DEATH OF A MAORI HERO.

Temuka Leader, Issue 366, 22 March 1881, Page 3

DEATH OF A MAORI HERO.

The heroes of the war on the side of the Natives, indeed on our own, are now fast passing away. The correspondent of the New Zealand Herald at Alexandra sends us intimation of the death of Wiremu Toetoe, who first made himself famous by accompanying Dr Hochstetter to Europe. When he was asked at Vienna what he would have as a gift to take back with him to New Zealand, he replied that he would prefer a complete printing plant. That he obtained, and afterwards it was used to print the Hokioi, the Kingite newspaper It was thought when Toetoe returned from Europe that (it being the very crisis of the war) he would be the means of persuading his people to remain peaceable. It was thought that his mind would be so affected with the strength and resources of England that he would see at once how futile was any attempt to cope with them, and that his influence would be exerted to keep his countrymen from taking up arms. Toetoe, however, was not able to stem the tide, if he ever tried very hard, and as it is with Maoris as with Highlanders — that blood is thicker than water — Toetoe cast in his lot with his people. He has never been, so far as we have heard, accused of having anything to do with the murders before or after the war. Probably he never had any hope that the Maoris would win.