ALEXNDRA. [FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER] May 29th 1876.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 630, 3 June 1876, Page 2

ALEX N DRA. [FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER] May 29th 1876.

In my last letter of tho adove date, I said I would continue my remarks on tho Kmgite chiefs in my noxt. Want of space compelled me to hold over the coutinuation until now, and I hasten to complete my task.

TAPIHAtfA. Tapihana miscalled in my first telegram, " the King's mouthpiece" is an old man appaently about 55 years of age, good looking, and somewhat benignant, and is like most of the other chiefs, much tatooed. He is apeisonage of great influence, but he is at present in disfavour though not from the caase assigned by the ' Herald's' special. From his speech to Sir Donald MoLean it weuld seem thai he is well disposed towards us, but this is a matter on which there ia much diversity of opinion. He dresses very fashionably in a blue cloth double-breBted coat, black " billycock" hat, dark trowsers, and patent leather gaiters, and always carries an umbrella, at least in wet weather, which was the only kind of weather in which I saw him.

Whitiora. Wliitiora, or Komiti or Committee, is the one to which T feel best disposed of all the chiefs, Thete is something about him which made me like him at first when I knew nothing about him, and which makes mo like him still when I know him a little more, lie is such a jovial old Fellow that I can't see how any one can help liking him. lie is the Commodore of the fleet, and took command when Sir Donald went up to Kaipiha,Tand when he came down, but on no other occasion. He did not sail in the same canoe as Sir Ponald, i but preceded him in his own " yacht" We tvi-ad bard' to persuade the old fellow that he ought $o be called the " Lord High Admiral of the Blag," but he did not take kindly to the idea, perhaps because the name was too long 1 . Whitiora, it will be remembered, it was who defended Rangiriri so bravely in 18G3. Cv the fall of that place ho was one of the nieny prisoners taken by Cameron, ' and confined in the hulks whence he escaped shortly afterwards, since which time lie has lived in the interior with tho ot^er Waikatos. He apparently bears no malice towards us for his defeat, but chatted to us pleasantly, and shook our hands warmly whenever we met,- as if we were old friends. lie was dress jd iv anything but Maori fashion, having on a pilot coat and a broad brimmed California hat, but the love of display showed itself in a long feather which adorned the litter. On our leiving Kaipiha on Saturday, Sir Do.iald asked him if he would like to go to Philadelphia to^tho exhibition. He said that a MuOri v was badly wanted there- The old looked at him to see if he really weie in earnest, and perceiving 1 a smile became quite at his e»ise. 1 verly believe he wVmld meet death sooner than b> exhibited, ej|en a Maori has pride! I had almost iorgntten to menu m -a peculiar greenstone nlvch he wparo in. his ear. It is ranch kiriAr than most I have seen, aivl is flat; iti\al'Oufc two inches long by one and a h ilf bioad, and perhaps a qnartaf of an inch thick. Tun Chief Tarisao, on PiunEvr-m, Is also asjood looking native, much younger than Wliitiora. He talks a little English and seems a very intelligent man, always smiling, and must be a good natured fellow if appearances go for anything. This man w hen singing shows his double row of teeth in a most peculiar manner, giving a tigeri&h expression Which altogether belies his merry look when in repose. Of tho others, little need be said, but 1 must sty something of Nuicir, Todds murdcier, t) ease my conscience. I shook hands with him, but iv belf-dofence I must explain that it, was done in entire ignorance of who he was, and I have not ceased to wash urn hands since, as some atonement for this\Avful act. We were sitting on our luiunehes after service talkI ing away as usual when the Tareao beckoned to some one to come forth, and up sneaked the most rfpuLive figure I j have met for some time. A leau hungry j looking fellow he was, who looked like one to whom a loaf of bread would often be a luxury. He had a long thin face with a short crop of crisp hair that clung to his forehead as if to hide his uglinesa. He is blind in one eye, and the said feature is drawn and pulled up like an old piece of leather. And I shopk hands with him ! Washed my hand ! I held it, over the side of the canoe in the water all our Co vnw ml journey th it day. Ka ; piha, a name which must henceforth be historical, is situated about four miles from Alexandia. A line drawn from the highest peak of Pirongia to the summit of Kakapuka, would run very clo3e to the settlement. It is a little nearer to the latter mountain than to the former. The Two wooden homes comprising the settlement, stand on the bank of the river about 100 yardu fr^m the water. At present the population of Kaipiha is very small, consiseing- merely of the family of Mr [Reynolds, but at one time it must have had a good many denizens, when Mr Turner's largo family lived there. Mr Reynolds holds a pretty large strip of land here — extending from the river some distance behind ttye houses — which is for the most pact laid, down in grass. In one of the\ paddocks daring our visit there a flock of wellbred sheep of tho, longwooled breed, and if I cannot speak of the quality of their wool, I can at least say that the meat was excellent. Behind thehousesthelandrises abruptly, forming a sort of bald hill and froir- here one can get a good view of Hikurangi, which is distaut about four miles, hanging on one of the gigantic of Pirongia. Before us lay a broad Vpsi country thousands of acres, in •xtent/ only waiting for the plough tok become a blossoming plain. £ hope that t^e natives themsolvos will See it to their interest to begin this noble work. Two or three large acacia trees overshadow the houses, and the ivy covered grave of old Mr Turner who died

sixteen years ago. It was very pleasant to see thut care had been taken of his last resting pUco by bis children, and pleasant to see the clambering ify, helping the ax so sweetly-