A.—No. 1.

NEW ZEALAND TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

87

On the 9th the Governor started in a whaleboat, manned by men of the Armed Constabulary, for Tokano, the chief Native settlement at the south end of the lake. The distance by water is about twentysix miles, and by land, along the eastern shore, about thirty-six miles. The morning was clear and bright, and the great volcano of Tongariro (6,200 feet high), with smoke and steam ascending from its crater, and the lofty ridge of Buapehu (9,200 feet above the sea), covered with perpetual snow, presented glorious features in the panorama of the mountains surrounding the lake. About noon, a strong contrary gale set in, so the Governor landed at Motutere, on the eastern shore, whither horses had been sent in anticipation of one of these sudden storms, and rode the rest of the way to Tokano, a distance of about sixteen miles ; the boat did not reach that place till the following morning. The Governor was again received with great respect and regard by Hare Tautaka, Herekiekie, and the other chiefs and people of the clan of the Ngatituwharetoas, to whom belong Taupo and its neighbourhood. The party were lodged in Maori whares, and food was liberally provided in the absence of the supplies shipped on board the whaleboat. Subjoined is the substance of the speeches at the korero : — Hake Tatjteka : Welcome, 0 Governor, to Taupo !It is with great joy we welcome you. We look upon you as our father, the father of the Maori people. Our number is now but few, but we welcome you with none the less sincerity. You have often shown your love for us during the past few years. We have often been told that the Governor would always be our friend, and we have found it so with you. We are rejoiced to welcome you after the troubles we have gone through, and we look to you to keep us from further trouble. (A song of welcome followed.) It gives us much pleasure, it rejoices us, to have this opportunity of welcoming you here, so that we may speak to you as a father who takes care of us and gives us counsel and instruction. Taupo is yours ; Tongariro is yours; they are in your hands. The Ngatituwliaretoa, living on the west shore of the lake, have cotne in to you. They will require constant attention ;it is only thus you will keep those people right. Do not neglect them. Do not neglect Taupo. Eaise us up. The country is yours ; open it up. Governor Grey told us to take care that Taupo was properly managed. He said, " Keep Taupo together." We are now waiting to hear what this Governor will say. Kingi Hebekiekie : Welcome, 0 Governor, to Taupo !Be stedfast to lead us right. Matuahu has not long surrendered to you. We require constant guidance, for we have but just commenced to be wholly in the hands of the Government. Be careful about buying land at Taupo, so that all may hear whose land is bought, so that all may get their fair share of the price given. Welcome, O Governor ! Topia Titboa : Welcome, 0 Governor ! I belong to Taupo as well as to Whanganui. Men and land have been the cause of my troubles —Tavvhiao and the boundaries of our land. I was a stray sheep that went astray, and more joy was shown at my return than for the ninety-and-niue that had remained in the fold. I look upon Taupo with a jealous eye; I observe all that has been done up to the present time, and it is all good. All that has been done here has tended to raise the people ; all has been done for the good of the people. Waaka Tamatba : Welcome, 0 Governor, to Taupo ! Come and visit Hare Tauteka and To Heuheu. Welcome! Taupo and Tongariro are yours. Welcome, 0 friend of the people and of the country —the friend of the people of Taupo ! Hatakaka Te Whettj : Welcome, 0 Governor, to Taupo and Tongariro ! You have come a long and toilsome journey to visit us. Welcome to the sea of Taupo ! Go and visit your home and other places, but hasten back and visit us again at Taupo. Aperahajia Te Whettj : Welcome, O my father ! We have only heard of you before ; now we see you with our eyes. Look around at the land and at the lake; they ai*e yours. Open up the country; assist us to make roads; look around and see if you can improve our condition ; see what you can do to open up the country. We look to you to give us proper counsel. Kebei Te Tanouku : Welcome, 0 Governor ! You will here see the result of what has been done of late. Matuahu and the others are now with us. Matuahu would have been here if he had known the exact day you were coming. We all see the benefit of this way of treating the people. You have allowed all the people of the west shore of the lake to come in. They are now firmly yours. Wo hope your thoughts are still for the same way of acting; if so, all are yours. We thank you for sending assistance to us when troubles came over Taupo ; we will not forget your sending help when we needed it. We are all now true to the Government. His Excellency Sir G. Bowen then addressed the meeting mainly as follows : —O, my friends, Hare Tauteka, Herekiekie, and all of you who have remained staunch during the late troubles, salutations to you all! I know that you have gone through great trials, and have shown allthe gallantry of your ancestors in war. I, as the Governor and representative of the Queen, thank you, and have now come to visit you at your own homes. The desire of the Queen is that her Maori and Pakeha children should grow together into one people. The Queen also is glad that the Maoris who were lately opposed to each other are now friends, and that all are living in peace and harmony with the Government and the colonists. I rejoice also to salute Topia Turoa, the stray sheep who has returned to the fold, and who lately fought so bravely for the Queen. I rejoice that the Ngatituwharetoa Tribe is now again united, through Te Heuheu, Matuahu, and others having submitted to the Government. Thus all the Maoris who dwell round the great Lake of Taupo now understand the blessings of peace, law, and order. You are already beginning to reap the advantages of peace by selling the produce of your labour, and thus procuring the clothes and the other comforts of the Europeans. To carry these benefits still further, it will be well to make roads, like your countrymen elsewhere, and as you propose to do yourselves. The Government will assist you with money and tools ; but, mark well my words, the roads are a benefit to the Maori as well as to the Pakeha, and the Government will not press the making of roads through the Native districts if the inhabitants of those districts object. The laws protect the land and other rights of the Maori and of the Pakehas alike. No man need lease or sell his land unless he wishes it himself; the ownership (mono) of the land remains, as it has always remained, with the Maoris themselves. And now, my friends, I thank you