MAORI ADDRESS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 443, 5 February 1890, Page 4

MAORI ADDRESS.

REPLY BY HIS EXCELLENCY. His Excellency the Governor, by invitation of the Waikato natives, proceeded to the Naval Depot at Devonport shortly before 10 o’clock this morning, to receive an address of welcome, and to witness a private exhibition of native accomplishments iu the war dance. The natives assembled in large numbers, the dancers being scantily but decently dressed in preparation for their exhibition. Amongst those present were Admiral Lord Charles Scott, Sir John and Lady Thurston, The Hon. E. Mitchelson, Hon. T. W. Hislop, Mr Lewis, (Under-Secretary for Native Affairs), His Worship the Mayor of Auckland (Mr J; H. Upton), Mr A. E. Devore (President of the Jubilee Celebration Committee), Mr M.’ Niccol (Mayor of Devonport), a large number of officers from the warships in port, and others. Mayor Te Wheoro handed to the Governor an address of welcome, which was read by Rawiti, the Secretary of the Waikatos. The following is a literal translation of the address, for which we are indebted to Mr E. T. Dufaur. February Ist, 1890. To you, Onslow, Governor of New Zealand. Greetings to you. We, the chiefs and the Waikato tribe, the aboriginal Maoris of New Zealand, this is to welcome you as a stranger on account of this Jubilee that has been instituted by the Governor, and the Europeans, and our former ancestors, that it should remain in this land, on this district of the Waitemata, in the year 1840 until now this 50th year of the jubilee. Now, we are glad at your coming here, and also at the arrival of the. other Governors, and of the chiefs and important people of these colonies, and of the Admiral of the seas, who is administering the authority of the Queen and protecting the seas of our colonies. We are also glad of the coming amongst us of the Ministers of your Government, to prepare for your arrival, that you and your friends might see us here on' this day. Welcome, welcome to Waitemata, to the affection and kindness of the Maori chief and of the Governors who were appointed from the commencement. Welcome also on account of the union of the two peoples the Europeans and the. Maoris—by the naming of the Jubilee of this colony, and on account of the thought of the aggrandisement of our colony by this Jubilee. Let us therefore pronounce in your presence our appreciation to the chiefs and Committee of this Jubilee, and also of the people of Auckland who have requested us to come here to carry on the sports for our Jubilee, and also for their kindness to us.

We desire that this good feeling should always remain between the two peoples, Europeans and Maoris, and we also desire that yourself and your lady* and your family may live long.—From >;Wi Te Wheoko. His; Excellency replied as follows, Mr Clendori, R.M., interpreting : “ To Te Wheoro and people of VYaikato —To be the first Governor who has received an address of loyalty to the Queen of England from the natives of the Waikato is a great pleasure to me. Englishmen believe their institutions,' and their forms of governmen t to be the best in the wprld ; at any rate it has enabled them, where other nations of Europe with different, forms 6f government have failed, to people every part of the globe, and to bring

Christianity and civilisation to countless 5 -j : native tribes. In bidding you share with us 3 on equal terms in these forms of government, and by opening,., to vour our law I courts and our Parliament Houses, we be- , | lieve we are doing our best to show you that j there is to be no difference in the future between our races, that the strife which’lasted so long between us is over for ever, and that any good thing which centuries of ; civilisation has taught us is now the property of the Maori. The Queen, whom we all reverence for her blameless life, and her affection for her people, shall know the part which you have taken in celebrating the fiftieth year of her dominion over New Zealand.” , The Maoris then treated the visitors to a war dance, after which, His Excellency and ' party proceeded to Orakei by boat, on the invitation of chief Paul,, and witnessed another war dance. Thence Jlis. Excellency proceeded overland to the Domain Cricket Ground to witness the squadron sports.