THE EXHIBITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81905, 18 December 1906, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

' ' Theparfv ..f real Savaee island-rs—-natives of Nine or Savage Island- - .was welcomed on Wednesday by l.h ■ Maoris and Cook Islanders. ' Tl. ■ visitors were clothed in faultless European clothe.-,. Arona Makoa. hcim.of roval blood, was welcomed wila special cerein..|iy. lie is only four teen or fifteen years ol age, and in a straw hat and English tweeds "looked as if l.e might have come from a secondary school.'' Replying to the greetings and songs of welcome, two of tiie Nine Islanders spoke in alternative sentences:—"We are very pleased at the welcome given lis to day," they signilied. '"We are very pleased to meet the dceecmiciits of our common ancestors. Our forefathers are dead and gone from us: we. their children, have gathered to geLher to .lay, ami are very glad lhai we have met. Wo have lic'"u separated for very !::any years in our difference! islands; to-day we are verv pleased to meet the descendants of our common ancestors. Although we have been living in separate la ml, we are still one and the same people. There is a God above, who guarded us while crossing the wide expanse of sea. We are very pleased to be here to-day to meet you after our long journey. Now we will remain hero in one place as one people. Our word to you is 'Long life and pros perity,' and may we live together very happily." 'the Cock Islanderers then sang a joyous strain of welcome, and in re-, turn one of the Nine natives apologised that his people could not also -nig. They bad left their singers at iiunie; the present natives tame to make straw hats, model canoes, and other articles after the ancient fashion. The Nine Islanders brought material with them for a specimen house. ' Though they do not sing in public, it is understood I hut they can sill" very sweetly in their own whares. °Thev speak a slightly different dialect from the Cook Islanders. They will occupy houses in the present Rarotongan encampment, and two houses in the Maori pa, which have been vacated by their Maori occupants. The voyage to New Zealand has , been a, very long one, as they went lirst in a sailing ship to Tonga, oMi miles away, and caught the Atua there for Auckland.

Tlic ikjKirtmi: of the Cook Islanders has bcuii lixud for 12th January.