FAREWELL ADDRESSES TO THE GOVERNOR.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 803, 24 December 1853, Page 3

FAREWELL ADDRESSES TO THE GOVERNOR.

We have much pleasure in publishing a number of A dresses presented within the last few days to Sir George Grey, on (lie occasion of bis leaving the colony for England. Next to the consciousness of having done his duly to bis Sovereign and to the people, both European and Native, over whom he has for eight years ruled as Her Majesty's Representative, must, we think, bein His Excellency’s estimation these assurances that his able, zealous, and unremitting efforts have heenapprecialed,—coming as theydu from quarters (behest informed on (he matters to which they refer, and the most free from all liability to any just suspicion of insincerity. Even had we more space at our disposal for the purpose than we can command this day, we should feel that it would he out of place to add anything on our part to the testimonies here borne to His Excellency’s exertions on behalf of some of the highest and noblest interests amongst those confided to his charge. We therefore subjoin such of the Addresses as we have up to the present obtained copies of.

The following Address was presented on Monday by (he Bishop of New Zealand (who read it (o His Excellency) and the clergy whose, names are appended lo it.

To His Excf.tlf.nct Sm George Grey, K.C.B. Govebnor-in-Chief op New Zealand. Christinas, 1853. Auckland, New Zealand. May it please your Excellency, — r i he Clergy of the Church of England, at present in the neighbourhood of Auckland, wish to express to your Excellency, on the occasion of your departure for England, their sincere respect for you personally, and their grateful sense of the truly Christian and enlightened principles which you have always advocated and acted upon in your intercourse with aboriginal races generally, and the Native population of this country in particular.

It would be out of place in ns as Ministers of religion to express any opinion about your Excellency’s political government of the colony, further than to acknowledge the prosperous state in which you leave the colony as contrasted with that in which you found it. But we wish to recognise with thankfulness the principle of Equality on which your Excellency has acted towards every denomination of Christians in matters connected with education. Believing ns we do that the only sound and fair principle consists in aiding each Body according to its numbers, wants, and exertions, we are glad to be allowed this opportunity of thanking your Excellency for having successfully pursued that policy in this portion of the British Empire. And in conformity with this principle, we would also thank you for the efforts you have made as an individual and private member of the Church of England, to obtain for our Church the same freedom of deliberation and administration of its own affairs as is enjoyed by every other denomination in the colony.

We would only further pray that Almighty God may grant you a favourable voyage home, and bestow all temporal and spiritual blessings on Lady Grey and yourself. And we rejoice to think that whatever post of duty your Excellency may hereafter be called to, you will exercise the authority entrusted to you, for the glory of God, the furtherance of the Gospel of Peace (which this holy season more peculiarly reminds us of) and the social, moral, and religious improvement \of the people committed to your charge. G. A. New Zealand, Octavius Hadfield, Archdeacon of Kapiti, Charles John Abraham, Archdeacon of Waitemata, G. A. Kissling, Minister, St. Barnabas, Auckland, William Charles Dudley, Clerk, John Frederick Lloyd, Minister of St. Paul’s, Auckland, Vicesimus Lush, Minister of All Saints, Howick, Frederick Thatcher, Minister of St. Matthew’s, Auckland, John Morgan, Otawhao, Waikato, Arthur Guyon Purcuas, Minister of St. Peter's. Onehunga, William Leonard Williams, Tanranga, J. A. Wilson, Missionary, Auckland, A. Stock, Charles Baker, Waiapu, Edward 11. lleywood, St. John’s College, 11. \V. St. Hill, Minister, of St. Mark’s, Reraucra.

His Excellency replied as follows ; Your Lordship, and Reverend Gentlemen, — That you should address me in such affectionate terms upon the occasion of my return to Europe cannot but be highly gratifying to me as Go-vernor-in-Chief of these Islands. Such expressions of esteem from the Bishop of New Zealand and the clergy of his diocese are most honourable to me, as a friend of yours they are very valuable to me, and as a lay member of the Church of England, I regard them as constituting one of the highest rewards I could receive. I have long believed that if, as an Empire spread to almost boundless limits, it rested its control over the nations, successively adopted into it, upon their fears or compelled obedience, it became but weaker and weaker as it spread, and that before long a time must arrive when from very vastness it must fall into fragments; whilst upon the other hand 1 believed, that if, as it spread its dominion, it spread also equal laws, the Christian faith, Christian knowledge, and Christian virtues, it -would link firmly to itself by the ties of love and gratitude each nation it adopted, thus strengthening as It spread, and rendering its dominion an object rather sought for than impatiently submitted to. 1 further believed if an attempt was made in New Zealand to deal with a Native Race upon purely Christian principles, that instead of finding myself a single man, governing with doubt and difficulty a great and turbulent country, I should find myself one of it large body of Christian men all united in the bonds of a common friendship, and all earnestly and zealously labouring for it common end, the means to'which were so clearly understood by all, that hardly a direction became necessan, each one knowing almost instinctively what was his share ill the common task, and doing it with all bis heart and will.

In these expectations I was not mistaken, and' it is with pleasure I remember that it was in close and friendly co-operation with so many other men that all my ditties in New Zealand have been performed. Being a member of the Church of England, I fear to appear to boast of what its exertions in this part of the* world have been, but I cannot but believe that the exertions and labours of the Bishop and Clergy of the Church of England, in New Zealand, in the early stages of its existence will, when contemplated by the future historian, be regarded with love and veneration, and that I shall be thought, as I undoubtedly have been,, fortunate and happy in the extreme to have had the pleasure and advantage of constant intercourse with, and of never ceasing assistance from such men. In my absence from this country I will do my utmost in all respects to promote the interests of the branch of the Church of England established in New Zealand, labouring as one" who would if he could repay the vast debt of affection and gratitude which he owes to you. Lady Grey begs me to assure you that; she unites with me in feelings of fond and respectful attachment, to the Church of England, to its Bishops and Clergy, and in feelings of warm gratitude to you for the prayers you have offered up, and for the wishes you have expressed in our behalf. G. Ghkv. Government House, Auckland, „» . December 19, 1053. The following are (he Translations of Farewell Addresses to Sir George Grey from (lie Native tribes of the Waikato. They have been presented to His Excellency by Deputations of Natives: Tukupoto, Dec. 16, 1553. How great is the pain of our hearts in consequence of our Governor going to a distant land. The grief of the heart commences with the rising of the sun since we heard the tidings of his proposed visit to England. We are therefore endeavouring to ascertain the reason why this Taniwhao Governor, Sir George Grey, should tear himself from us. We thought, indeed,.that you would have remained in this land as a father for us. On your arrival in this island the rain was beating, and the wind blowing fiercely, and then you lifted up you.i voice to calm the raging elements, b Cease from your strife ye wintry blasts And let our isle be free; Then Western airs shall fan the land, And Southern airs the sea. And darkness shall be seen no more To lift its gloomy form; And light-winged clouds shall giM the sky And calm succeed the storm.

Go, O Father, to England, and may the Divine Being preserve you while you are voyaging on the great sea. When yon go into the presence of Queen Victoria, and inquiries are made by her [respecting us natives], say that we are blessed with peace owing to the good governors she has sent us. If you are requested fco return hither, O father, then come back to us, your children whom you have left in a state of uneasiness. Do not leave beyond [the sea] the basket wh ch contains the great or good speeches; c Go, oh Father, to England, and the Lord preserve you and our good Bishop while crossing the sea. O Father, come thou back to us in company with our good Bishop. This is our song for you and our good Bishop, who is going hence : I sit in Solitude and vaguely look about me As the tribes, in companies draw round to speak Their thoughts, for the loved one, who was ever nigh. Whose presence lighted up iny countenance And filled my heart with joy, comes not again, Hew restless are my nights I I sleep not When I lay me down, for this poor fluttering Heart is ever wakeful. I would that there were sharped edged Stones d within my reach to cut in curves The skin, and show the friend, far, far Removed from this the love I fear him. Tis he that makes me great. Thou will be carried forth to Kawa's Heights and dews shall drop upon thee. Hews that drop upon the mountain shrubs Of Wairoa. Thou wilt also bestow Thy fond embrace to other friends, to those Who dwell upon the Otu hills, a Go Fattier I Go soaring on the winds That drives tire vessel hence, and Leaves us here to battle with the foe ; Otarakiteawas fall / has tied thee To another land,—not ours. This is a song of love to the Governor from the assembled Chiefs : When Hineuru g leaves, my whole Employment then will he to guard The entrance of the house at Kapu. hj

This is another. There will be an earthquake in the land, O Governor, when you depart. Or why do you go, O Governor?— there will be much when you leave. Ruaimoko, i hold thou the land, bind the land, that no eyeballs be turned up in defiance. k

There is another prayer to bring back the dead to life. Thy limbs are stilT; thy life is fled And thou Art now among the dead. I But nerve unite lo nerve again, And flow thy blood within each vein. And Oh, his valued life restore. And give him back to us once more ; That he our fattier still may prove. The fervour of our growing love.

The following is a song for Tuohimgia, an ancient Pounanui *.— The Morning’s sacred glow is seen beyond— The morn that found the people watching For the foe. And while they slept The friend amused himself and went His way. Ve who are slumbering yonder Awake! Tuoh* leaves us; He’s Going to the heavens. What evils Now await ns! But even if Ve had cut yourselves in grief Vc would not catch the passing shadow Of the brave one who is my treasure. Hone Te Paid, eldest son of Wctere Te Paki, stood up and said ; Yes. Let this meeting make known its unanimous wish to keep Governor Grey. The ashes of our fathers are in the tombs, and he has witnessed their deaths. Te Riepa is dead, Mare is dead, Hori Takiwam is dead, and Wetere, te Paki is dead, with chiefs of Waikato, As a token of my affectionate regard, I send Governor Grey a Ileitiki m named Perau, This was left us by our fathers as a remembrance of them. This is my song for the gift handed down to me by our ancestors : These arc O Ilika as our knees Or ancle bones. Like household gods We hide them in the roof. And this is my song of affection for Governor Grey ; The fog is spread along the sky Why hangs it there? My tears flow on as if my eyes were Springs of water, while my spirit Unites itself to his, Tiie number of persons who attended this meeting amounted to one hundred and forty, and the words of this meeting are : “ Father come back to us whom you have left in grief, or whom you leave in their grief. These are the names of some of the Chiefs who attended the meeting, we cannot write them all down. Riwai Te Mokorou, Pukewhau, Tuhikitia, Karaka Taniwha, Wiremu Poukawa, Iharaira Te Ngohi, Te Weteni Taiporutu, * Hone Wetere Paki, Reihana Paukaw, a, Paora Tuhua, Ta Kerei Te Ran Warena Nganaha, Karaka Hiko, Te Teira Kono, Taneti Paeturi, Hocra Toauui, Karaka Te Au, Tipcni Tahatika. Go, O Father, and return to us all. a Taniwha is a god and applied only to the most powerful Chief. The allusion to Sir George Grey is exceedingly complimentary. b This is a very beautiful allusion to the disturbed state of Mew Zealand on the Governor’s arrival, and to the immediate results of his administration in quelling the rebellion. c This sentence refers to the Governor being a man of ability and sound judgment. d This is in reference to a custom among the New Zealanders cutting themselves with stones and shells, thereby causing the blood to gush from this self inflicted torture. It is expressive of the deepest emotions of the heart. e England is meant. f This may very likely mean that some acts of the Natives have displeased Sir George Grey in consequence of which he leaves New Zealand. K Hineuru—a distinguished personage of old—it here means Sir George Grey. hj This quotation from an old'song may have two meanings. Ond is, that when Governor Grty has gone,—that troubles will arise and the lime will be taken up in guarding their homes;—another is.Jihat a spirit of indifference will pervade the minds of the native population, Sir Georgs Grey not being here to stimulate them to industry, they will lounge about the doors of their houses. i Ruaimako is a god said to re'side in the bowels of the earth and has great power. Whdn a shock of earthquake is felt it is said to be Ruaimoko turning himself in his bed. It refers here to the influence of the Governor. j In time of war the more determined parties brandish their weapons and mm up »),eir eyeballs so the white of the eye only is seen. ( This state of things has passed away and Sir G. Grey is alluded to as the author of the present peaceable state of New Zealand. I The object mourned over is supposed to be dead or rather in a dying condition. The Governor’s absence from New Zealand, is considered by the Natives to be as one dead. The prayer is for his restoration to live, namely his return to these shores. w The Pounams or Green stone mentioned was presented to the Governor by the deputation who read this Address. The reader will discover the allusions to His Excellency without comment, n An image made of greenstone and worn round the neck, au ornament much prized by the New Zealander. When the sun rushes to the cave, the heart conjectures what will the morrow he. So are we now anxiously ponderin',-’ since j we heard that he whom we .esteem is about to depart for the land beyond the seas. We were hoping that your love to these your children would have been perpetual, and that you would have remained to averts evil and ’to propagate good.’ The first foreigner * that visited this island gave us seeds of useful plants : the gifts of the foreigners wlio followed have not been less in value. When you come to our Queen Victoria, tell her that we, tapgata Maori, admire the administration of the Governors whom she has sent to this island. Keep in remembrance alsothe seed which you have sown jn these places. And the people of this river also will not soon forget your work. You found us desiring for European advantages. You leave us advancing in civilization, possessed of the knowledge of ploughing ; owners of many

flour mills, and of much property ; with our children alsi receiving instruction in schools which owe their success to you. Go, Governor Grey, return to the land of your Fathers. May the mighty God protect you as you sail on the wide ocean. Accept of our farewell, a song of our forefathers. Change thy wind to the weal. Change thy wind to the south, a. Let it be fine on the land, l». Let it be smooth on the sea. c. Before the morrow dawn, Let there be ice, and hoar, and frost, d. Go to England. * An allusion to Captain Cook, who, witli oilier voyagers, brought potatoes, corn, pumpkin, pork. Arc. a. The course to England. I. The state of peace in which he leaves this country. c. A good voyage. d. A speedy arrival in England, the land of ice, &c. The following- Addresses have been pi*esented from the Natives at Otawhao. Friend Governor Grey,— Speed to your country, to England. Friend, —speed on your way, it is good. You have been very kind to us, in providing for the wants of our bodies, and in sending teachers for our children. From Paura, and 19 others. Otawhao, November 28, 1853. Friend Governor Grey,— Salutations to you. Friend, jMother Governor, salutation to you. Friends, salutations to you both. My regard for you both is very great. 1 have heard that you arc both going to England. Enough. This is my song of love for you. Behold the mist hangs over the Waitemata, and moves me to tears. I will weep for the beloved one is about to depart. We were once close to each other, but you are about to be lost in Tai iri. Lest my sorrow should return, I will turn away. That is all, From Retimana Te Kiwi of Otawhao. We next copy Addresses from the Roman Catholic Natives and others of Rangiawhia: Rangiawhia, November 28, 1853. * Speed my letter to Governor Grey Friend, Governor, salutation to you ; great is our love to you. On hearing that you are about to leave us, great was the pain of our hearts for you. What can hold you back, our love, our tears. Speed, speed, friend, although your person is absent from us, your name and your love remains with us. We shall not forget your exceeding kindness to us at Rangiawhia ; we cannot forget the treasures bestowed upon us by you and Her Majesty the Queen The vessels, the carts, the horses, the ploughs, and implements of the Europeans. You it is, who have increased the importance of our country, and our wealth. Our regard for you, and our thoughts regarding you, shall never cease. Go friend, speed to the Queen, convey the expression of our regard to her, as a recompense for her portrait, which she sent to us. If the Queen should send us another Governor, let his love to us be like yours, and we will reward him by our love towards him. This is the end of our expressions of love towards you. From John the Baptist Kahawai. From us all. The Roman Catholics. Rangiawhia, November 28th, 1853. Friend, Governor Grey,— Salutation to you. Our love to you is very great, because your kindness to us has been great in elevating us—by giving us teachers for our children that they may obtain that which is good in their hearts. Friend, the Governor, go to your land—to Fngland. If God is willing that you should remain absent—it is good. If God is willing that you should return—come back again, then Friend. Queen Victoria, have a regard for us. That is all, From Hori Tk Ware, and 8 others, of Rangiawhia.

The next two Addresses are from the Female School of St. Stephens, near Auckland, under the charge of the Rev. G. A. Kissling and Mrs. Kissling. The first is from the Native Girls, —the second from the half-caste Girls, in that Institution: — St, Stephen’s School, Taurarua, December 22nd, 1853. Our Loving Father the Governor, — How do you do ? Great is our affection for you because your love is great to us the Natives. Our hearts are dark on your going, may God guide you upon the ocean. Go then our loving father the Governor to England, our love to you will not cease. We all thank you for this large house. Our thoughts will go with you to England. If your relations in England are agreeable to it, return to us—return Go then our Father. Go then, this is our farewell to you, because you have been made quite a father to us. Madam, Lady G r ey, ho.w are you, we have at this time great love for you both. My Father we have finished. From your loving daughters, the native girls of Taurarua, Sarah Kamanu, Louisa Daniel, Phiebe Kumafei, Katarrina Kemp, Annie Kane, Maria Kcreopa, Maria Andrew. Wera Kaharuki, Manakau, Annie Patene, Katerina Wiremu, Maria Pahunga. St. Stephen’s ‘ chool, Taurarua, December, 22nd 1853. Sir, —Before you leave for England, we wish to express our thanks to you and Lady Grey for the interest you have-ahvays taken in us ; we are'very sorry you at'e going away and hope you will come again to New Zealand ; we will remember you when you arc gone and hope you will not forget us, we sjiall think of you when you are on the sea and wish you a safe and pleasant voyage to your own country. We send you some pieces of work for a token of our gratitude, and will be glad if you and Lady Grey will them. Wishing you every blessing, we are with gratitude and respect. Your obliged children, (Signed) Katarina, Charlotte Nichols; Lucy Lord, Anny Tucker, Jersey Tomes, Mary Dunn, Maria, . Louisa Daldy, Isabella Tomes, Susannah Manti, Agnes Tomes. Lucy Hatch, Susan Nichols; We next copy an Address written and signed by the Scholars in the Thyee Kings Native Institution, under the care of the Rev. A. Reid and Mrs. Reid. To our loving Father George Grey, Governor of New Zealand. 0 Father, Governor Grey, —We greet you. We have heard lhat you arc going to England. Great is our darkness, but we hear*tbat you are to return again. This is the thing on ,’tccount of which our hearts are light, because you are the Father for us, and for all the natives of this island, Grjeat is the love shown by you to tho

Maori, in building schools for the native children that till may live as chiefs. The thing which makes us sad is your going, because some Eui’opeans endeavour to overturn your plans for elevating us. You have not listened to their uncharitable scheme. You have striven to establish schools in all the villages of this island, New Zealand. Great is your love to us in providing schools, your’s it has been to lay the corner stone. By this we know that you stand in the presence of God. We shall not forget you and your good works for us. 0 Father, Governor Grey, we bid you goodbye, go, go to see our friends. Carry our love to them, to the Queen also. Let your corn!in t towards the Maori be always as it has been, for we have not seen your evil work to this island, to New Zealand. We shall pray to God that you may be preserved until you return to us. May God himself lead you hither. Do strive constantly to provide the teachers for the schools, that the Maori may know the Word of God, so that they may be saved, that they may be like their cider brethren, that they maybe chiefs together in this world, and in that' other world that is in Heaven. This is all From your loving Children at the School, Three Kings. Three Kings Institution, Dec. 19th, 1853. We conclude with an Address presented , to His Excellency yesterday by a Deputation from the Committee of the Wesleyan Missionary Society. To His Excellency Sir G. Grey, K.C.8., &c., &c., &c. We, the members of the General Committee of the Wesleyan Missionary Society for the Auckland District, New Zealand, on the occasion of Your Excellency's departure for England, beg to express, on behalf of ourselves and the Society we represent, our appreciation of Your Excellency's able, judicious, and successful administration of the affairs of this Colony dnring the last eight years, especially in relation to Her Majesty’s Maori subjects. The fact that during that period peace has been fully established between ihe two races, the jealousies and unfriendly feelings that were growing up in the native mi rid entirely removed, and a solid basis laid for the permanency of those peaceful relations in mutual interests, a healthy commerce, progressive civilization and Industrial Schools is of itself sufficient to demand our gratitude to Divine Providence, and our acknowledgment to Your Excellency, whose paternal government of the aborigines has so greatly tended, under God, to the present peaceful and prosperous state of the country. The deep interest Your Excellency has always manifested in everything relating to the moral and intellectual improvement of the Native race, the readiness with which you have at all times aided the Missionaries .of our own, as well as those of other Churches, in carrying out the important objects of (heir Mission, and the provision vou have made for permanently securing the blessing of a religious and industrial education for the youth of both races are especially grateful to this Committee. We indulge the hope that Your Excellency's absence will be only temporary, and that you will return to New Zealand to assist in working out the liberal and enlightened principles that have been laid down for the improvement and civilization of the Native race. We beg to assure Your Excellency of our most earnest prayer to Almighty God for the best interests of yourself and Lady Grey in this life, and in that which is to come. Signed on behalf of the t ommittee. Wellesley Hughes, Ghiurman, Thomas Buddle, Secretary. The Address having been read by the Rev. T. Buddie, His Excellency replied as follows: To the Members of the General Committee of the Wesleyan Missionary Society for the Auckland District, Reverend Sir, and Gentlemen, — 1 beg you to accept my sincere thanks for the address which you have been so good as to present to me. Permit me to request you to convey to the Missionaries of your body—to whom 1 shall have no opportunity of' personally saying farewell—the expressions of my admiration for the faithful and zealous manner in which, through long years, they have performed their trying duties in this country, as also my thanks for the affectionate and bounteous hospitality with which they have so frequently entertained me when travelling through their districts. But above all, I thank them for the friendly aid and assistance which they have invariably afforded me in devising and carrying into execution plans for the religious and moral welfare of all races in this country. Lady Grey joins with me in thanking you for your prayers and wishes for our future welfare. W T e, on our part, shall never forget the support, assistance, and encouragement which we have received in New Zealand from the members of your Church, and wherever our future lot may be cast, we shall carry with us a grateful remembrance of your kindness. .. G. Grey, Government House, Auckland, Dec. 23. 1853.