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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 757, 31 January 1870, Page 4

MR. J. C ITRTH'S INTERVIEW WITH TE JiOOTL [Evening News (Auckland], 19th Jan.] Ever since troubles began in iSew Zealand, and that is now, many many years ago, the action of the-Govern-ment has been thwarted by the unasked, and unauthorised intermeddling of private individuals—of seliconstituted authorities on matters which, for the most part, they are utterly ignorant of—of Maori tors without diplomas or political character—of social Jock-puddings, who swallow brave wars, provided they are attended by fat contracts, and then when those contracts determine belch forth abject appeals for peace and safety to rebels in arms against the constituted authorities; and of such are the peace (at any price) party of the present day. The above thoughts,have been forced upon us by the quasi- treasonable action of a certain gentleman of our province who presumes, without the sanction of the Government, and acting solely on his own responsibility, to hold converse with such as Te Kooti, Hakaria, Kereopa, and their following, to make appointments for a "korero : ' with them, and to propose to himself to treat

with scoundrel* of the deepest dye, on the most amicable terms, independently of any idea of right or wrong, but such as may for the time being being suit his own particular views of the situation. According to news lately received, one of our Maori doctors—a gentleman with very peculiar idiosyncracies and pro divides has been in communication with General Te Kooti, and has appointed to tryst him at the site of Tamihana (Thompson's) monument, then and there to calk over matters and shed a few Job Trotter-like tears of repentance over deeds—repented of only when empty stomachs and cartouche boxes leave them no other alternative. Do hounds treat with the fox ? Do Australian bushmen trifle with snakes? Should men meet scoundrels, beyond the pale ot human sympathy, with the right hand of fellowship and seek excuse for murder and rapine? Should subjects of the crown be permitted to hold intercourse of any description with fiends whose deeds of atrocity have outlawed them to that extent, that the man who would shoot them down in cold blood as Wylie did, must in deference to public opinion be held to have acted as a man, and not in any way as a criminal ? We trow not, and we earnestly call upo v' the Government at once to btop the impertinent, self-sufficient, and officious meddling of the Matamata gobetween. He is .not a member of the Government; he is thoroughly distrusted by his fellow-colonists, and has not the capacity to deal with integrity, with subjects of vital importance to thousands and the descendants of thousands, and can only regard the question now at issue from his own narrow stand point of view. What would be the result were correspondence of this description carried on with the Fenian party at home, by persons unauthorised by the Government to treat of such matters'? Without a doubt, the individual taken in the act, woulp be held to be particeps criminis, and as such would be held liable to the same punishment as the real offender. Then why should .similar conduct be tolerated in this country. To what purpose institute a Treason Felony Act, and not put it in force ? Why allow private interviews bebetween private individuals and declareu banditti —rebels against law and constituted authority i Why tacitly accept as a mediator one who warred foi* a run—and cried peace when he had got it. In the name of the public we protest against Mr Firth's action at the present time. The crisis demands the attention of our best and most tried public servants; the responsibility success or failure rests entirely with the Government, and they will best consult their own self-respect and the weal of the colony by at once withdrawing Mr Firth from a position in which he can do neither himself any credit nor the colony any good.