THE ROYAL TOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1927, Page 4

THE ROYAL TOUR

[rtY TELEGRAPH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] the maoim address. ROTORUA. Feb. 28. 'The following is a translation of the address from the Maoris presented to the Duke of York at this mornings ecrem oi ii al w eleome. Seek them from the far horizon and draw them hither. Haerenmi! Haereluai! May it please your Royal Highness. Welcome, welcome, welcome. honourable welcome. Second of that name your Royal father bore, to this distant land a. generation ago, welcome. Thrice has Royalty deigned to honour our courtyard, to enter our humble house and to walk among us. It is good. Mbits is fulfilled that word we spoke on this ground to your elder brother, that those who govern this far flung Empire should walk and talk with its people’s in till its several parts and so understand and lie understood of them.

Come then in that spirit and trust wherein England appeals to the hearts of all races knitting them surely t<gethor in peace and good will. Welcome the messenger of the era to be when space and distance mav be made of small account when words and works limy encircle the globe as does the sun. so that no part of !ho Empire may brood in gloom and there conspire evil. Daughter of an honoured house, welcome, welcome.

Thus rlid that first Royal Duke appear before the eyes of our lathers with his lady. Welcome the second Duchess. Ha, is it a woman’s pc ice you bring? Woman's hands ami woman's Ictus have soothed the wounds of a warring world. Now woman strives for the peace ol God, an enduring peace, the peace whi -h pisses all understanding. Welcome then embodying the ever recurring hopes of mankind for a state in w ha i health, happiness and prosperity .shall prevail. There arc ruined homes to he built again, there are broken hearts to lie mended. There tire empty [daces to he peopled, there are waste plates to he turned into gardens. Como then with the Empire's call to all your kind to cement its foundations anew in seriousness, with patience ami I'orebearnnce. Welcome then Royal Son and August- Lady. We do not need to repo it vows already made to His Majesty the King and to his eldest, son. Loyally has become a tradition of the Mauri tribes of New Zealand who have come to know and to g.tltie the things for which the Crown stands. Tile generation which welcomed your Royal father has passed away and with it have gone many of the old time wavs and w isdoms of our people. How else could if he? Anton rb and 'J'e Waipounanui have become the common inheritance of your people and our people.

Welcome and farewell. Pass on to that larger land where awaits win' ultimate duty Lite dedication of yet 'another cornerstone in the proud < <T(ieo of the Empire.—Haora Ha, Ilaei'a Ru. AT ROTORUA. ROTORUA, Fob. 28. Glorious weather for the great day in Rotorua. The racecourse was crowded v i,l 1 1 many thousand ot Pakehas aid Maoris. A naval detachment of a couple of hundred from the Renown with the ship's band were accorded a great reception as they marched on to the course. The band played a selection helnre the Dina! arrival, to the delight of a huge tin 1ieneo. Various .Maoris parties ranged the front of the stand and when the Duke '.liid Duchess arrived llie scene was one of extraordinary enthusiasm .Messrs Coates. Rhodes, Bollard, 'Puma re and Williams represented Urn Ministry. Air Coates as Native Minister read iho Native address of welcome w hich was framed in a .Maori carving. Air Putnam interpret mg. Repmsontat ivos of the princi.fd .Maori tribes were then presented liy .Mr I’omare and each laid valuable mats and tiki gifts at the Ducal feet. THE DUKE’S REPLY.

M'lie Duke next delivered a reply as follows, Mr I’omare interpret ing.

“Tenakolou the Duchess und 1 .sincerely thank you for your address and 1 will communicate to the King, my lather, the message of loyalty and devotion to the Grown which it contains. Mho loyalty of tse Maori tribes is well known and was nobly shown by their services in the Great European War. Mite King anil Queen have not forgotten the time they spent among you. Mis Alaiesty retains the keenest interest in till that concerns your welfare, and lie will desire to

know of our reception among you. and of the change's there have been since bis visit. Changes must conic with time. But reliiin your tradition of loyally, courage and chivalry and all will bo well with you and your children. lam .specially touched by your kind words about the Duchess, which she gr-ntly appreciates. All that relates to the welfare of women and children is ever near her heart. As you I five said, it is good that those wlio live in different parts of the Empire should meet and talk with one another, so they may he knit together in closer understanding and sympathy. For this reason we welcome our visiL to von. We desire to see your life and customs for ourselves so that we may tell people in the Homeland, when we return. Wo thank you all for the welcome which you H.ive extended to u.s. We have greatly enjoyed seeing the wonders of your country of which wo have heard si> much and we shall bo sorry when our stay comes to an end. We wish you all happiness and prosperity in years to come. Kiaora.” ROTORUA. Fob. 28.

At tlie conclusion of the dances the line sof .Maoris ranged in thin trible Duke and Duchess walked through the lines of Maoris ranged in thin tribal groups singing farewell ditties, the whole scene being one of subdued excitement, fill the Royal visitors were -actually leaving the grounds, when acclamation broke out with renewed vigour, 'i he Ducal party then went to Arawa Park where the Duke unveiled a memorial to the Maori soldiers who fell in the Great "War. Afterwards a big deifchnient of returned Maori soldiers, headed liv the Renown’s band marched through the town to Ohinemutii where the naval men are to be entertained at lunch and shown the scenic wonders.

THE DUKE’S MESSAGE. AUCKLAND. Fob. 28. Before leaving tlie Renown the Duke of York handed the following message to the captain of the warship: "Before leaving the ship to begin our tour of New Zealand, the Duchess mud T wish to express to yourself, officers, and the ship’s company, cut' grateful thanks for all that has been done to make the journey stielt a pleasai one for us. We have thoroughly enjoyed it. and hope that the feeling is shared by till on board. W o realise that hard work has had to ho earned out under trying conditions, and wish to assure all on board that their labours are deeply appreciated by the Duchess, myself nnfl all those accompanying its.” Captain Sullivan read the message to the ship’s company assembled on the forecastle deck. It was enthusiasticallv received. MOTOR. TO TOKAANU. TOKAANIT, Fob. 28.

The Duke and Duchess of York’s journey from Rotorua to Toknnnu today was accomplished under ideal eonditons, with bright sunshine and clear skies in every direction, with just enough of a breeze stirring to temper tlie heat of the sun most agreeably. Added to this, yesterday’s rain had practically eliminated the dust nuisance. The road for the whole distance was in excellent order. Promptly at 2 o’clock a fleet of fifteen motor ears filed away from the Grand Hotel. Rotorua, a large crowd of people watching to catch a last glimpse of tlie Duke and Duchess. Both were clad in serviceable grey.

A police oar led. and then came the Royal car, followed by the members of the suite. The route gave the visitors an interesting example of the af-

forestation work on a massed scale, as miles of plantation, containing a million trees, were passed in the AVhnka area. Then the Kasngaroa Plain was traversed, occasional homesteads appearing. At the Reporoa Soldier Settlement and at each of the infrequent cross-roads there were little groups of settlers and their families, or parties of Maoris, intent upon a passing view of Royalty. The sacred mountain of Tauharc, now raised its bulk above the horizon, surmounted by its three cones, enclosing its volcanic crater, long since discharged from active sci-vic-e—possibly since the youthful cltD-s of the world, when To Ilka Maui had not yet become accustomed to the alterations of (lay and night, and was subject to cataclysmic imitations, where to'the many thermal activities of to-day remain along with fissures and faults in the earth's surface, to give evidence.

At M.-15 AA'airnkei was reached and n stay was made for afternoon tea. The Duke and Duchess visited a big bath in the hotel grounds, hut they could not look round the valley's natural wonders for lack of time. Mite road claimed the travellers again at o. Id for a thirty-odd miles' run. which took them quickly away from the drab sameness of the grey plain, with its background of grey hills east and south, with Alt. M’arawera’s mighty shoulders uplifted to the north, and the rugged hills shutting out the view to the west.

A brief halt was made at llttka Falls where the iourists gazed in wonder upon the turbulent rushing waleis, crowded into a narrow defile. The green waters were churned into ihc pool below. M'atipo was passed in gathering dusk, and the lake shore was skirted for most of the rest of the journey, except where the road followed an eerie, canyon-like out, through a ridge. M'his was the Earthquake A'alley. so named because it is particularly always subject to seismic unrest.

Alt. Ruapehu and Alt. Xgaruoelioo (with its: plume of steam showing clear against iho western sky) had been in 1 sight for some time, and the sunset effects on the mountains would have made an artist forswear all urban amenities and stay here and put them on convas, if he could. JN CAMP. 1 After crossing a bridge over the Tott- ' gitriri River the procession split tip. the ducal car continuing on. and the balance going to Tokaamt Hotel Camp, in which the Royal couple quarter with J their personal stall'. It is beautifully J situated in a lovely iorest glade, on | the hank of the Tongariro River. The shelters are all of canvas with wooden floors, and the little encampment is embodied in .he grove ol kowhai trees, | with a few mighty kahikateas (white [pines) rising sentinel-like about them, j while the whole is environed by other j native luish. The snot is completely | sequestered, and it lies about six miles from the hotel, which is the only one ; near the sett lenient. | The sight which met the eyes of the : Royal visitors when they reached the j camp, about S.iiO p.ni. was a welcome one after their strenuous day. In Iho I middle of the glade, opposite the door | of their particular lent, blazed a huge : lire of logs, sending out a bright ruddy ! glare upon the verdue all around, so I that it appeared to he a pity the 0100I trie light had been installed to spoil j the sylvan simplietv of the scene. No j time was lost in settling in this tem--1 pointy home. Dinner was served, and : after a brief fontemplation of the pear lid scene, so far removed from tint .maddening crowd, the visitors retired to rise fresh in Iho morning lot fishing in the Tongariro River. TOKAAXU. AI a reli U M'he morning was line, hut cloudy and favourable for the Ducal Party's j trout fishing tit M'angariro. An early ! start was made as it is intended that good sport should lie assured.