Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE : TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1883.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1372, 23 October 1883, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE : TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1883.

From times immemorial it has always been au universally acknowledged fact that a lie, once told, necessitates the telling of a whole multitude more to support and endorse it; such is also undoubtedly he case with re- , spect to any dishonest or despicable act or 'ransoctim The best argument in support of anv theory is to demonstrate a case in point. We will proceed to illustrate our meaning. The Kata RINA Kahutia transactions have been a matter «.f puolic nocor iety for nearly the last seven years. This poor Native w-man was, in the year 1877, P'fsxessi d of a princely fortune in the shap of numerous shares in large and valuable tracts of laud There happened to be in the Bay at this time, a. p tk< hi, who, through some Unaccountable freak of nature, suddenly deve oped an intense concern for the safety of this vomau’s property, and ano less anxiety for her personal future welfare. As fortune would have it, this would-be protector anti guardian was most eminently fitted for the high ami disinterested mission which he unselfishly wished to take upon himself by having studied Pakeha wow Maori phi an r n>opy -it the f«et of toe great Poverty Bay GaM*LI*L -Captain Read. Perhaps h«« f*lt it incuiuoent on | him to assume the high mi-si »n of prote -'or and guirdiauof this Native heiresses portion on account of the a<b’er*e fates having robbed her of the natural one in the shape of her husband Peter. The first great obstactle which appears to have presented itse’f to this wonderous Saimritan, wis the great difficulty he experienced in getting the dusky object of his solicitude to believe in the profuse protestations of his disinterested concern and unlimited anxiety for her safety — or, should we say, the «a ety of her proper v. Finding he most obdurate »m I u’t-erly regard les* of the ceaseless warnings he s • constantly p ied her with as t • the intentions of her faithfess spouse Pktera, making over her shares to the Warner’s insatiable instructor (!: EAD) ;of the eunning ami false designs <>f 'he ilium nm l.tmL-harks who were casting II- n rv » y<-* <>n »h.- fer i’c o.d

land.-, winch -Im held, lie Lee..me a pr«-v to the all absorbing anxic'y f.<r her (lands) welfare. He determined to leave no pos- I

lible device untried—no stone unturned ; and with a view of saving her (lauds) in spite of herself«devoted himself entirely to this one vital object. He remembered that running water wears away a stone,” and took that for his motto. “He continued to press me day by day, until I went to Napier.” This ZolAarian philanthropist was also philosopher enough to know that the greatest diversities

• f character sometimes exists in the same family ; and acting upon this supposition, tried and succeeded in approaching ihe obdurate one through the affinity of the sister. On Katarina returning from Napier, where her stay had been somewha' lengthy, and long enough to have damped the courage of even this inspired Cherub, who had taken a seat up aloft to watch over the lam Is <»f Madam KaHUTIA, had not the prize been so great. The poor woman wearily said, “ I thought he had left off bothering me, but he again came,” and this time plied his arts so well as to gain his object. What that object really was is only too clearly apparent in tiie sequel to this action as shown in the Native Lands Court last week. It is a most noticeable and strange fact worthy of remark, that r.ll lhe base actions of acertuin class of individuals who have been t he means of bringing to life that fa seand unprincipal monstrosity known by the name of the New Zealand Native Land Settlement Company, have been carried on under the false and alluring mask of philanthropy. And in this too Wvll known and shallow character Captain Tucker has now the coi summate effontry to pone before the public in this Kataraina Kahutia’s wrong. It is nothing less than an outrage on common sense, and an utter disregard to all decency to attempt to defend this notoiiuusly disgraceful mutter which has been the subject of public execration and denunciation for years past, on the grounds of such transparent falsehood. But his temporary success has made him bold ! Like his poor cowardly partner in this disgraceful transaction, who ran away immediately he saw the faintest shadow of the avenging angel flit across the scene, and who again breathed afresh when he received the gladdening message which stayed his flight and caused him fo mins the boat, “Richard is himself again !” He has even assumed the character of injured innocence, and the wronger now mo>t loudly complains of being vronged Captain Tucker complains that 'his journal has misprinted him with respect to reporting his explanation and denial of ’he accusations laid against him, as given in the evidence of Katarina H-»w the complaint reached us we will presently show. We have aeported Captain Tucker as having said in his evidence. “It was intended that I should pay the amount down.” This, he says, should have been rendered, “ It was noZ intended,” &c. Now we are per feotly willing to grant this point to Mr ker, iiu smuch as it was next to imp isto follow the interpreter on accoum of low tone of voice in which he sp >ke . bi.’st standing with his back towards us, .nd the constant noise made by the high

■ ind and the restless Natives. In the e-H’ly •art of the proceedings it required the utmost concentration to obtain a verbatim report of Katarina’s evidence, and her “ gentle cross-examination ” (?) by Mr Rees—not one syllable of which wr,s lost. But that completed, the confusion became so great, and the confidenfcir.l manner in which Mr Rees and Mr Tucker conveyed their arguments and explanations to the Bench rendered it utterly impossible to follow them word for word ; but when Mr Tucker spok* in a loud and clearly intelligible voice (in Maori} only the faintest sounds reached us through the interpreter. Notwithstanding that we have f iken every pline to ascertain whether Mr Tucker’s complaint is well founded or not, by taking the opinion of several intelligent and entirely disinterested g«-n lenn n who were in the Court, ami who positively assert the contrary, we are perfectly willing to g r ant him the concession. Assuming, even, 'hat he, in the first place, undertook the custody of these valuable shares purely with a view to her ultimate good, and that ic was NOT intended that lie should pay the amount, (£1000) down, we will ask how has he deported himself with respect to rhis trust. ? Was it concern for her welfare that caused him to he a party to the disgraceful rune of inveigling this poor woman into an hotel, and locking her up in a room with himself and her despoiler for, we are confidently assured two days, and plying her with ample and unlimited refreshmentswhilst, in the meantime, deeds were prepared as if by magic, ami all the functionaries and appliances sent for, a,nd assembled in another room ? Assuming, again that Tucker was acting under the impulse of his disinterested phil inthropy and concern for this woman and’ Rtperat »’s children, howwas it that this cunning shrewd and gallant protector allowed this poor woman to be despoiled of her enormously valuable shares in some of the most desirable blocks in the Bay for the insignificant and monstrously inadequate pittance of £l5O per annum. Assuming, once again, that, he was still absorbed by his ceaseless anxiety for her welfare, how was it that he did not even trouble himself to have this shamefully inequitable sum legally assurred and paid to her. How is it that through seven long years thin woman has never received this paltry consideration, and that at any moment—ave, even at this very moment, should she die, where is the insurance to her or the children, for whom this <ldspo"iler, under the ma*k of philan. ihropv, so falsely professes concern ? Of all the despoiling and sh unefiil transactions which have ever disgraced and outraged the laws framed for tho pro'ection of Natives and their property, this is the m >st outrageously monstrous, and which is now* being blistered U;» by, for, and though thdl agency of a Comp inyjwhose sole object is the 1plunder and looting of the Natives in defiance of all equity, law and honor Nothing can possibly ba clearer than the fact that a gross and palpable fraud has been commited l»y “some one,” and we await with no little concern tn see what action the Government. will take in this matter. F<>r ourselves we shall, in the event of justice miscarrying, forward home full details of the whole transaction with a view of laying the same before the British Parliament through the influence and agency of those who make it one of the aim of their lives to see justice done to all, and even fo a d«*B|M)ile<l Maori.

We wi 1 now proceed fo show the manner in which the complaint of Mr Tucker rckc’ieius. On Saturday evening list this g.-ntl.-min, with the characteristically h »n lurdile tactics which invariably disgraces ••very move or tr insaction in which any agent of In- Lt'ul Comp my is concerned, went to Mr W. Adair, and hinted in very broad terms, the advantages accruing to Mr Adair from ’he patronage and custom of himself and party, and proceeded to inform that gentleman that unless he used the influence which he possessed, thr ugh his business relations with Mr Maude and through Mr Mau of. over the Standard, with a w’ew of suppressing the Mcl’onald-TcckEß-KaHUTIA articles 'which appear to be too forcible and true to be pleasant.) he Mr Adair con Id not reasonably expect his support. Mr W. Maude he tring Mr Tucker’s m »dest request (who must be a great p'-nficient in this line of argument after having had such prolonged practice on poor Kat bin xl dis.d limed anv power nr control! >v r fli<- Sta • DARD ami t’lly pro- ■ d--d • «'iir nrnprie’or and info" m-d hi u of ’it" di- utable. ’aa'i -s on ihe n.rtof the Company’s boycotter. Uur representative )

accompanied Mr Maude back to Mr Adair where ha informed that gentleman that no one but himself had the power or influence to sway or bias in the slightest degree the tone of his paper, which was entirely independent and run solely in the public interests of truth and justice. At the same time Mr Maude, acting under that fine sense of honor which distinguishes all his transactions, informed Mr adair, that the matter necessitated the immediate severing of the business relations existing between them. There can be but little doubt but what Mt Tucker was led to form such a low estimate of tbe Standard’s morale through his association and connection with a print so utier.y devoid of all principle as to cause its drivelling utterances to be viewed with derision and contempt, even by its own supporters. Again we warn them ihat retribution is close at hand. Why did not Mr Tucker get his precious organ, that is so very anxious to show “ both sides of the question,” io report this investigation, instead of receiving the false, lying, and garbled account, evidently intended to further wrong their fleeced victim, from the pen of oue utterly devoid of all that makes muihood honorable Ihe corrupt and venal ring which finds mich a re .dy, pliant tool in their own wretchedly unprincipled and toadying print, cinnot possibly realise the fact that the Standard has always, at least since its lust resussitation fearlessly battled conscientiously in the cause of truth and justice with utter dis regard to all prejudice, cliques, or parties. We have waged no war with any man. but simply with the wrong he may commit, administering praise and reproof not to persons nut to deeds. Nay our very neediness is the most convincing proof of our integrity.