WHAKATIWAI. – THE NATIVE MEETING.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1889, 12 August 1874, Page 3

WHAKATIWAI. - THE NATIVE MEETING.

(FBOJI OUR OWN COUUKSPONDE'iST.) August 11. Thebe is nothing going on here of importance to the public. What is being done is merely preliminary to the meeting. It is understood that the natives at 'fararu. will reach this side to-day. If they do so there will probably be news in a day or two. August 12. " In the midst of life we are iu death," saith the Preacher; and as if to justify the saying which has been true during all time. Death stalked in last night and claimed a victim in the person of a young native who had been out with the war canoe. The first work of the day has been to send his body to its last resting place. ABRIVAL O.F THE NATIVE GUESTS. At five this morning all was stir, and preparation for the visitors who were to come fromShortland. Atdaylight we Gould see some of tho boats lying alongside the Shortland side of the gulf. On our sido all was excitemeut. Double-barrelled guns were plentiful, and every one who had command was rushing about as one imagine people do on the eve of a battle amongst what are called civilised nations. The morning was sharp and cold, but notwithstanding that the full dress in most cases consisted of a shawl and the cross-belts of a couple isf cartouche boxes. The shrieks of pigi ascended in tlie niOtoing, for some of them were looking their last upon daylight. The smolco of tho liangis, or copper Maoris, iuafle Whakatiwai look like Grahamstown, or perhaps like what it did on that morning when, twelve years ago, 1,500 of the Naval Brigade, Auckland Militia) and Queen's troops landed here. At that time the " people of the place" were missing, and they have been missing ever since. As the morning wore on to ten o'clock 80 boats and ono steamer were in sight. As they neared the shore guns were fired, and our cannon thundered. I told you we had cannon here, and, from the fine and martial appearance of tho men and the evidently careful military training they have had, I do ; not wonder that they were more than once on even terms with English troops The same ceremony which I described to you a few days ago on the return of the war canoe, was again gone through. On this occasion tho Ngatipaora numbered some two hundred men, and the guests had a like number daucing the war dance. The form of welcome having been gono through, the guests to the number of more than four hundred :■ disembarked. A DIITEEENCE. While the tents wore being pitched MrMackay was very actively eugaged iu marking out linos for the streets of the encampment of the now comers. At the same moment the 'Enterprise No. 2,' with about two hundred visitors, was landing her passengers ; and while this was going on some of the Aroha natives came up and commenced camping in one of the streets previously marked i out. Mr Mackay seeing this, ordered ' the tent which was being put up to bo s pulled down. The head of tho Aroha > natives, Karanua, took umbrage at this, i and he and those with him took up their , traps and moved on for the beach. For • a short time it looked as if they were at 1 once going back to Shortland; but a s mutual explanation sot tho matter right, ■ and they returned to their camping place, s I'he natives are now dunning a war dance ( for the delectation of of tho palceha • visitors, and the steamer is whistling.her f loudest, so I must close as I hear tho I loud cheering of Europeans and Maoris t at the close of the dance. I [Tho Editor is at full liberty to furnish t my name to " Phoenix."]

An individual at the races was staggering | about the track with more liquor than lie could * carry. '- Hallo, what is the matter now said 1 a friend whom the inebriated man had run 5 against, " Why—hie—why, the fact is, a lot • of my friends have beeu betting liqnor.on the I race-to-day, and they have got mo to hold tho f stakes." :