D.—6

3

Wahanui took off his coat, dug out three sods, and placed them in the barrow, the Maoris -counting each sod in audible tone. This was completed amidst loud cheers. Beiui Maniapoto then said : I now call on Mr. Stout to wheel the sod. Mr. Stout took off his coat and wheeled the sods along some planks laid for the purpose, and tipped the barrow at the end, throwing the sods on the ground amidst loud cheers, the Te Awamutu band striking up the National Anthem, the spectators meanwhile remaining uncovered. Mr. W. E. Waddel, Mayor of Auckland, then called for three cheers for Her Majesty the Queen, which were heartily given by Maoris and Europeans alike. Mr. Wilkinson explained to the Natives that the Premier would address the Europeans first, and then the Maoris. Mr. Stout said : Ladies and gentlemen,—-I can assure you that I feel that I occupy to-day an exceedingly honourable position, because I have been deputed to take part in what is one of the greatest works that this colony can undertake. Ido not need, in addressing a European audience, to point out the good that railways do. I would rather say that this railway is peculiar in manyrespects. It is, first, to unite together two parts of this colony that have been long separated, from many reasons and from various causes; and I hope that by it we shall still further become a united nation of New Zealand, and that, as colonists, while we always think of our homes and think of our districts, we shall not forget to think of the colony as our nation, to look forward to the development of its national life. But I stand here, further, on ground that a few years ago was not deemed to be open to Europeans. We stand here almost in view of what I might term the classic ground of the Maori war. Not far from here is, as you all know, what may well be termed the Maori Thermopylae, and which future historians will point to as a battle that was, considering its circumstances, perhaps the grandest fought between any two races. The bravery, as often happens in many battles, was not all on one side. We stand on that ground ; and, when we think of what took place in this month some twenty years ago, when the battle of Orakau was fought; when we think of the brave words uttered from the Maori pa on that occasion—brave words, that there was to be no end practically to the fighting; and when we think now of what we have accomplished, and when we have here that brave chieftain, that brave warrior, who then led his tribe at Orakau, and we have the representative of the Government to take part in a work of this kind, I think we will all see that we have made some great advance in our colonial history, and that it has been truly a sign of progress to-day. I think we should remember, in doing a work of this class, to contrast it with the old days, the days of the past, the evil days, in which we thought the colony was to be conquered by war, to be conquered by bloodshed. But we know that peace has her conquests far more renowned than those of war, and that it is by works of this character—works which are not to set race against race nor people against people, but to unite them together as one people—it is by works of this class that nature is conquered and made subservient to man. I say, therefore, let this be classic ground in our history—not classic ground by keeping in memory the evil things of the past, the war of the past, but let this day be remembered as a day to be remembered in our history—as a day, a grand day, for this part of the colony ; for here, I hope, is given to us a pledge that will continue of peaceable relations between Europeans and Maoris; and that also to-day we see how helpful these relations are in our march of progress. Ido not know that I can express myself well enough how deeply I feel the fact that Eewi is here. I feel it for a reason that may not be known to you. When I was first appointed Premier of this colony, the first telegram I got—before I received one even from my own constituents or friends —the first telegram of congratulation I received, was one from Eewi. I had never seen him, but something I had done or said in 1878 had remained in his memory; and that showed me that the race had been often maligned by people in saying the Maori race had no gratitude. I believe that, if we had been perhaps more kind in the past, more philo-Maori, than we have been; if we, in the past, had treated our brown friends in this colony as brothers, and loved them, we should never have had the wars which disgrace our history. I hope that, in the future, we shall think of them as men who have not had our civilization, our training, our ideas, and if they do wrong, or what we consider wrong, that we shall treat them as we treat our own children. If we have to chastise them in order to uphold the law, we should do it with love and with the object of benefiting them in the future. To-day we have taken part, as I have said, in a great work, in a work that is to be beneficial not only to one section of the colony, not only to one district of the colony, not only to one race of the colony, but to benefit all. I hope, as people who have taken part in this ceremony, whatever part each may have taken, however humble, we shall so act up to the honour that has been cast upon us in the future, and we shall keep this in our memory as having been privileged to take part in one step of the history of the colony, and so act as good colonists in the future that those who come after us will have no occasion to regret our actions in any way. Ladies and gentlemen, it is by what we may term a small ceremony, it is by what we may say is almost a thing not to be noticed at the time, that history, after all, is made. History is made by the growth of the social life of the people. This is a step in the growth of our social life. I ask those who have to deal with the Maoris in these out-districts to think that on them rests a great responsibility, a heavy responsibility, a heavier responsibility than rests on the Government, than rests on those who live far from the Maoris. It is your duty to educate them, to train them; and to-day we have done a thing, I hope, that will remain in the remembrance of the whole colonial people. We are standing here on soil on which there has been a Proclamation that no- liquor shall be sold, and we are to-day going to provide you with lunch, but you are to have no alcoholic liquors; and I hope those who do not agree with me in my temperance views will think of this : that, although many Europeans can take liquor without injuring themselves to any appreciable extent, if what is called fire-water gets amongst any aboriginal race like the Maoris it is condemning them to destruction. I ask those who feel that there is some solemnity in human life, considering the bravery of the race, and the lovingkindness which the Maori people have shown in the past to many settlers, and the many good deeds they have done, to agree with me when I say the Maoris ought to be preserved; and I say if the