EXHIBITION OF NEW ZEALAND NATIVES IN ENGLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 13 February 1863, Page 4

EXHIBITION OF NEW ZEALAND NATIVES IN ENGLAND.

[From tbe Aucklander, January 30.] Notices have lately been going the round of the papers, of the intention of a Mr. Jenkins who, it appears, was a Native interpreter many years ago, to take with him a party of New Zealand chiefs, who are desirous of seeing England, and who are to assist in making New Zealand known in England, by illustrating the lectures which Mr. Jenkins is to give. We transfer to our paper the latest revelation of this intention. It appears the Ida Ziegler is the vessel to bo selected for the passage of this party of chiefs to England, and that Sir George Grey and Mr. Dillon Bell are favorable to the scheme. We have no doubt of this whatever ; and more than this, we doubt whether Mr. Jenkins is anything more than a tool in their hands. The notice which wo give in this paper enumerates the names of those chiefs who, it is said, are desirous to visit England. It would have been more in accordance with truth if it had been stated that it was desirable that they should visit England. For we believe they know very little about it. One of them, a Kaipara chief, stated that he was aware that it was printed in the newspapers, that he was going to England, but that was all he knew about it. Ho had never said he wished to go, nor had he been asked to go. We apprehend that this is the case with the majority of them. But Sir George Grey aud Mr. Bell have L 50,000 at their disposal to carry out their views ; and it is not a bad scheme to spend a few thousands of it in mating a few Maories their mouth-piece in England. We have no doubt those chiefs will learn to recite the songs which were composed in honor of Sir George Grey, and that something will be done in England to counterbalance the loss of prestige occasioned by the abortion of his schemes in New Zealand.