The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-02-25
THE PACIFIC
commercial AOOrr nsrr.
THE MAORI KING AT AUCKLAND.

Nearly I'VE and twenty years ago u section OF
the Maori race occupying the central portion Of
the North leland Of New Zealand, and including
the Waikatos and some other powerful hdpu
~(tribes), determined to 8 CT up IL king of their
own race. There can be no doubt that their
primary object was TO unite, if possible, all the
Maori tribes in a league against the sale of
any OF their lands 10 the Pdkeha Qoreigner).
ThSnhad other reasons also Of q very plausible
character which they knew would be more tax
ing with tho-e Maoris who were friendly TO the
colonis 5, and likely 10 be considered by many Of
the cDlonists { enselves as a fair excuse for a
movement which, looked at from q purely legal
point Of view. was q sedItious revolt. There
reasons were thus expressed BY a great chief
Paora (Pau) at the meeting at which ii kings
Aag was fr,t raised -
Il see no reason Why any nation should not
have a king il they wish for one. The Gospel
does not say that we are not 10 have a king. Ii
says . Honor the King love the brotherhood.
Why should the Queen be angry? We shall be
in alliance with her. The Governor does not stop
murders and fights among US. A king will be
able to do that. Let u have order, 80 that we
may grow n the PoEehG grow. Why should we
disappear from The country New Zealand is
ours. | love it,"
This " King movement WAS successful TO a
certain extent, although not more than perhaps
a third part ui the MaOris openly joined IN
il. \ large number Of tribes refused from the
outset to have anything to do with it-partIy
through friendship for the colonists. and partly
through fear. as may be gathered from the
speech madeby another great chief at the meet
ing just ulludedto, which ran as follows -
- Why do you bring the new Gag here There
: -a.II. - - n.-naN -A .,.. Nl4a- d.
| know there is trouble IN hat flag. | am con-
tent with the old one. IL is seen all over the
world, and it belongs To- me. | get some of Its
honor. What honor can | get from your flag ?
You shy you are slaves. II acknowledging that
dag (the Union Jack) makes me a slave. | am a
slave. Let me alone. Don't bring bother here. "
The Waikatus end their neighbors, however.
were resolute in their course. A chef called
Potatau was accepted as the first Maori King,
and, at his death. the present King T~swhiaO, the
son Of lie Where Whero, was elected his sue
cessor. The result has been, that the European
culOnists have, up TO the present day, been ex-
cluded. on pain Of death, from the large area Of
country occupied by the King natives, and that the
war of 1865, which actually arose out OF Il dis
puled title TO certain lands which had been sold
to cUlOnists, assumed almost the proportions OF a
national conflict. The change Of ideas among
the e King natives " las they are called). which
has lately been evidenced by King Tawhiao's
visit to Auckland, has been brought about chiefly
by the influence OF the chiefs of those tribes who
have remained loyal to the British Government.
aided by a gradually growing conviction Of the
many advantages lost through isolation. During
last year Tawhieo paid two visits to the settle
ments adjoining the = KING country" and at
length made up his mind to visit Auckland, which
city he had not seen for twenty years.
The following account of his visit Is condensed
from that given by the NeD Zealand Herald.
Tawhiao came down from the settlements on the
Waikato by rail to a station some miles from
Auckland. and he and his party were driven from
thence in carriages provided by the Government
to the residence Of the Chief PaOra Tuhaere, at
OTakei. On tins Uccariun Tawbiau Was dressed
in a dark tweed coat and waIstcoat, and black
cloth trousers. He wore u white hat with a Grape
band around it. and as an oVercOat had a mack
intOsh. Some hula feathers were conspicuous in
the band Of his hat. IL will be seen hereafter
that whilst he thus presented himself among his
own people in European costume, be reverted to
the national Maori dress when he made his entry
into Auckland. PsOra, who had been influential
in bringing about the change Of sentiment among
the Kingites, received Tawhiao very warmly, his
men firing a volley in his honor as he arrived.
The old Maori etiquette was rigidly adhered to.
The reception il thus described by the local re-
porter -
- The Waikato party rested about 20 yards
from tIe Orakei natives, Tawhiao advanced alone
IN front Of his party, and then the tangi (weep-
ing) commenced. Tawhiao stood alone during
the langi. and all heads dropped while the weep
ing was going on. The spectacle was a strange
one. On the one hand about 60 of Paora's peo-
pie Including men, women and children), and on
the other about so OF TawhIaO's party, and in
the centre Tawhiao himself. Tawhiao stood
with his macintosh Oh, and his head covered,
and in hs hand the bouquet of flowers which had
been given TO him by a citizen at Green lane
station. The tangi lasted about twenty minutes,
after which TawhiaO walked over to, and took
Ills place in front of Paora Tuhaere. Some min
utes elapsed, and the - king " walked back and
sat down amongst his people"
Then followed an exchange Of speeches made
in the highly alegorical style Of the race. The
party remained at Orakei for the night as the
guests of Paora.
The next morning the party embarked on u
steamer which had been sent for them by the
people Of Auckland, whose guests they were to
be. Tawhiau was accompanied by his three sons,
his wife, his sister Tiria and other Maori ladies,
and by nearly sixty chiefs representing the King
tie tribes. Tawhiao was robed in a beautifully
ornamented mat, which Was folded across bis
shoulders aud reached his knees, the remainder
of his legs and his feet being uncovered. He
wore a white hat with black band OF Grape, which
was also adorned with peacock and hula feathers.
In his hand he held u carved hOerod Ia sort Of two
handed swOrd) Paora also wore a rIchly-em-
bruldered mat, but otherwise his costume was
European. His helmet was ornamented with
many-colored feathers, and in his hand he car
ried a 6nely-caTyed taiaha, adorned with the
feathers Of tie kaka (parrot.) AS Auckland
came IN view TawhiuO sought in vain for the old
land marks. such as fort B%ritomart, and was
greatly astOnished at the change IN, and the
extent of Auckland. since he save it over 20 years
ago. On reaching tie wharf IA vast crowd gave him