A RENOWNED MAORI MURDERER WHO WAS PARDONED. A REMARKABLE CAREER.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 342, 13 February 1889, Page 4

A RENOWNED MAORI MURDERER WHO WAS PARDONED. A REMARKABLE CAREER.

Auckland, Jan. G. Ti: Kooti, tho renowned Maori wairior, and llic instigator of the Poverly Bly Massacre and numeious oilier atiooitics, who was paidoned by the New Zealand Go- \ eminent some few years ago, was in tewii 10 day, although the facb was known to \eiy few, he having artived heio bj the Waikato train iasb night., and pub up at the Waverley Hotel. He is acoompanLd by his wife and another influential nati\e named Taiaiuru. To Kooli has come to Auckland ab the urgent leque-b of the Hon. Mr Mitcheison, Native Minister, in iefereneo to sonic dispute in which the notable native i-< eo:n_CKcd, and this fo:enoon lie had a loner kortro v. ii.li bolh Sir Hat ry Atkinson and Mr Mitchelson. The subject diseased has tiob been disclosed, bub io is understood to have intimabo relation to a itc^iic possessed by Te Kooti to rex i^it Povc.tv Bay, the scene of his former de picJatiotis. That possibility is legauled vsith dioad of seiums consequences, as tho iooling of intense hatred felt towaids the old savage continues to linger in tho breasts of the cider inhabitants. Dm ing the day To Kooti and his companions were occupied in loaling about tic town. Te Kooti rubbed noses with some ot tho natives whom ho met in town, and shook hands with others, but did n.t condescend to talk about hi? ou !i aii'aii-, and 0:1 the subject of his visit to Auckland he was dumb. Te Kooli isa comparatively inaignilicantlooking native, of medium height and build/ about, sixty years of age, with benb shuuldo'-s, and a heavy cast of countenance. Ife bears no tatoo niiiU, but beasts ot a scraggy giey beaid. His- d icss i-s after the Eu.optMn style and hi* Ik ad is covered by a large straw hit. In conversation ho is ratlivr leticenh with s-ivngeis and appears to ha i- e an insuperable objection to any maifctd abtcnlioi b^ing bestowed upon him by carious i idivuUiaN. When iikased To Kooli smiles quite pleasantly, bub when pub oub ho has tho exniessiou of a man not fco be triiled viith. 'Jo Kooti belongs to the East C asb natives, but for several years he lias been ?a) ing in the King Countiy. He fn&t came into prominence dining tho Maori War about rhe ii:ne of the nght at the Gate Tali, s'lol tly after which he was captured by f'ic Europe in forces and sent to Chath.un I=la!ids as a prisoner. When there he is. s^id to have behaved remarkably w ell. .At tlrj fine To Kooti was aimo-t unknown b") fane, but in a biief space of tune t>e became a gieab \v.i\\i. Ho buccvo.led m escaping fiom Chatham Islands v. itlia 'landof laithtnl folioweis.andgotlooae .lLMin i:i t'ne \ieiiuty of hi^ foimer haunts. He was followed up by tho Colonial forces, and iii 3 almost imaied ate result was tlu Puveity J3 ly massacre. In one nig t To Kouti and his band slew wiihoi?!; liieicy over foiby Europeans, men, women, and childicn, a!.d also sent to the lia^jpy hunting giounds come nry Maoiis wi:o had rtn iered as;istance to the white--. After this victory Te Kooti committed « v.idry other serious depredations on the lives and property of Euiopeans, aiid the place soon got so hot tv r him, that he t icfuge with Kins .1-iuhiao, in the Waikato, whcie he has beo.i in 1. q for many 5 cais. About lour ycais ago the N>;w Zealand l \ j'.cinmcnti passed an Amnesty Act, in v 'lich it was set. out that Te Kooti's ollonccs !ia\ing boen and his hostilities the result* ot war, 'he was iticlu.lcd in Ihe Amnesty, and became a free man. Since that time the renouned sivage has b en pretty quiet:, and has behaved himsjlf well in the interests of law and older. About three ycais ago, it niciv be ro.nembcic I. he did Mr Hursthouse, 11 ihvay Jsng nccr and Suiveyor, a veiy good tuin Mi Hur-thouse was suicyi a land on a pioposcd railway jouto bcyot'd To K>iiti, when ho v. as taken pii-soner by a number of king natives He \r.\s tied up for lour days and had l'lit'e h ipe of escaping with his li to bub he was released by Te Kooti, bhe latter having pci formed this generous acb 111 lecogmtion of the act. of the Government in extending (o him a free paidon and to j-'.ow that he was piepaicd to carry out opt his share of the contract. To Kooti is c.pected to rtturn to the Waikato tomoirow, after having had anotliei intervievvvvibh the Piemiur and Native Minister for settlement of some important busii:eso.