The Newtown bee., 1903-02-27

WlUu WuOIn ldu aTGduSou UO dCCOlu- pany me being indisposed. I proceed ed, however, to Ohinemutu, the origin al native pah or village. There found the natives busy amid the hot springs, steam jets and boiling mud holes. The women were washing and cooking at these natural coppers and steam pots. I saw young fellow bathing in one of the pools called the "Lobster Bath," and he said he had received more ben eft from it than from all the other baths. A great native meeting was proceeding in large Maori Rununga House, called Tami te Kapna. Quite 200 Maori were present. 1 gained ad- mittance, and heard Hone Heke, one of the Maori members in the New Zea- land parliament, speak. He is de- scendant of the great fighting chief, Hone IIeke, who gave the British troops much trouble during the Maori war. Also heard Ngata, another young Maori chief, who is most accomplish ed English scholar. He is lawyer, and boasts the NJ. A. and L. L. B. de- grees. The natives at this "korers' were framing certain land laws pre- vious to submitting them to par liament. l also saw here the poi and haka dances of the Maoris. The first is a very graceful movement, and the other is one of their war dances. It is a weird and exciting affair, the grim aces and contortions being both awful and fascinating. The Pakehas (white people) were invited to a feast, in which joined of course, and was in- troduced to many of the chiefs. I was glad of the opportunity to see them in the midst of their own customs and habits, and before leaving l thanked them for the kindness they had be- slowed that day on their Pakeha friends.
 On a narrow point of land juttlng into Lake Rotoma there is what is called the "Sunken Pah," the remains of village of great antiquity, and originally strongly fortified position. There is also another natural curiosity here, viz, two streams, one on either side of the road -one is hot water, and it petrities wood and other substances; the other is cold, clear and beautiful, sores on horses shoulders. The con- trast must be seen to be appreciated. I found, also at Ohinemutu, a curio dealer-a Pakeha Maori, that is an Englishman or white man who lives with the MaOris, and who has adopted their customs. He was well-educated and well-informed man, and insis Ged on me examining his many curios, one of which he took great pleasure in eX. plaining. It was Maori idol or god. He said that during feast the Maoris ran short of money to buy food and drink, so they ripped this god from | their meeting house, and sold it to him. They have often since wanted | to repurchase it, but he will not part with it. Then he showed me another thing. Proceeding to his desk he took out three pieces of written matter ,anC gave me their history, which was as follows: An English lady wrote to him in 1891 asking him to forward tt her two vegetable caterpillars. (These are petritied insects having something of the shape of caterpillars and are much sought after by curio hunters) She wished him to send them to High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshre, anC enclosed a check for 1-6 on the Higf Wycombe bank, not caring, as she said, to risk the money, and English stamps would be useless. He sent heI six of the caterpillars, and asked he1 the next time she favored him with ar order to send postot1ice order, as he would have to pay 2-6 exchange on hel check. The lady acknowledged the receipt of the letter on a post carc written at Gibraltar, and on this post card the man had to pay two pence fine through deficiency of postage
 This man now dilates on these things with great gustO, and he told me that Rider Haggard's brother offered hin two guineaS for them as curiOs O
 English meanness, but he refused the offer. 1 told the man that he should have secured the lady's portrait, wher he could have framed the lot and thus have made complete and interesting exhibition. He laughed most uproar | iOuSlV at my suggestion and decJa re6