TE WHITI AND TOHU.

Patea Mail, 22 May 1882, Page 3

TE WHITI AND TOHU.

/ The Gtagp .-Daily, {Times .very much approves the manner >in which the Maori chiefs are being, treated, and referring to the feeling..-0f..-teri’Gi’ which the dusky chieftains exhibited ’em‘ various occasions at' Unusual Sights and sounds/says;—“ By degrees, no dotibt, thisfeeling of .undefined dread will .wear off ; butdoes not its very existence, show how absuyd it ; was to : attempt.to deal witli these men in relation to politics and laws,-and other civilised institutions, iri the same manner as if-they possessed equal intelligence and .an equal stock of ..ideas, with , Euvqpeans ? Knowing, as we do now, how nearly a Blank' their mind ’is,''exc%Tin''regard to the fewsubjects ?which>cpme, to them by nature in their.forest wilds or by contact with, the class of Europeans .who; affect Native, settlements, , w t e no longer wonder at, incoherent' ravings, coloured and confused by*’Scriptural images, and deeply grounded, on Maori traditions. We,no longer wonder that whpn the/ Qoyerrior .wrote Te Whiti a friendly Tetter, couched in the simplest language, proposing meeting and a reasonable settlement of alt. disputes, the;‘ prophet ’ had no better reply than ‘The potato is cooked !’ The Times continues “ We are glad t.o ; see, that the Government, while they:allow; Mr Beetham to lake the prisoners where , he will for purposes of instruction, yet does hpt allow, irresponsible persons, to-have access to them., We observe that some’ of those raischevious busybpdies who made themselves an intolerable .nuisance op the West Coast during the Native disturbances, have been trying to intrude upon' .the chiefs in' the prison and elsewhere, but that the magistrates have prevented them froth doing so. ’We hope that course- will .bp resolutely ’adhered to. The good effect's of the humane action of the authorities towards the prisoners would be in a great, measure nullified ,if they were degraded to a mere vulgar show, or if the partial liberty that is allowed them were made the means of bringing them again under the vile, influence of falsehood and intrigue,’’:? «... :, v .,q | -