TE KOOTI'S STORY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 550, 5 February 1878, Page 2

TE KOOTI'S STORY.

(i-m;om ouit owx (.'o];iM-:.si''>\-i>B\T.) At/rxaxtika. February 4

i On arrival in the Kin : Country on Friday afternoon I inquire;! ? .]■ Te Kooti, : and found, that the well-known perpe- • trator of the Poverty Bay massacre, and so long pursued by the Govorment, was in camp after fiie ceremonial welcome to •Sir George Grey, and sought him out. s Ho occupied a little hut together with his > wire in the immediate vicinity of the - tents of iiewi and the king. He was i outside, and invited me in. Ho is a com- ' paratively young man, with a quick- ner- • vons manner and restless eye ; but with ! nothing of the ferocious aspect one is iiieiined to associate with his past career. > On the contrary he seems quite, mild, and of a frank and friendly manner ; seating me beside him, he at my request gave a lengthened account of his life. How lie was a Government man. and perfectly loyal, ini 1 been, up to the time of his • ai'ivst, lighting »ith I he f: ■h-ml'ms on V <■ side of ti:<: Que- u. He ' .•••] 1> en assis : ianf s:oi-,-i,ian in a soeeke per, and v. as . in opposition to (.'apt. ILeed, of Poverty Hav. aivl very iniiiieiiiial in trading wirj: i he natives ; and, on a numb r of Maoris being arrested, he was point, d oul. as a dan-erous character, in order io be removed. Tuts body were indue-d l-y Sir George Grey, ho ssrd. v.-lnn'a< ily, 1o go to (lie Chatham Islam's until the rroubl-s were over, but, on a distinct promise that the exile was not to <xeeed throe years. at the end of the term lie applied for a fulfilment of the promise, but Sir George Grey being gone, Sir Donald Mac Lean refused to permit his return, or to name any further date for exile to end. He accordingly seized a, schooner, escaped, and landed on the East Coast, He said thai he eenj two letters to Sir Donald Mac Lean, promising to remain quiet and retire into the interior if they were left alone, but they got no reply and Were hunted into war, which was carried out according to the nsuage of his fathers. He says that he intends never to take np arms against the Government if left alone : j unless the king goes to war for good cause ; j but, if the ''king " has not sulliciout cause, j ho will not even then light against the ! Queen. He seemed to feel greatly inter- j ested by prospect of no more righting, j and said that he would keep quiet i and give no cause of trouble. Te Kooti j is unfortunately given to drink when he I can get it, and, on Saturday, a European not connected with the ministerial party, i had given liirn two bottles of rum, when -

he became dreadfully excited, and went through the Maori encampment shouting out, " I am the man on whose head the Government have set a price." He was ultimately quieted and got into his tent. Purukutu, the murderer of Sullivan, and Niku, the murderer of Todd, were also staying at the camp, but I did not interview them. Several, if not all of the men were present at Sir Donald McLean's interview with the King, but for some unaccountable reason the fact was not only concealed but denied. If the then Government were not able to conquer or capture those men, they might have, at least, had the honesty to admit that they were present at the meetings. At the same time, the folly of a minister supposing that it was the duty of himself and a few attendants to interfere with such men in such circumstances, surrounded by a thousand natives assembled on a friendly mission, but prepared to quickly resent any hostile action, is very apparent. On Saturday it was arranged between Sir George Grey and Tawhiao, Rewi, etc., that the meeting for business should be held in March in the King country, and that no Europeans should be present but Sir George Grey and the Native Minister, and that these should accompany the King and Rewi right through the country. Tawhiao chained that, in the meantime as the Premier's Secretary had the privilege to send letters and telegrams free, his own Secretary should have the same privileges. The Premier promised that Tawhiao would be gazetted as entitled to frank telegrams and letters. Taken altogether meeting has resulted in frank and confidential relations being established beyond all anticipations, although, according to Maori usuage, much interviewing anil much talking must take place before practical results are obtained.