TE KOOTI'S MOVEMENTS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3918, 9 February 1884, Page 3

TE KOOTI'S MOVEMENTS.

(P.B. Herald.) Tho following are the remarks made at tho Gisborne Borough Council meeting on Tuesday evening about the travels of To Kooti: —

Mr Tutchen : I hoar that Te Kooti is going about tho country with 200 armed men, and is coming down the coast. We last heard of him at Tuuranga. I think it is very wrong that ho should be allowed to do it—no white man would be permitted to go on in that way. I want to know if he comes to this district if there is any arrangement to give him a warm reception? I think we ought tc be prepared to stop him, and not allow him in this district. Is any thing being clone? Captain Porter: I furbished up a couple of guns to-day. (Laughter.) Mr Tutchen : I wish you would give me ono of them, then. Mr Kenny: I think, in any case, tho Borough Council could do nothing till he was actually in the town, when, if he had such a retinue, we could apply to tho Government to stop him as a nuisance. But I do not think the Government would allow him to como here with a following of that sort, which would be a direct menace to tho peace. Ido not think tho Borough Council is the body to take any notice of his movements, however. I should think the magistrates of the district, who are charged with the maintenance of the peace, should, if there was any risk of its disturbance, meet and act.

Captain Porter: Ido not think we can take any notice of it—at present, at any rate. I may mention, however, that in my military capacity I havo asked tho Government not to allow him to enter this district at all; and lam informed that he is going altogether against the wishes of the Governinont. If he comes through the Ngatiporou country I am quite sure they will object. I have asked the Government to stop him, and keep him outside this district; but if lie came with 200 armed men, I should consider it only right to get 500 armed Ngatiporous to koep him out. But I think he will skirt this district, and not come hero at all. I think, if ho goes to Wellington— which I doubt—he will go another way and not through this district. I have heard that from native sources. Mr Joyce: I tliink it was wrong of the local bodies iv tho districts ho visited to allow him to go about with 200 armed followers. It seems ridiculous that anyone, native or Europeon, should be allowed to go about the country in that state—no European, in fact, would be allowed for a moment to do it. ' I think the local bodies where he is should take notice of it.

Captain Porter: I know he will not come into this district with an armed following if I can help it.