VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR:

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 304, 23 April 1874, Page 2

VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR:

As wo announced in our last i>Mre, His K\cellency> the | Go\cmor firmed in jN'giinmwahia on Mond iy owning; tlio ' late bom- at which lv» wived prevented any demons! ration , i' lkm ond .1 few liciiily cheeis.; nil the ceivutonv was re- I I served Cor tho follownij, day. Th^ first nnd most' impuMUt: J alf.ur of tlio d.vy was tlu« Maori «hnm fight. J(£ HO o'clock j)i ei-isclj , thrrjcnnop* licked mllieir war paint amis feather*, and maimed b> nbout two hundred n*h res, were seen coining up the river, Iho cliie'st in tlie centre of ciich cnooiirnguig their men as if to batle. When I/toy arrived opposite the spot unpointed fur HisEicelleney to meet them they landed and rushed towards arotlier body of men wiiting fir them ;- j they then \\enWl>rong.i the wnr'danro- so familinr to nil old resulents in the Waikuo. The Governor nr\t inspected the foicos. Theie were about fifty we.i of the Engineer Militia and a liko number of the Armed Constabulary. Shortly afterwards the- Native Contingent, wider Mnjor Te Whoaro, mnrelied on to tho groind, and the Governor pas«ed up and down tlifr ranks. The early hour at which the busintss of the day commenced caused nuny of the settlers from being present at the commencement; 1li»j began to arrive about this time in considerable, numbers, «nd we are- glad to be able to report, that there were a largernumber present than at any previous meeting in the Waikato. W« noticed several of our- leading settlers, but as we intend publishing below tho names of those who subsequently paid their respects to His Excellency,, we shall not enumerate, then. After e>tsbort delay, the followng n-itives addressed speeol'es of welcome to His Excellency : —Pihia, Te Ruhi, MoluTj Kongemau, Wireinu Te "Wheoro, Tumata Te Oho, Hami jtyaopi, WiremaPatane, Nmi Kukotai. Thero was nothing in the speeches worth reporting, they consisted entirely <f such oxp unions as— welcome, Governor. We give ore as a sample, that of Wirerau Patene : — "Welcome, O Governor welcome ! Gome to Waikato to pee in all (^owr children) issembled hero to see you. Come »nl tak.i care of us that \» may act according to tlie views of the Government." Welcome mats were pre-cnted to Ilis Excellency bj Hori Te Whana. The follow m« song was sung at intervals during the speeches : — " Welcome, 0 Governor, welcome ! My child brought you from the stars of heaven ; ! io brought you here." Major To Wheoro read and presented an .address'; it wai simply eonjjratiiLilory, His Excellency then delivered the following speech, which was interpreted to the natires by Mr Mackay : Mnjor T* Whcoro. and Inends,— l. am rejoiced to como among you and see the loyal members of the Waikato tribes who have been our friend* in all times past. You do not see the Governor for the CiA, time;, ify is not ao long since my distinguished predecessor eameamong you ilnd encouraged you in- your loynlty, and spike -to you. the good will of the» Queen. Tcome among you to say the same words and to thank you for your loyalty and good-service, and assure you of tlie continued friendship of the Government towards you. I am sorry, indeed, to sco, what oomcof you-have referred to, tho small number of those who represent this great country. The causes of this sad diiision are not unknown to me. I will say one word to you who am our friend*, and one word to those who are- separated, from you. You live among us ; yon know our laws- aipd you know our ways, and that the Government desire* to do justice bo-secure to yous wliat-be-longs to you : and that you are protected by our laws, as well as ttie Europeans, There are many good things that we bring, — greater oomforts, and bttter clothes and food for your children ; instruction, which is good forns all to>knowi Wo desrre that you should receive all the- good that we can bring you-, and that you should live long and maintain your numbers side by s.do with the Europeans. But lam sorry to say that, if we bring you good, tJier* is mtioh cvil 1 that we bring too. I pray you to resist the temptations to evil that came with us ,- I prny you to resist the temptation of drinking to excess ; and I r.ray the chiefs to dissuade their people from giving way to this cvil ;— for, if the Maoris indulge fn the drink the Europeans sell-thorn, thej wiltiperish more surely than they will by rhe gunpowder/ Then I ask you to send the children to school to learn tlie good sense we can teach them, in order that they, may be fit to take care of themselves and their prop-rly when they come bo man's estalo ; then, we shall resnent «nch other, and live at poaco/ You see that when a line body of your own men stand beside us with arms in their hands,, they rank with the English soldiers who aro so well known nil over the world- lam glad »o sco your distinguished chiefs wearing the same uniform ftiid swords a* ourselves mtd, like us, bearing the commissions of the Queen. And now I will say one°word about jour brethern beyond tlie boundary. lam vtry sorry there should bo divisions among yon, and between us nnd t hem. 1 should like that, the good that we cnn. do •hould he extended all among the Maori people. You know that yon hive many advantages f hat they lose, from being beyond our Government ; but, we must give time,, nod the good timo will rome by-and-by* It they prefer their isolation, wg do not sppk to drng them from it. When one comes out, as some lrnedone who are hero to- day, tlwy find a welcome as a. friend ; but v. hen there has bf en a great division — when tho earthquake splits the ground— the part* do not come .together again in one day r but when the wind has blown, aud the rams fallen upon the place for yrar«, the

sides will wjs!i together and become united. But be sure of' t tin*, — us surely as tli.it grout river flows to the sea, bo surely fi will civilisation and Christianity t,pro .d and be extended, not t! only o\er all tins country, but over all ilie world. It is n belter for us to live on it-shanks and be benefitted by it than ti to be swept away before it. But we desire to live in peace ; a and I say to you the words which the Patriarch snid to fi another when thoy differed about the land, "Is not the land 1 before thee ? let there not be strife between me and thee r for n we are brethren." a His Excellency DuCane, in acknowledgment of the - reference nindo to himself in the address from the Maoris, r ■■ml : lam very glad to meet jou nil here to-day, and thank li you very much for the words of welcome you havo spoken to q me. I havo como from a country some distanco from this, I but, as your address lias said, we live under one Queen. I t hnve listened with much pleasure to tlie excellent words of q advice spoken to you by Governor Eergusson. I think that t you cannot do beWer than follow them — every word of (hat ad-rice, and 1 cordially echo bis hopes that all divisions may cease .amongst youi I have only in return to wish all happiness and prosperity to the district of the Waikato. At the close of his speech His Excellency was enthusiastically cheered, both by Maoris and European!. Cheers were t also given for €rovernor-Du Cane, Dr Pollen, and Mr Mackay. x The Vice-regal party then left the ground and proceeded to ( the Delta Hotel. After luncheon, Major Jackson, who was £ immediately accompanied by Capts Bockett, and Tisdale,, t Messrs Leslie, Hill, Runciraan, and Innes, presented the c following address. ,To His Excellency the Eight Honorable 9tr James Fergusson. 1 Baronet, a Member of Her Majesty's Most Honorable c Pi ivy Council, Governor and Commtnder-m Chief in and 1 over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its ] Dependencies, and Vice- Admiral of the same, &c, &c.- 1 May it please Your Excellency : j The representatives of the several di*tricts-of the Waikato s assembled at Ngaruawahia are desirous of welcoming Your i Excellency on this your first visit to the Waikato since your assumption of the office of Governor of New Zealand. They feel that during Your Excellency 1 ! term of office the colony will, by wise administration- of its affairs, make vast strides towards the front rank of'thos* appendages- to the British Throne which compose the colonial empire. Tliey are convinced' that natir« affairs nuisb b« judiciously administered, otherwise the vast expenditure that is contemplated on public works will prove of oompnratWwlj small benefit. They desire to thank Your Excellency for the dignified position you have **sumed towards- thost natives who still refuse to submit to the authority, of Her Most Gracious Majesty. They wish Your Excellency and Lady Ferjjusson long life and happiness, and hope that you both may have cause in after life to look back with pleasure ta th« tim» of your residence in- New Zealand. His Excellency, in reply, said : I ofler my sincere thanks for the reception- I have received* on my first visit to tho Waikato. Many have attended at much trouble and inconvenience. There is little left now for aCrovernor to do ;it is, nevertheless, great encouragement to find the settlers rally round me. Lam not surprised that reference should have been made to the conduct? of native affairs. Many have Buffered considerable risk of loss of property, if not of person. Wo have to look to you to save the oolony much risk by temperate conduct. lam glad that the settlers-Love not given cause for offen.e ; in the highest seaje, the calony has reason to be grateful. I am glad that you (appreciate the attitude I'have assumed towards the natives; it is, however, entirely owing to the advice of my ministers, whioh I consider most wse and judbious. A» I publicly stated to-day, I believe that a coed) time is coming, but iti arrival cannot bo hastened; and miwt be the result of prudent administration. It will bp exceedingly pleasing to me if daring the years I retain office as Governor tho old th-eachee that exist between the two races- ore healed; others will have borno the labor during the- beat of the* day, and it will be a great privilege for me to preside over the affairs of the colony at flip time of the accomplishment of the dctsiicd end. I tru»t that the public works which are in progress will do much good, and that those who luurc ran tho risks during troublesome times uill be rewarded. Fain pay ing short visits" to the seveiul dishict" in the colony in order that I may be able to inKil the duties of the office I hn7« the honor to hold. I again thank you (or the cordial reception you have given me His Excellent'? then received those- settlers who desired * to' pnv t heir irsj ods. The following had the honor of being intindiiced ;— The K,'v-i )', Y. .Ishwell and L. C.Brady; Captain* Bnrkett, Steele, Twdalo* Eowe, and BnyneY; Lieut 1m ie, Dr Bi nle ; Me<=si s Pcddon, Leslie. Ihne.\ Hume, Slnel, Cnriinaion, Edi>mmibp> Cox, Leslie, Junes, Mitford, Ilollownv, Robinson, Engil), He. His Exil'Himicv iiml party gtnrterl on horse-back at hal ti - pnsttwo for CmnhriHgt'. He wm vociferously cheered liiiti (iialaiiao rendered .displays of loj altjv useles?. *