TE KOOTIS VISIT TO POVERTY BAY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1857, 23 February 1889, Page 3

TE KOOTIS VISIT TO POVERTY BAY.

The Government have received a number of telegrams trom leading men in Poverty Bay pressing that arms and ammunition may be sent up and ball cartridgee issued to volunteers. The Government have declined to tako any such Btepa, and informed the senders that they looked to them to aid in repressing esciteincnt, and not encouraging it. The Minister of Justice received the following telegram this afternoon, signed W. R. Chambers, Chairman of the Vigilance Committee, Giftboma—"The committee is of opinion, from the nature of replies received from the Minister of Justice, that Government do not. realize the real danger. It is the wish of every one in the district to keep the peace. At the same time every European settler, •and a largo number of the natives, inthe whole of the Ngatiporou, consider that Te Kooti's presence, pardoned or unpardoned, is an insult and standing menance to the peace of the district, and would eventually estrange the two races .on tbe East Coast, between whom at present the very best possible feeling exists. It is not alone the followers he would %ring with Jhim, but he would be joieed by a large band of fanatics here, who are increasing .every day, who are making :«reat prepai ations to receive him, and who ■ are alrendy taunting the natives who 'fought against Te Kooti before as to what they will' do when Te Kooti comes. Notwithstanding the Government assurance 1 ••that then* is no fear of Te Kcoti's breaking •the law, we claim to know much better than the Government in what the danger •consists. We are so confident_ tnat mischief will ensue if he visits the district i l hat we a.re determined to prevent him. Government, if they wieh for information as to the dutger flf a breach of tne peace anaMfTe Kooti com es, should obtain it here, not from outsMe sources, and appoint someonet.o warnTaKooti back, and if he persists in co.miog, exercise its undoubted legal power to arrest him. An information could ba> laid for au unlawful assembly (vide JrTitsiJames Stephens Digest, article 70, paga 40)." To this the Minister replied rejiterating the opinion of the Government that the danger to be apprehended! is not so much from Te Kooti as from those meeting and agitatiog against hi) n. The Minister begs the vigilance committee to use endeavours to allay excitement. He again states that Governmp nt have no power to interfere with To Kooti, and that the law quotation does not upply to his case. Ho adds that Government uro kept well informed of the

state of affairs by their agents on the spot. The Government have requested Mr Booth, the Resident Magistrate at Gisborne, to use his best efforlp (o persuade Te Kooti not to visit the district. The Government havo receive.! a telegram from nine irjfluentMl chiefs of Poverty Bay stating tint if steps are not taken to stop Te Kooti at Opotiki, they wi 1 take measures to prevent him entering their district. Wbimnqtok, February 22. The Native Department have received two telegrams this morning stating that Te Kooti ab Opotiki, and that Mr Bush, K.M., interviewed him. Te Kooti informed him that ho would not return, but will remain at Omaramotu for a day or two. He laughed at the idea of anybody being afraidjjjef him, and said that all he wanted was to[pass along the Queen's highway peacefully. j>„ tkilledit would not be his fault. Gisborne, Feb. 20. The excitement about Te Kooti i-f more intense. Families are coming to town for protection. The chiefs of the Tauronga and Ngaliporou tribas seut a telegram to the Native Minister strongly condemning Te KoOti's visit, and stating that if he is not stoppsd at Opotiki they will immediately rise and stop him. The Ngatiporous are the strongest tribe on the coast, and could place 700 or 800 men in the field. They are veliement'y opposed to Te Kooti, against whom they fought in the last war. Mr Chambers, chairman of the vigilance committee, is reported in a locil paper to have said : " The Government had 48 hours to consider the matter, and if they had not jiade up their minds in 21 hours the committee should taka decisive steps, They should act as if there were no Government, or the whole district would be brought into disrepute. The defence of their women and children would be left entirely in their own hands. They should Jot Te Kooti understand that neither now nor at any future time should he bo allowed to enter the district. If that was not done, alarm would continue so long as the man lived." The Premier arrived this morning and ht-ld a conference with the Justices of the Peace. He decided to make enquiries as to the actual danger with regard to Te Kooti's visit. The Premier stated that he would stay till the matter is settled. Auckland, Feb. 21. The Waikato natives look unconcernedly upon the prospect of Te Kooti being shot during hip expedition. _ They sti»te that ho is fully aware of the risk he runs, but his followers believe that if he ia killed ho will reappear to them in another form. The Native Minister has decided to remain here pending events at Gisborne. ArJOEiAKD, February 22. Atetagram irom Opotiki etates that Te Kooti, with 200 men and 50 women, passed through here at ten-this mornin?. The Premier telegraphs to Mr Mitchelson from Gisborne that he found great exciteraen in Poverty Bay m view of Te Kooti's projected visit, and numbers of both races appeared determined to prevent his advent. Many women and children, and a sprinkling of men, had come in from the out districts and mor6 aro expected in to-day (Friday). Several Natives have represented to the Premier that they are in bodily fear owing to information they have received from relatives as to Te Kooti's movement?.