ALEXANDRA. FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER. THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE DEFENCE MINISTER. Wednesday, 6 p m.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 627, 27 May 1876, Page 2

ALEXANDRA. FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER. THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE DEFENCE MINISTER. Wednesday, 6 pm.

We have jnst returned from Kaipaha, that is, myself and the other members of the tail of the official party, having left Sir Donald himself and Major Mair behind, the former staying by special request of the King, who in asking him to remain all night, is said to have paid him a very high oompliment, indeed, he went so far as to promise him his own royal j mat as a couch. This is however all of a piece with the reception throughout which has been most cordial. Tapihana in hi« speech of welcome alluded with some little shot? of feeling to Sir Donald's persistent advocacy of a policy of peace, stating that the advantages of this policy wove now about to bo realiaod, and woro such as would bo folfc by all the .Europeans, (Katoa nga Pakeho,). Nor wag this friendly expression of feeling a merely official one. Tapihana and tho King also shook hands with -all of us Europeans present, tho former expressing his kindly feeling in words when he did so. However, to begia at the beginning I should say that after waiting patiently throngh yesterday's, Tuesday's, rain in' Alexandra, Sir Donald McLean, accompanied by Mr Commissioner Kemp, Major Mair, Messrs Marshall, Davios and Bush, interpreter and tho Tress representatives, proceeded to Iviipilm. Wo walked to a lMtiufc fili'jvo t!n» riniil., v. ■'(»< t«v ) !u '• «. J'lO'U i 1 1' iIJ W J''i\Jj. i I '-'Ki^c .-I \\ lil I

tioiM. After ancxhiliiatincr row of three quarters of <m hour, we landed at Kaipiho.uid were met by about a, hundred nntives. Shortly after our arrival the Hauhans chanted a portion of the service of the new Karakia, it has a very weird and monotonous sound, resembling tho sighing of the wind. It is an adaption, after all, of the old Ilanhau karakia, interspersed with the repetition of the monotonous refrain of that prayer "Au tu riri ririhau.." About two o'clock Sir Donald McLean, Mr Kemp and Major Mair sat down to an excellent dinner ia Mr Reynolds' house, the rest wero entertained at tho adjoining house belonging to Mr Turner. The dinner consisted of turkey, roist mutton, etc, which was well served and done full justice to. After dinner the King, with Te Ngakau or Hunia, his adviser, and Te Rirh, Tuhia, Ilonani, and To Maioha, his principal councillors, visited Sir Donald at Mr Reynolds' house. As is usual the partie3 were all silent. This lasted about ton minutes. Nearly a hundred chiefs also came with Tav/hiao. Then another couplo of staves wero chanted by tho Tareao choir, and tho King shook hands with Sir Donald McLean, and afterwards with tho Europeans present, welcoming them in Maori fashion. A fine pig was presented to Sir Douald by the King, which Mr Kemp, after the fashion of tho Maori, returned with a Maori speech, Tho party, with the exception of Sir Donald and Major Mair, returned about 4 p.m. Talking will bo done to-morrow, but the meeting will, it is expected, bo private. Things so far are considered highly satisfactory, and the compliment paid by the King to the Defence Minister in asking him to stay all night at the settlement ia considered as ominous of the most friendly and cordial intentions. It 13 clear that Sir Donald personally stands very high ia the estimation of the natives, and that ho is oven move popular with thorn now (as Defence Dinister) than he was in tho old days when they knew him as Chief Lands Purchase Commissioner. No other European, not the Governor himself, could have accomplished what Sir Donald has now already done, for it has oalled for tho exercise of groat tact and knowledge of natire feeling to meet tho King and chiefs with a becoming mixture of readiness and reserve, and in such a roanuer as to mako tho way easy for tho King to glide into tho friendly and conciliatory manner which lias characterised Tawhiao's behaviour towards him, without fear of compromising the royal diguity.