Through Tuhoe Land.
(PA1-q-634)

Photographic record of the state visit of Lord Ranfurly, Governor of New Zealand, to the Bay of Plenty and the Far North in March 1904. The vice-regal party, which comprised Lord Ranfurly, his secretary Dudley Alexander, James Carroll, Dr Maui Pomare, Gilbert Mair, and the journalist Malcolm Ross, travelled on horseback through an unroaded region via Lake Waikaremoana and the Huiarau Ranges, to attend a meeting of the representatives all the Maori Councils of New Zealand, at Ruatoki. The party then returned to Auckland and sailed on HMCS Iris to the Far North, where they attended a number of hui. Most of the photographs were taken by Malcolm Ross, whose pamphlet "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904), describes the journey.

"Through Tuhoe land", by Malcolm Ross (Christchurch Press, 1904), says of this occasion: "Once over the bar the steamer swerves into the broad river, and glides onward round a bend to the township of Wairoa. As we near the wharf the well-known strains of a Maori song of welcome to the Governor break the stillness, and a moving line of gesticulating Maoris, men and women, greet the Governor. As the steamer proceeds they advance along the bank in a line, keeping up the strange gesticulations of the haka and the weird melody of their chant in a minor key."

Malcolm Ross, in "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904) states that "...The trail wound up the face of the mountain between the gnarled trees of the sombre forest, and then dived into some deep declivity only to ascend again with startling suddenness, but it was all the same to those marvellous Maori horses. Time after time, as July had said, it seemed as if we might have to say "Good-bye to light", but with never a slip nor stumble the Governor's grey, old Socrates, Tori, and the rest, took us through it all in safety..."

In "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904), which describes the vice-regal expedition which is the subject of PA1-q-634, Malcolm Ross states that the party crossed the Huiarau Range and descended the northern side, when "shortly after noon we emerged from a forest into a clearing at the foot of the valley, and presently we came upon a small kianga [sic], where a number of Maoris were cooking their mid-day meal. Pigs and dogs, Maori women and children, were mixed promiscuously about the fire...". Later that day the party reached Ruatahuna.

In "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904), which describes the vice-regal expedition which is the subject of PA1-q-634, Malcolm Ross states that the party crossed the Huiarau Range and descended the northern side, when "shortly after noon we emerged from a forest into a clearing at the foot of the valley, and presently we came upon a small kianga [sic], where a number of Maoris were cooking their mid-day meal. Pigs and dogs, Maori women and children, were mixed promiscuously about the fire...". Later that day the party reached Ruatahuna.

Malcolm Ross, in "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904) states that "All day our horses had proved their mettle in a most surprising manner. By this time also, we found that they possessed individualities as diverse as our own. The Governor rode a wonderful grey pony, that never made a mistake, and willingly and uncomplainingly took the rough with the smooth. Lord Ranfurly subsequently declared that this pony could go anywhere that a goat could go, and I verily believe he could.

In "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904), which describes the vice-regal expedition which is the subject of PA1-q-634, Malcolm Ross states that as the party approached Ruatahuna they "left the stream and started across the clearings on the outskirts of the village. There was little cultivation .... Pits of kumaras, recently dug, and tobacco drying in the sun were the only signs of husbandry."

Malcolm Ross, in "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904), states: "Mr Carroll rode a dark bay, of a contemplative turn of mind, and because of this, and the wisdom he displayed in plucking any chance bit of tender herbage met with by the way, we called him Socrates".

Malcolm Ross, in "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904) states that , after leaving their camp at Kopuriki "The Governor had decided to get to Ruatoki by a short way, over a mountain range; so, instead of keeping to the main road, we drove along a track on the right side of the Wairohau [sic] Valley .... After proceeding some ten or fifteen miles, we turned in towards the range on our right, and, leaving the wagonettes, continued the journey on horseback. The track zig-zagged up a steep mountain side, and as the cavalcade of some hundred men and women climbed up in single file, the effect was most picturesque.

Malcolm Ross, in "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904) states that "Late in the afternoon the Governor and his party rode through the broad, swift-flowing waters of the Whakatane, here a noble river, and rode slowly forward towards the native village of Ruatoki, where were gathered about a thousand of the tribespeople and the representatives of all the Maori Councils of New Zealand.

In "Through Tuhoe land" (Christchurch Press, 1904), which describes the vice-regal expedition which is the subject of PA1-q-634, Malcolm Ross describes this scene in Ruatoki; 'Turning in another direction we witnessed a quaint and interesting ceremony, the food for the evening meal was being brought in with all the old ceremonial, and as the bearers advanced ith it they sang the song of "Kai".'