THE GOVERNOR AT ST. STEPHEN'S SCHOOL.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 278, 3 May 1875, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR AT ST. STEPHEN'S SCHOOL.

His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by Lady Normanby, Lord Hervey, and his Honor the Superintendent and Mrs Rolleston, paid a visit to the Maori village at St Stephen's, near Kaiapoi, on Saturday morning. They were met on their arrival by the Rev J. Stack, and were welcomed by the natives in the usual Maori fashion. On entering the schoolroom, the children rose and sang a verse of the National Anthem. At the conclusion of the singing, Wm. Hopi, the head boy of the school, read the following address: — " To his Excellency the Marquis of Normanby, Governor of New Zealand— - We, the children attending St Stephen's Native school, desire most respectfully to tender you our congratulations on the occasion of this your first visit to the province of Canterbury, and our sincere thanks for your kindness in finding time to come and see us. We desire, through your Excellency, to give expression to the gratitude we feel to the Government of the colony in having provided us with such a nice school, and the means of learning as the children of the Pakeha, and we will endeavor by attention to our studies and obedience to our teachers to show that we are fully sensible of the advantages to be derived from acquiring an English education. We trust that your Excellency will occasionally visit us during your stay in New Zealar.d, and we sincerely hope that it may please God to bestow many years of health and happiness upon yourself and Lady Nor man by. '' We are your Excellency's obedient young servants, " W. Hopi, "Te Hiba Mutu, " Martha Pihawi, " And 25 others." The children were then examined in the subjects in which they have been instructed, after which they went into the playground where they were exercised in drill. His Excellency and Lady Normanby expressed themselves to Mr Reeds, the master, as being highly pleased with the proficiency displayed by the children, and, at his Excellency's request, two days' holiday was granted. The Maoris then came forward and presented an address of welcome to his Excellency and Lady Normanby. In reply, his Excellency said that it gave him great pleasure to see the advance made towards civili sation by the Maoris in this province. He was glad to see them availing themselves o the facilities afforded by the General Government for the education of their children, for without education, they could nevex hope to compete with Europeans. Mr Paratine then presented a petition from, a meeting lately held in Arowhenua, with reference to the «' Ngaitahu Land Claims." The natives then came forward to shaka hands, amongst whom were Hakopa Teata o Tu. Arapata Koti, Wiremu Te Uki, Wi Naehira, Tare Rangatira, and Henare Pereita. The church was next inspected, and Te Hira, the Rev George Mutu's little boy, played several hymn tunes on the harmonium very creditably while his Excellency and Lady Normanby were looking over the building. On leaving St Stephen's, the Maoris cheered their illustrious visitors very heartily,