ALEXANDRA. FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 628, 30 May 1876, Page 2

ALEXANDRA. FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.

Friday, May 26th 1876. To-day Mr Commissioner ICemp, Mr Morpstli and the representatives of the Press went up to Kaipilm for the third time. This was tho sabbith of tlie new Karakia, third week, as was the week of the French revolutionists divided into 10 daysI again attended the the service which has been held behind Reynold's house. The chief Tareas graciously intimated to me that I might stand#nd not hurt my knees. It is needless to add that I took advantage of this, having my experience of yesterday before me. The service to day was of a very elaborate kind, about 20 Tariaos men and women took pai't in it, and the whole congregation was over a hundred. Neither Tawhia, Takerei, or Te Ngakaru, attended Hie service. To judge from the prayer's offered up it would appear that the King is looked up to as a superior being. He is prayed to, and exhorted to help and protect all races. He is in fact, as I stated before, regarded as the Siviour, and the anointed of the Atua. This should, of course, bo looked upon as a good sign, as a sign that the natives will abide by whatever decision Tawhiao may arrive at. That they will assist to carry out any arrangement made with Sir Donald McLean. I mention this because there is an opinion afloat that the principal chiefs will not consent to let Tawhiao make any terms that that he pleases. I may add' that this does not emanate from any sop-pn-ter of the obstructionist party, but from one who has faith in the mission' of the Native Minister, but who thinks that the end will be brought about by tHe chiefs acting in the manner stated above, and so ovei throwing the authority of th« King and breaking up his party. It ia argued that if this was done the native difficulty wou'd be at an end. Although I have given expression to this view of the case, it is certainly not my own opinion, n r the opinion of many others whom I have spoken to- on the subject. I firmly believe that tho King is acting on behalf of a large party, and that he has not come down to meet Sir Donald merely to hold a barren Koiero. lam confident that the time is n t far distant when TaWhiao will visit, this place and perhaj s Auckland, and when the Queen's visit shall run all through tho now almost inaccossable " King country" To-day, m you arc already aware, the King called the atteulion ot ftir Douuld to the fact that some of the Maori ceint-u-ys were being desecrated, and stated Ui.it they wanted them to be secured to cho native.-*, rfouie of them have been already pioteoted and reserve i, but in the case ot the ouj at 'inupiri, the quarries whore the ballast was procured, encroached too closely on tho gia\cs. The Ai<tori-> are nut the only people who reverence the biuial planes ot their dead, and ltib only ro.isouible that such should bo protected, which S.r Donald has promised lo do. The c are not. wanting those who say that this is a prelude to a request that tho Waik.ito be a'togeth'-r given back, but' this would uot be cons.dercJ bs a neccwiry sequence by any one vtrsed m the ti'admoutj and customs of the natives. Much business of probably morn importance than the foregoing has been settled, but of course it would be indiscreet to say too much at pieseut, whou negotiations are pending. The public dc->ire for news is not of so gieat an importance as the public welfare ; but wo may depend that nothiug will be kept dark longer than ia necppsary. I have spoken to many of the Kingiteg, and without exception they all express themsolvns in the most favourable terms towards tho Government. They all speak of Sir Donald McLean as the only man iv. New Zealand whom they can understand, and who can be understood by them. Tawhiao is exceedingly loath to part with Sir Donald, and wishes him to remain some days yet for the discussion of further subjects. As on previous days, we were well looked after, so far as eating is concerned, at the house of Mr Reynolds. We returned to Alexandra again thi3 evening at 5 p m.

TAWHIAO, THE KING. Tawhiao has already been described, and his person is by this time well-known to most of your readers. I will only say that, though he looks like a chief, aud conld be mistaken for nothing else, he does not seem to have much talent He has a high, but very narrow forehead, and li 3 is strangely and wonderfully tatooed, but the blemish, which has more than once been spoken of, takes a great deal from his face. He is said to be a man of very few words, and to be yery reticent and shy. His dress on ordinary occasions iv composed of European articles of clothing, and this is the first time ho has been down Kaipihain his state robes for many year?.

this visit he lias, of course? as becomes a King.

TAKEIU TE -RA-U. his chief man, is of totally ■different stamp. Ho would look more like a woman than a m-in if his tatoo marks were removed. His face wears a voiy milili expression, hut it is altogether too effeminate for a great chief. He is dre^sod in much the fame fashion as the King, with the exception of Ihe distinguishing marks of Royalty. He is, moreover, not robust like the King", but is thin, alwost attenuated, and seems •very feeble. He was one of the chiefs captured at Rangiriri when that place was taken by Cameron in '03. He hns, no doubt, borne his part in the war ably, and it is to be trusted that he is as great in council. Te Ngakau, or Hunia, the King's chief secretary is of another kind of appearance to either Tawhiao or Takeri. 31 cis ap- I parently a strong active man, in the prime of life — perhaps 45 years of age, and the first thing that strikes one in his appearance is the absence of any kind of tatooing on his faca. Ho is the only one of any consequence who is not fatooed. Probably in his younger days tatooing was decried by the missionaries, and has since been discontinued, except for a shoit time, during the Ilauhau rage. lie has a good looking face, with light hair, inclining now to grey. He dressed very shabbily — no doubt from affectation. He would seem to be a kind and benevolent man by his face, but those who have kno \ n him say he has a terrible temper. He is represented to be a very clever man, a good speaker, and sharp in controversy— indeed, one has only to look at his face to feelassuied of this. His head is gr&nd, I the forehead high and broad, and the mouth very firm, but the latter feature is generally opened with a smile. He seems to bfi always good-humoured, even when ruoß excited. The special correspondent of i&e " Cross" and myself had many • arguments with him, principally on the ' subject of religion. He knows the New I Testament by heart, but only quotes it to j confound Christians. His ideas on reHgi- 1 ova matters generally, however they may be looked at from a Maori point of view, are after all rery queer to us. Like all his race, ho will not keep to the point, and I will do anything to pose his adversary. Up said he would not believe in Christ ; I we had nothing but written record* af his existence, therefore He was a " lie," or an imposition, but he admitted that he bolievrd in America, although he had never seen it. When tin's w.is applied to tho other case he appeared a litile *' i-labor-gnOod." Ho also disbelieved, or pretended to do so, in the immortality of the soul, nil hough he was qnno willing to believe in ghosts or apparitions. It was very difficult to follow his line of argument, owinc to the way in which he expusse? himself, but he is a very clover man despite liis shuffling way of arguing is certain. He was in the old days a lawyer of some refute, and successfully dr-fended mam ycu"g men, who were chiefly charged wi'h adultery. No doubt, if he hud nceivfd education he would have at taiiied some position in the pnkeha woild. ()f die others 3 , Tapibtiiin, "VYhitioia, or Honnti, Prkiii, the chief Tareao, Nuku. &c, I will give you some account, in my next, together with a desciipticn of the place ff meeting- awl i'R inhabitants. The I Let lhat the niuil is leaving at one pre- > vent my doing so now. In conclusion, I must say that SV Donald will comedown nu Monday to reviov the Te Awaniutu C.ualry and meet a deputation of settlers.

THE BRIDGE. A second deputation waited on the De Pence Minister in refereuce to the bndge, asking for assistance from the government. Sir Donald promised that a grant of £50 should be made, He was also asked to recommend the resting 1 of the Alexandra reserves in the Fown Board of the district. To this iehe replied much as he had done to ILo Hamilton deputation on a similar matxr, that in the face of the Assembly sosoon meeting, he coold not authorise the taking bo important a step ; but that doubtless powers would then be conferred upon local Boards which would give them what the deputation asked. The Te Awatnulu Cavplry corps mustered ;his morning in the C- 1 jvemmeut paddock leieand were paraded in the presence of the Defence Minister, who expressed himself highly pleased with the proficiency and soldier-like appearance of the men and in a somewhat lengthy speech in which he referred to other matters of interest i'po, but which, if I am to take advantage of a. friends riding to Hamilton this afternoon, to take on this letter, I must cut short and will give you full particulars as also of what took place at the above mentioned deputations, &r jour next.