THE TE KOOTI TROUBLE.

Manawatu Herald, 26 February 1889, Page 2

THE TE KOOTI TROUBLE.

On Friday it was reported from Opotiki that Te Kooti, with 200 men and 50 women, passed through there at 10 o'clock in the morning. A meeting was also held on Friday with reference to Te Kooti. The attendance was about 800. The Mayor, as Chairman, said he could almost assure the meeting that Te < Kooti would not come to a settled j part of the district, or within 30 | miles of Gisborne. He counselled j moderation. Other speakers said | the settlers must adopt means of self- ! preservation, and these remarks found favour with the audience, who expresed great enthusiasm in their . determination to resist Te Kooti's . visit. Several native chiefs ad- ' dressed the meeting. Haari Ruru, ' a chief of a Gisborne tribe, stated ! that he would place 200 armed men ! in the field. If a rebel like Te Kooti had been pardoned for atrocities, surely the Government could pardon lojal Natives for keeping him away now. Their grievance had lasted, for 21 years, and must outweigh the four years' pardon of the Government. A deputation fom the meeting waited upon the Premier, asking his attendance, but he declined for administrative reasons SirH. Atkinson will consider the. ! resolutions of the meeting and evidence taken and give a decision as to what is to be done in the afternoon. Major Kopata arrived at Gisborne by the s.s. Maitai, and had a long interview with the Premier. Three hundred armed and mounted Ngatiporou are on their way to Gisborne, There is a large number of Natives in the streets here. Bopata and Henare Patae, an influential chief, conversed in the open air, surrounded by crowds of Nafives. At the termination, a war song was chanted by the Maoris. The excitemont is increasing*, especially among the friendly Maoris. The Karaka public school has been closed, owing to families having left for Gisborne., In the evening the Premier informed the Vigilance Commit' ee that Te Kooti should not come into the district, and that the Government would take an armed force to prevent him, if necessary