1.---No. 1

90

DESPATCHES FROM THE GOVERNOR OF

brated chief Hori Ngawhare, and am sorry to find him suff'eriug in body, though his mind is aa dear as ever. I thank him for having travelled fifty miles to meet me here, and for his invitation to escort me through your country from Taupo to Cambridge, in the Waikato. lam glad that the Ngatiraukawas desire to see the Governor crossing their district. There are two roads from here to Auckland. Next time I will go by your road, but this time I will go by Rotorua and Tauranga, where I have promised to meet your friend, Mr. McLean, to consult with him how best to promote the interest of the Maoris. One of your chiefs (Tuiri) said, in his speech, that the Ngatiraukawas place the question of roads entirely in the hands of the Governor ; but, mv friends, this is a question principally for yourselves. Each tribe should say whether it will assist the Government in making roads in its own district, and no other tribe has any right to interfere, as I have explained at Taupo and elsewhere. The benefits of roads are great, and affect the Maoris equally with the Pakehas ; indeed, there are as yet but few Pakehas in these inland districts. lam very glad to find that the Ngatiraukawas wish for roads, and the Government will assist you with money and tools, aa it is assisting other tribes. .Remember that roads do not aifect the mana of the chiefs or the ownership of the land. This is quite clear. Let no man deceive you on this point. The telegraph is also a great use to the Maoris. Formerly if a Maori wanted abag of flour from Napier or Tauranga he had to send a messenger for it, and to incur much delay and expense. Now, he can send for it by the wire, and it comes up by the coach at once. In addition to the roads and the telegraph, I recommend to you the foundation of schools for your children; the Government will assist you also in this matter. As there are no other points on which you wish me to address you, I will conclude by again thanking you for the hearty welcome which you have given me. After the Icorero was over, His Excellency bathed in the warm baths on the bank of the Waikato River. From this point, two routes to Auckland were open to the Governor. He could proceed in two days' ride to Cambridge, in the Waikato delta, whence- there is (as has already been said) a carriage road to Auckland, which city could be reached in this way in three or four days. The Ngatiraukawas urged His Excellency to adopt this route, which lies for the most part through their territory, and offered to escort him to Cambridge. But the Governor preferred the other and longer, though more interesting, road by the hot lakes and Tauranga, at which latter place he had, before leaving Napier, arranged to meet Mr. McLean, the Minister for Native Affairs, who, while the Governor was crossing the central districts, had been doing good service by visiting in the Government.steamer the Natives scattered along the East Coast of the Island, especially those of the loyal clan of the Ngatiporou. Accordingly, on the 14th, at 8 a.m., the Governor crossed the Waikato in a canoe, and visited the magnificent alum cave on its right bank, together with the neighbouring geysers. At 9.30 a.m. the party started on horseback for Kaiteriria (25 miles), which was reached at 5 p.m., after a halt of two houra at a hot stream about half-way, where the entire party enjoyed a delicious swim in the tepid water. Kaiteriria is a small pa on the picturesque Lake Eotokakahi, and is one of the posts held by a detachment of the Native Militia, commanded here by Captain Mair. The Arawas composing the force are fine young men, well drilled according to English discipline, who have done good service in the war against their rebel countrymen. Kaiteriria is a convenient head-quarters from which to visit Rotomahana (the hot lake par excellence) and other parts of the wondrous lake district, of which no description will be attempted here. The reader of these notes is referred to the books of Dr. Hochstetter and Lieutenant Meade, and to several papers in the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. On the 15th the Governor started at 8.30 a.m., and in three hours rode over the hills lij a rugged path of fourteen miles to Lake Rotomahana, while others of the party proceeded thither by a canoe across Lake Tarawera. As the Governor had on previous occasions, eighteen months ago, stayed for two days at Rotomahana when accompanying thither H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, he now remained there only a few hours, revisiting the famous white and pink terraces, and then returned on horseback to Kaiteriria. On the 10th the party started at 10 a.m., and, after a delightful ride of twelve miles along the shores of the beautiful Lakes Eotokakahi and Tikitapu, and afterwards along the margin of Lake Eotoma, reached Ohinemutu, the principal inland settlement of the great clan of the Arawa. The afternoon was spent in swimming in the tepid waters of the lake, and in visiting the geysers of this wonderful place, so renowned in Maori song and legend. A strong contrary wind rendered impossible a visit to the island of-Mokoia, the scene of the story of Hine Moa, the Hero, and of her lover Tutanekai, the Leander, of Polynesian mythology. In the evening the Governor held a Icorero with several of the Arawa chiefs, who, like their countrymen elsewhere, were all eager for the extension of roads and schools. Having visited on former occasions Maketu, the chief Arawa settlement on the sea coast, the Governor on the 17th determined to proceed from Ohinemutu to Tauranga by a new and direct road now nearly completed by Native labour. It was a ride of thirty-eight miles, of which eighteen were through the forest, and the road reflects great credit on the officers in charge of this difficult work. We may take the opportunity of mentioning that, as we are informed, the Governor has expressed much satisfaction at the tact and ability displayed by the civil officers immediately charged with the management of Native affairs and of public works in the interior of New Zealand, and with the good discipline and. soldierlike appearance of the officers and men of the Colonial forces. At Mangarewa, in the heart of the forest, the Governor found triumphal arches erected in his honor by the Maoris employed on the road, who received him with shouts and chants of welcome. The party engaged in blasting rocks saluted his approach by firing several charges, which echoed like cannon-shots through the grand primeval forest. One of the working parties was headed by Ngatote, a brother of Kereopa, who was executed in January last for murder and rebellion. Five miles from Tauranga the Governor was met by the Volunteer Cavalry of that town and district, who escorted him past the famous Gate Pa to the wharf, where the "Luna" lay at anchor, and where he was received by Mr. McLean and a guard of honor of the Rifle Volunteers. It may be remarked that the Volunteers of Tauranga comprise one-fifth of the entire population of the district — men, women, and children. This is as if the Volunteers in the United Kingdom numbered six millionsinstead of two hundred thousand.