The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1871.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 188, 10 August 1871, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1871.

The "Life and Adventures pf.Te.Eooti'f might be made tlie theme of a moderate-' sized pamphlet which would possess the most thrilling interest for the public, and be attended with highly satisfactory pecuniary results to any competent person who should take upon himself to write the biography of the great Maori hero. His escape from the Chatham Islands, aud return to' his native land ;; his; horrible deeds at Poverty ' Bay; the numerous engagements'in which lie* took part, aud from none of which, if we are to believe all we have been tol,d, did he escape, without severe, and occasion ally mortal/ wounds; his death, and burial in tbe great ocean, which refused to retain' in -its bosom the morial remains of the renowned chieftain, but cast them up od the beach where they were seen and recognised by his mourning followers; his subsequent return: from the spirit land to which we bad all hoped he had- for ever been despatched ; his oft-repeated games of hide-and-scfk with the Armed Constabulary, Volunteers, and Native • Contingent; his interesting conversation with Mi\ Firth at Thompson's. Monument; und finally his numberless escapes- fro.m .those who were in search of him, and who, just at the moment of their sanguine anticipations being realised, found that they were uot quite near enough to 'their quarry to sprinkle" upon him the proverbial pinch of salt that would have ensured his ; capture— -all these various incidents might, by a skilful pen, be so worked up that the romances of Miss Braddon, Mrs. Wood, and even of the distinguished -authors of the exciting tales iv that most of' periodicals, the London Journal, would be thrown: most completely ,iuto the shade before^ the vouched-fdr events ' cbn-'j nected. with, the life, death, and resurrection, of the; many-lived Te ; Epoti. We have alluded to the pecuuiary Results that would attend the sale bf such a work, but, as the incidents related therein have all of them taken place on New Zealand soil, we Should like to seet he task taken 'in hand by. some philanthropist.' who would; not write:for the sake of benefitting, his own; pocket, but would be disposed to devote the proceeds, to some benevolent- object connected with the colony-rsay, ; for instance, to supplying the Maoris with firearms. : . While admitting the, deep interest that would attach. to such a narrative on account of its romance*- jike character,, but which would be of but a* temporary and 'fleeting nature, T snd, in all probability, would cease with the closing of the book, we cannot shut our, eyes to the fac£_ that there is another feature connected iwith the proceedings of: our hero, that is not altogether so pleasing — one that unfortunately will be found to partake- of stern reality -without' the slightest savour ;6f romance**— we allude to the little bill thatwill be presented to thefAss'embly'in. tbe_ coming session iii connection ysitfr V the i numerous expeditions .ihai liave, been fitted out with a view ".■ to capturing this representative of /the. V native difficulty/ on the East Coast; expeditions;- with-re-gard to' which, however the individuals who ' were 'engaged ; ; in , tlieni 4 may have been in their expectations., were .anything;, but^sanguinary. n in. their results'.! Major ; Ropata, oorf r whom -m& aue f •constantly hearing as ibeing 'just' 6n>*"the point -ofmaking Te Kooti a prisoner, liiay ' -be a very fine fellow and an excellent c6mmandeF,of ,a native force, but theceis^ one thing' waiting ' J to render his services* ,they are./represen.^d.to be,, ''namely, success.. ABe is conetanjly'rushing abouit .ih\ !the most energetic -'man ner, • but for all- the: results -he'har yet ■achieved dn his peculiar linep' he ■' nii ! gnt just ■'as 1 well r have ? devoted to "the ! exciting task of cliMn^WiXi^ih^W^gi ' and we'fear there' is drily tbd^ucK jj-e^soh 'to believe that. in reply to,. the enquiries' that, will, doubtless, be made^q^.JVfjftislers, ...we shaiyeara (that., his. ltt^ie/^^Biujß^pi^nt fhas pot been indulged in coQAamAWfryfo&ti. cthatj the expense entailed-upon the colony -by-Hiß*expedilion^ is'quite'ae greufr/as-'hasj i>qen his want ofe^cotissp .^Phere'^e vety I many persons to be— found;. iu,..the ~ colony;. isVOup. natWH. a!ta d %X^teRo?BSW lift ftfEe Hon. Mr. Mar^ft l^WGVjljdye^^ < 'lg&j ■Of? far jfc ia the height of

folly to suppose that the force under Mt.jor Ropata woul^eenre Te Kooti even if they:hadib|-chank^a^ A m such an event their occupations- would_i|be gone. We l^avenot tn.alMntirriateliacquaintance with the Maori "character necessary to the formation of a decided opinion on this head, but, supposing the members nf-our native £ contingent- .to .bo, human, f ,and. allowing t^iat the'^cessatioh-of' ttiese quent expeditions would injuriously affect their pecuniary circumstances.^we are bound to admit thai(Pcifcumsta f ntial evidence is in favor of the views- entertained by the sceptics. _-; ;( , . -., • .,., :... ...