ Moveo proficior,” Banfurly Governor 1897 to 1904, together with the following inscription in Maori: “ Hei whakamaharatanga ki to Hui nui na tetahi hoa Pono o te iwi Maori.” Hi 3 Excellency sends the accompanying letter, which will bB read with interest: — “ Northland House, “Dungannon, “ County Tyrone, “Ireland.

" January 20th, 1904. ‘ My friends, greetings. “I send but a small and insignificant ioken as a remembrance of the time passed

in Tuhoeland

“ Never shall I forget yonr grand forests, mountains and rivers, or the hospitality and kindness of my Maori friends. “ Though the sea of Kiwa separates us, still my spirit now is with you, and I look back with deep interest to that memorable meeting of the 16th March, 1904, of our serious talk of what would be the best for your people, of tho development of your land, of the building of suitable whores for your sons when they married, of the edur cation of your children, and of preparing them to take a place not behind those of their pakeha fellow countrymen. “ Believe me, that the interest I took in you then is not one jot abated by the distance that separates us. May this smal token remind you of rue, and of the years made pleasant to me by your loyalty and goodwill. To your Sovereign I gave in person the message that you sent him, and he expressed his pleasuio at the same ; to the Prince of Wales,., who as Duke of York visited you, I also personally expressed your friendship and good feelings, and he, as well as His Majesty, showed the deepest interest in your raoe and your welfare. “ Farewell for the present, ray friends, and though out of eight may t still be in your minds. " Yours sincerely,

“ BANFUBLY.”

Besides the medals sent to the native chiefs, Lord Banfurly also forwarded mementos of the trip-to the.Hon* James Carroll, Major Mair, and Dr Pomare.