MRS SNYDER IS'NT A BIT AFRAID OE TE KOOTI

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 788, 5 July 1877, Page 3

MRS SNYDER IS'NT A BIT AFRAID OE TE KOOTI

Mbs>Snydek, when she heard Te Kooti was likely to come, was not m the least alarmed as to herself personally ; but expressed much uneasiness about an electro-plate tea service which she had long taken a great pride m. Mr Snyder had once been enrolled as "a special constable m another part of New Zealand, on the occasion of a threatened outbreak, when he was supplied with a policeman's staff. The outbreak ntver occured, and Mr Snyder, instead of. giving up his staff when it • was called m with others, kept it by him, and it eventually came into use as a rolling pin m his household for the manufacture of puddings and pies.. No sooner had Mrs S. read of Te Kooti's probable arrival than she polished up the rolling pin and, said, now then let him come. "Who's afraid ? I'm not. The vagabond shan't have my tea service before he Jias a taste of this. Here, Mrs Snyder went through the " sword exercise m three divisions, cavalry and infantry, as she had seen Mr S do it when he was practising, and wound up with a kind of war dance which consisted of making belive at aiming a blow on the. top of a teapot, first to • the right and then to the left, poking its ribs and chopping all around it generally Nevertheless, Mrs S. carefully concealed the sepei'ate pieces m Various unknown places, together with her marriage oertifjeate, 'her wedding ring, and a china cream jug which had -belonged to her grandmbther, being a present made her on her bridal day when she was united to Mrs Snyder's grandfather. Mr Snyder, professed to -be profoundly affected by the news concerning Te Kooti. He told Mrs S. it was not electro-plated tea services' that Te Kooti would be seeking for. But the lives of people, especially women. He was a cannibal of the first water, and had been known to kill women, salt them down, aud cure them for winter eating Mrs S. laughed at the idea. She was not frightened. Not even if they tried to embalm and make mummy of her. Why . was it, she wanted to know, that when Te Kuti had murdered so many people he was not taken and huag. Mr Snyder explained that it would never, have done to do such a thing. Te Kooti and two or three others like him were the support of spores of civil servants, with their wives and families and servants. These blood.thirsty Maoris -were bread and meat, and port wine, and ,sakd to many people. They were .the sole means of maintaining a ' Department' which required the aid of Commissioners, and Secretaries and Clerks and Messengers, and little boy cadets, who were related by ties of kindred to Ministers and their supporters. A . Department . was the very essence and life's blood of a New Zealand Government.. Without Departments Ministers -.would not be able to ke6p their places, draw salaries and support : steam yachts for .their special use and service, with travelling expenses added. Mrs S. wished to know wether it would not have been possible long and long ago to have oaptured Te Kooti. Mr Snyder said nothing would have been moro easy._ All that was required to be done would have been to seize two or three of the Chiefs of the tribes among whom it was known Te X >oti had sought shelter and protection, and then have threatened to hang them unless Te Kooti was handed over to take their place on the gallows. Such an act would not have been contrary to the nsage3 of civilize! nations ; but being contrary to the policy of Ministers it was not done. It woukMiave been the means of (abolishing a Department, and abolishing a Department was not a things to be thought of for an instant. Mrs Snyder, who. is infected more with a womans inquisitiveness than a woman's fears wished to be informed what would be the consequ3tic3 if Te Kooti came to hand. Mr Snyder thought there" would b 3 nothing more than a few throats our. A few men and women shot through the heart or the head. A few btulditigs burnt down and trifles of that nature. But it would be certain to create three or four new departments and give employment to a few score of Government suppoiter3. Mrs S. more iuquisitive than ever, wished to know whether nothing wo ild he dode to Te- Kooti, if he am,? Auj murdered, people

Mr S. supposed that when Te KoOti had got away and had sheltered himself m an enemy's country with no chance of being taken, there would be a reward offered tor his apprehension Mrs S., who had read a little English history while at school, always understood that when the English had an enemy they went out and fought them. Mr Snyder said, oh dear no. Nothing of the kind. That was to say, so far as New Zealand was concerned. Ministers sent them presents cf flour nnd sugar and blankets and rum, which was served out from one of the Departments. Then at that rate, said Mra S., Te Kooti might come a third or fourth or fifth time. Mr Snyder said yes. Every time he came there would be a nnew. w Department. The Cival Service Native Department was one of the most glorious institutions ever invented for tbe Colony. Mrs S. thought it appeared to her that the Government wanted Te Kooti to come. M^ Snyder said that was just .ir. Minisiierfl had reduced the numbers of the Atmed Constabulary. Hhd refused to support the cost of a volunteer force. Had, allowed the Maoris to carry arms ; and kept English arms and ammunition m an unprotected, undefended open building m convenient packing cases, with rope handles to facilitate them being walked away with. Mrs S. contented herself by say. mg 'what was to be would be. She was prepared to die as much as most people. She owed nobody anything and her Church sittings were not due for the next three months while there were potatoes and coal to last over the winter ; then having, m an under tone mentioned where the eletro-plated tea service was to be found, m case anything happened her, she placed the rolling pin on a chair beside her bed, turned m and dropped off to sleep with all the unconscious innocence of an unweaned babe while Mr Snyder sat up and smoked, and wondered whether there would be a lucrative opening for him m the next Department to be ci'eated m the Government service.