ARREST OF SYDNEY TAIWHANGA FOR WIFE DESERTION.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1339, 7 August 1883, Page 3

ARREST OF SYDNEY TAIWHANGA FOR WIFE DESERTION.

AMUSING SCENES. MRS TAIWHANGA ALSO IN CUSTODY. (F{om the Auckland Herald.) The s.e. Tarawcra arrived yesterday shortly after aoon from the South, and Sergeant Clarke, of the Water Police, went orl hoard as soon as she came alongside the wharf, and arrested [on warrant] Sydney David Taiwhanga, for a breach of the Destitute Persons Relief Act, 1879, by deserting his wife, Sarah Ann Taiwhanga The great Maori agitator was somewhat taken aback when the sergeant explained his mission. He had just sat down to dinner, and Sergeant Clarke, with a consideration which does infinite credit to his head and heart, patiently waited until Sydney hasjtaken a“ square meal,” On reaching the wharf Sydney saw his toolawful wife, waiting to give him a warm reception, but with true Socratic philosophy he left Xantippe to her own devices, and walked oS with the sergeant. Mrs Taiwhanga was not to be thus denied. In view of the prospect of meeting her liege lord she was deeply agitated, and under the influence of—strong emotion — she closed on Sydney, notwithstanding the protests of his escort, and made a lunge at him with her gingham, very much after the style in which the impetuous Poihaere dealt with Tawhiao at Whatawhatihoe. All the way to the station a series of skirmishes went on, but Sergeant Clarke ably covered the rear. On being taken to the guard room Sydney was searched, and the properties were a few trifling articles, a silver watch and gold chain, and £2B 19s 9d, probably the funds collected for the Maori Embassy to England. He was then placed in the lock-up. Meanwhile Mrs Taiwhanga had been making matters lively in the corridor outside. The pohce, though they do not profess to be like Dibdin's typical sailor, who “ would not lay a hand upon a woman save in kindness,” with thoughtful consideration were anxious to bring the estranged couple together, so they “ run her in.” Like Sydney, Sarah Ann takes the smiles of fortune and the blasts of adversity with an even pulse, and no sooner had she reached that bourne to which the toper frequently returns, than she commenced to warble like a nightingale across the partition, with its chevaux defrize, to her arrant spouse, " Thou art so Near and yet so Far,” and various Irish airs a la the Saturday evening concert, in a style that would have warmed the heart of Mr Pooley had he heard them. The charge against Mrs Taiwhanga was that she is not a member of the Blue Ribbon Army, and she may be thankful that Sergeant Clarke did not prefer against her the more serious charge of “assaulting a prisoner while in lawful custody, 1 ’ “ using language calculated to provoke a breach of the peace,” &c. Sydney Taiwhanga has forwarded us the following letter, in which he states his case, and is but simple justice that he should have ample opportunity of vindicating his reputation before the colony, and that his defence should have as much publicity as the accusations preferred against him. The experiment of miscegenation(?) in order to bring about a union of the two races, and to raise the Maori to the higher plane of European civilization, was a delicate and perilous one for Sydney to adventure upon, but the self-abnegation which induced him to give himself away—and to become, so to speak, the corpus vile of such experiments—ought to secure for him the sympathy of a discriminating colonial public. We subjoin his communication as nearly as possible verbatim let iteralim :—

LIBEL AND DATAMATION. TO THZ EDITOR OF THE HERALD. Sir, —Ever sincejl Ligally married to Mrs. Moran in the year 1877. Nearly the whole of the New Zealand newspapers ridiculous my private character without proved or foundation contrary to the Provision of both Acts Libel and Datamation of character. By readings paragraph in the “Poverty Bay Herald” of the 19th July 1883, from the “New Zealand Herald" stating that my Wife going to lay a charge against me for wife Desertion—l am perfect will satisfied at the same time I am sorry for this ever happen for the sake of my wife and Her children as it is is I am ready to appear to any Court of Law of which my wife may take proceeding against me the sooner she do it the better for all parties concerding in this matter including private individuals and Newspapers proprietors—And I do also hope that these Individual and Proprietors support Mrs. Moran for her future wellfare —as for my part the Law will have to force me to matain my wife before I do it as I have made up my mind that I would not suffers any longer. It is quite bad enough fer men to get D But it is thousand times worse for women to do so— S- D. TAIWHANGA. Auckland 24 July 1883. Sydney, it will be Been, says —i£ his language means anything—he hopes the Press will support his wife in future. The colonial Press supported a good many things in its time, but it will probably “ draw the line ” at “supporting” Mrs. Taiwhanga and his infant heir, “ the only legitimate half-caste in New Zealand,” who bears the honoured names of Hori Kerei Hone Heanee Taiwhanga, the protege of “ the great Proconsul ” and the exNafive Minister. Since his incarceration, Sydney has had time to think over the situation, and he has now decided to consent to maintain his wife. That being so, the charge of wife desertion falls to the ground, and he

will probably be at once discharged to-day when brought before the magistrate at the Police Court. The fact that he came straight on to Auckland, notwithstanding his knowledge that Mrs. Taiwhanga contemplated legal proceedings against him, shows that he had no intention of “ deserting ” his wife, whatever may be the difficulty about maintaining her.