THE MAORIS' WELCOME.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3464, 19 April 1920, Page 6

THE MAORIS ' WELCOME.

GREAT GATHERING AT . ROTOR-U'A. THOUSANDS TO MEET PRINCE. Between 7000 and 8000 Maoris will take part in the big hui at Rotorun. to welcome the Prince of'W:zles. It will be a much bigger affair !:':~.an thlfi gathering which made such an impres-

sion on the Prince’s father and mother when they were‘ here nineteen years ago. At the same time the coming ga-thering will net be so interesting from some points of view. as all the old people who lent such :1. dignified air to the 1901 “hui” have long since passed away. The meeting of the clans at the end of the month will be decidedly more modern, but still fhe hakas and the pois :I.l'e_sure to interest the visitors. And soon in such weird sul'rounclings the event will probably be the most uncommon incident in the unfipmlean I'nln- of His Highness.

Already the Maoris are cnllcctzing for the fun. Parties are on the ground preparing for the great invasion. Next week a lot will pass through Auckland. for Lakeland. Four boat loads are_ arriving from- the nol'th——Parenga., Mangonui, Russell, and Hoki:lnga—-and arrangelnents are now being nlade_by

lthe transport officer at Auckland (Mr 1 George I’z1i11), of the Native Land De-part-men't, so that they ‘can be sent stx-zfightf on to Rotorua. by train to obviate staying i“li' Alickland. These boats will bring in {L total of 1200' peo’ple. From Gisborne 750 men and women are coming‘ up, and nearly as mzuly'of the Ngatikahungullgu people are ex_pec.tecl.'from Napier Between AuekT:lnd and Kakahi on the Main ’.l‘runk line, near Taunumrunui, at least 1000 natives will «be going ‘down, and Wanganui and Tarauaki are said to be sending 2000 people. In addition to these there :11-e'thc Rotorua natives, those from ‘rho Urewera. and ‘file Bay of Plenty. ‘ ~

’ At present the section of the Waikato tribes which adheres to the banner of the Mxiori “King” (Rafa Mahuta) is hanging back, as it wants its ruler to -be received -as royalty-a thing, of course, impossible. - The natural ’curiosity of the Maori, his thirst to see the “ranga.tli'a tino” have already led to at leasf one highplaced individual in the ‘ ‘ r-oyial ~I1ousve” of VVaikato_, putting dignity aside and declaring his intentioii not -to miss the Prince at Rotorua, no matter who stays behind. If Rafa’s people all "decide to pocket their scruples about procedence, it will add zmofher .1500 in the gathering. ‘