To the Editor of the Maori Messenger.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 493, 4 January 1851, Page 3

To the Editor of the Maor i Messenger.

Sir, — In your paper of the 12th Sept., you noticed the anival in Auckland of the two splendid pictures of the Royal Family, presented by Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, to Kingi, Hori te Waru, and Hoani Papeta Kahawai, Chief's of Rangiaohia, Waikato, I now beg leave to enclose to you for insertion in your journal, a copy of the replj of Te Waru <o Her Majesty the Queen, acknowledging the receipt oi a letter fiomthe Gover-«or-in-Chief, enclosing a portion of a Despatch from Earl Grey, in reference to the above pictures. Your maori readers will be glad to hear of the safe arrival of the pictures at Rangiaohia on Monday last, the 9th inst. The arrival of the jdctures caused very much excitement amongst the native tribes at R.mgiaohia. On the arrival of a messenger from the party who were bringing up the pictuies, saying that they had entered the Waipa River, a meeting of the Rangiaohia tribes was called by Te Waru, at which several speeches were made in which the Chiefs expressed their very great satisfaction at the present forwarded to them by Her Majesty, also their attachment to the British Government, and to the Representative of lie- Majesty, Sir George Grey. The Chiefs also expressed their Jjope th/ifc as the Queen had thus been pleased to honour them, the Rangiaoliia tribes would adopt the customs of Europeans, and that their young men on visiting Auckland would not tlisgiace them by committing ofl'ences against the law. The canoe conveying the pictures entered the Mangapiko River, snd remained during the sabbath a litt'e below Olawhao. On Monday morning the natives in charge pulled up the Mangapiko, and landed fto use their own term) "the Queen" a little below the Rangiaohia mill. From that place it was conveyed to Karangapaihau, the case was theie opened and the upper picture taken out for Hoani Papeta Kahawae, and exposed to view amidst the cheers of the Europeans and Natives. The case was then closed up, and Warn directed his party to remain there with it until he tent up a flag to meet it. Alter waiting for some time the flag arrived. It was a large shawl tied to a long pole. The case was then conveyed on the shoulders of the natives, preceded by the colorbearer and followed by the Europeans, to Te Warus house, wliere it was reopened, and the picture taken out and exposed to view amidst the repeated cheers of the assembled Europeans and Aborigines. I had no idea that the Aborigines would place so high a value upon these presents from Her Majesty. The pictures have since been placed for safety, the one belonging to Te Waru, at my house at Olawhao, and the one belonging to Kahawai, at the house of the French Priest, ■ at Rangiaohia, I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, John Morgan.* O/awhao, Dec. 12th 1850.