Protection of Upotiki. MEETING OF SETTLERS. TWO HUNDRED MEN REQUIRED. THE SCARE AT OPOTIKI. TE KOOTI PROMISES TO RETURN TO WAIKATO. Opotiki, Feb. 26.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 347, 2 March 1889, Page 3

Protection of Upotiki. MEETING OF SETTLERS. T WO HUND RE D M E N REQUIRED. THE SCARE AT OPOTIKI. TE KOOTI PROMISES TO RETURN TO WAIKATO. Opotiki, Feb. 26.

.Should the ex-rebel Te Kooti noo leave heie at once his followers will commence to suHer from the want of food, and in the event of this coming to pass matters woul'J become \ery serious We are only dealing with fanatics. Should hunger overtake them it is difficult to tell where matters would terminate. At piesent, whole families leive their homes at nightfall, v make their way lo some neighbouring cot, where they spend the night in a miserable state of excitement. I have known as many as six or seven families congiegate and spend the night together in this manner. Fear has taken hold of them and can only be removed by taking away the aich-murderer, Te Kooti, Irom the district, when in all piobability the natives would di^peise. Should the Government jtiofc think tit to put a stop to his visiting t^e district, the present state of a nail's ought to open their eyes to the necessity ot having some step** taken to make the lives of inhabitants in this locality tendeied more secure. At present there are no arms of any description in the district, in the event of an outbreak taking place. The first assistance the people could expect would be either from Auckland or Wellington. Thits could only anive in time to avenge the past The Government pel haps think it sufficient to deprive the natives of arms. JNJ r Bush, "R.M., accompanied by aconstable, interviewed Te Kooti this 1 -morning. He understands fiom him that he . avill return "to \Yaikato to-morrow. It is said that a Maori lias been prowling about outside, Te Kooti's whare with a gun in hand bent upon killing him. The, alarm was given and chase was made, but they did not tucceed in capturing him. Te Ngatiri tube, under Karauri Matuakore, are armed ready to render assistance, it necessaiy.

Opotiki, Feb. 25. At the -public moefcing which was hurriedly convened by J. D. Gow, Chairman of tlie County Council, to consider what steps should be taken to protect the settlement from Te Kooti'smob, in the event of his meeting with any reverse at Poverty Bay, Mr Gow was appointed to the chair. The following \va« proposed by W right, and stconded by Messrs Walmsley and Ku&sell, "That in the opinion of this meeting it is necessary to lay before the Government the present defenceless and dangerous position of Opotiki, and demand- that the Government take immediate steps to place us in a more secuie position by supplying us with arms and ammunition, or by sending a sufficient force of armed men to piotect the lives and pioperty of the settlers here. This matter demands immediate action on the part of the Government, as Opotiki would be the first settlement these people would wreak their revenue on in the event of Te Kooti meeting with a reverse on his proposed visit to Gisborne,