Page:Overland Journey of the Governor of New Zealand.djvu/21

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 all the 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