A MAORI FAREWELL TO HIS EXCELLENCY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 245, 15 October 1874, Page 4

A MAORI FAREWELL TO HIS EXCELLENCY.

The chapter devoted to the microscopic despatches sent to Paris during the seige reads like a novel. At Tours the despatches were printed on a large sheet of paper capable of containing 300,000 letters. This sheet was then reduced to a photograph the size of an ordinary playing card, and proofs struck off on a pellicule of collodion, each weighing but " three-quarters of a grain ! " Tim proof was enclosed in a quill, or rather in a toothpick, and attached to the tail of a pigeon. Each pigeon, according to this reduction of letterpreß?, could carry the matter sufficient to Oil ten volumes duodecimo size. On arriving at Paris the despatch was magnified, and thus deciphered.

(From Te\ Waka Maori, October 6.)

Mt Friend— l send you the following fetter addressed by me to his Excellency the Governor, and bis answer thereto. Will you publish them in the Wdka Maori — From yoor friend, l] WIREKU KATENE. Wellington, Sept. 21, 1874.

To bis Excellency Sii James Fergusson, Governor of New Zealand. Long Ufe to you, your family, and to Lady'Fergusson.

This is a farewell letter from me to yon, . Though I am alone in Fort Nicholson, I will present this address on behalf of my people, and I beg yon to accept it as having emanated from the whole of the tribe of Ngapuhi. The hearts of those tribes rejoice because yon personally visited them in :theif'bwn districts, and gave them direct words of counsel and admonition —words, which are fixed in the hearts .of the people, and when they Jhear of .your speedy departure for England, tfiey will, no doubt, be sorrowful and grieve thereat. „ ; Althongh you are leaving you will not 1 havfl gone without having seen these tribes, and without having experienced the cordial reception afforded Jo, you . by your Maori people in the istrict of Hokiaoga when you visited Ithal. place. < And all troubles which 'have occurred during your presence in 'this country have been settled satisfactorily and quietly in obedience to -the dictates of the law.

John Clerk was sent to London to plead before Lord Chancellor Eldon in an important property cause. His Scottish accent was always the same , and under any circumstances be used the very broadest of Doric. In the course of his speech he pronounced the word " enough " enow. The Chancellor drily remarked, " Mr. Clerk, in England we sound the ough as uff— -enuff, not enow." " Vera well, my lord," said Clerk, "of this* we have said enuff j and I come, my lord, ioto what in England would be called pluff" land — a pluff land being as much land aa a pluffman can pluff in one day." The Chancellor was rather taken aback by the happy repartee, but soon recovered himself, and said, "proceed, Mr. Clerk, I now know enow of Scotch to understand your argument."

Thie now is the actual word of farewell, Go, with your lady and children, in peace end trsnquility; you are leaving New Zealand in the enjoyment '61; peace and prosperity. T^Gfo* in the performance of your duty jio bur most gracious Queen. Though you: may be separated from us by thou--Baftds of miles, we shall not cease to jrem^moer you-— : From your friend, " :.'■■!"' '; V V . ' " Wi Katene. " Wellington, Sept. 7, 1874.

The following . is the Governor's \ "anyßwerr-f- . ]

To the Hon. Wi Katene, M.H.R. j -r -Mtßzab Sib— l thank you heartily: -fdr-tbfc kind words of farewell which; Hod to me, a? representative of j your tribe and Parliamentary district.: The cordial reception which I met] "w&bwhen.l visited tbe Ngapuhi tribe! "and those Hying near it assures me tbatj '%Uey wilt. share .your friendly senti-j -jments towards qoe. i

I have been very happy to find; 'associated with me as Ministers, chiefs j ,pf distinguished tribes, who not only l take an honorable part in the General Government of the country, but coo-' tribuie-'effectively to the loyalty and; of the Maori population. ; tit is highly satisfactory to observe: -jthe increasing confidence of the Maoris in' the' Constitutional Government in ,which they take part along with the '.rest pfotb,e Queen's subjects in New r Zealand, and tneir disposition to look to the Government and to Parliament for the, satisfaction of their wants, knowing Ithai their ipterests receive a fair and, liberal' consideration. : Before long I trust that such confi-'-detj'ctftfill'exlend to all the tribes, who • "will gain much in wealth and comfort by trade and intercourse with tbe! Europeans. I hope that tbe rising ; generation ? wJH be educated so as to nißnapp: fbeir property prudently, and be fitted to take respectable places in Society.

I can assure yon that I shall all my life tak^e a Warm interest in New Zealand. I have seen enough of it to make me understand the difficulties that still attend its progress, but also to appreciate Jthej^bod qualifies of its people, both ; 'rfetirßs'Wd colonists. I shall {rejoice ''it* Vpeak favorably and hopefully of it. y^beo. you return to your .home I ask yoa to give yonr people my best r wishes for their welfare. I hope that; 'iatf'mll r loDg endure in their own 1 lands : in peace and prosperity. — I re.CWin- yours very faithfully, • • James 1 Feroussok, Governor. {HKjSepjLember 9, 1874.

The Brighton Aquarium now contains an earthen* bottle, or carboy, capable ofnoldiog about two gallons of water, and covered with serpbise, &c. On examination, when brought to tbe aquarium it was found to contain sn octopuß, which had deposited within it a mass of eggs, the number of which has been estimated by the naturalists of the institution at 40,000. The animal must . have squeezed itself through the neck of the bottle, which is only one and a half inches in diameter, and appropriated the dark interior as a cave, the entrance to which it could defend against intruders.

M Lissadier has published a most interesting volume on tne marvels of photography, and places us, as spectators, aCUhe first efforts of the art, made by Daguerre and Niepee in 1837, when the public bad so little belief iv their discovery as to bes tale to eubecribe a single franc towards placing it ■on a commercial basis. It was Arago, tbe asirouomer, that belpel them by securing them the assietance of the w Gdveromfint. The discovery was far from perfect. Portraits were impossible, as it was neceßaary for the object to .remain fifteen minutes in a darkened chamneiy and landscapes were only masses of black spots. In 1841 discovered those accelerating jSuiiatapcei which imparted to a surface of iodine the property of being impjawwdawilb •& image, in a few seconds.