WELLINGTON

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1302, 29 March 1883, Page 2

WELLINGTON

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) “TE KOOTIPHOBIA.” Observing in one of your files the unique extract from the Hawke’s Bay “ Herald ” of the 13th March, I was immensely struck by it, as showing with what intense infatuation some natures arc drawn towards our colored brethren in preference to their own kindred. Our dear ohl acquaintance, the veteran Williain Colenso, verily “ Deems the last political “ act of Mr Bryce of so publically, so freely, “so genuinely pardoning the unfortunate, “ the wronged Te Kooti, as the very best of “ all his public political acts known to me,” which reminds me of—oh ! dear, clerically h ft I You were ever thus inconsistent, Reverend Billy K'lcnso !!; I can well imagine the tenor of the other portion of his letter, knowing his voluminous writings so well, and how they used to pall upon the public. Oh Mr Colenso, in days of y<>re, how we used to gaze upon your benign and long ringlctted brow, when addressing the “free and independent,” and nonring forth your silvery utterances as “tribune of the people,” and knowing your old “ amours penchants,” weaknesses, and leanings toWuids the Native race, I thought then you were a bit of a humbug, and am now, after all your years of penance, and aftei* the above opinion so characteristically expressed, fully convinced of the fact. How can you or the Ministry (!) reconcile that “the unfortunate, the wronged Te Kooti” required any pardon, after being so cruelly wronged ? Be consistent! After that, you will now perhaps advocate some redress, some award, for his being such a martyr ; such a painful victim of circumst'lives. Then by all means let him have it, but’•:t it be awarded by the R!< H’l TRU’.i NAf., through the Courts of Justice, anti if they exonerate his acts, let him ’.eccivc the full benefit of it. Not that he should es-. aj'C by a side wind oi Ministers, but that ho should have a fair trial, without fear, favor, or affection ; no advantage taken ct any technicality of the law : nor of that •‘Amnesty ' which has boon so grossly

frame*l for his protection specially ; and it takes no 6eer to prognosticato the issue—tl’ v inevitable dangling at the rope s end, Bii.t that happy consummation will never takp place, whilst, the present Ministry find the ways and means to prevent it. Having now brought Te Kooti and his friends to the rfro/q 1 will for the present drop the foul, repugnant and revolting subject, and await a more fitting season to recur to it. Dear Mr Colenso, w hat has become of the “Maori Lexicon” upon which you have spent so much of your undeniable talents for so many long years, and for which the Colonial exchequer has been drawn upon for such vast sums ? Docsit still suffer? The exchequer I mean - not the lexicon ; of course not, although that muy he suffering very badly also. Has the Honorable Treasurer held out a “deferred hope” of a renewal of the vote ? or will it come out of the pliant “ contingencies.” Remember, “Blessed is he that expcctcth not, especially from over grasping individuals. Perhaps they will over-reach tnemselves at the com ing session. Oh ! we are so “ pouri” being so ignorant of the mysteries of the Native Difficulty, after trying so manv years to i unravel its meaning, its intricacies, its devious paths, and various phases. I was led to be* i lieve—vain hope !—that at the coming bf j Bryce, all would be made clear, and the de--1 partment vanish out of existence altogether] the Colony become a very Utopia; but in reality it appears only to be a flimsy transformation scene, behind which all kinds of redoubtable uro peformed. The Hon. Mr Whitaker assuming the role of Clown, Harry Atkinson, Pantaloon, John , Bryce, Columbine, Honora Rolleston, each appearing at intervals at favored quarters of tbe Colonial Stage, and a “ general turn out” , on the floor of the “ House ” as a linalej ; admidst thunders of applause.