MEETING BETWEEN THE NATIVE MINISTER AND TE KOOTI. The Rebel Pardoned. [BY TELEGRAPH.-OWN REPORTER.]

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1655, 13 February 1883, Page 2

MEETING BETWEEN THE NATIVE MINIS TER AND TE KOOTI. The Rebel Pardoned. [BY TELEGRAPH.-OWN REPORTER. ]

,Mr BBYfeE-auff parly-fiisaifcUthcorfg^here from Te Awaumtuj „ where they [have, been .during the, past two days, at B'6'clock this morning, arid -proceeded 1 to Maungaorongo, thaplacp a^CMiuged for the meeting between Mr Bryce arid Te Koo,ti. The , party t cqnsistecLof IVlessrs Lewis, Wilk'ins6h, üßutteru Butter, l randr an'd' 'were joined by a nu,mbom of Europeans, amongst whom were Messrs Ellis, R. lV'Tst' T CsnfpßeHr^D'nfaitr*(AW!ktoltl^ Rcwi joined. the party atiPanfti, together with a number of other chiefs. The distance to ttlfe .place of meejbing ip ,fcb.oi|lr 12 miles over a fair rolling country^ Before reaching' the settlement an accident befel one of the buggies, but it was not of a serious nature. <' (I hey arrived at the settlement at about 11 o'clock, but Te Kooti having a long' distance to come had not then arrived. The party's anxiety'was dispelled by the intelligence, that he r was o^.his w£*y.,. The wai-flof put in an' appearance 1 shortly '-'after one o'clock, acepmpanied, by , ,aboutf v thirty, adherents on horseback. Te Koqti was* dressed' in a long s'illc' dust coat, white shirVpauts and leggings, andi carried an—umbrella I .^ Physically, he was ?\'eryf', httfe\ altered, betraying, tfttle.if any anxiety 6V ' timidity, ,aud ..to t the., Europeans who knew him iujorme^ days, Very 1 little changed. Ontne amfttUof the outlaw and party in front of' Mr Bryce, he and one or two^-of^fthe.^riuc^a^ ,anen dismounted." Mr Bryce accompanied by Mr Wilkinson, advanced towards Tjq Kooti, and on meeting both shook hands. Te Kooti, at the same time, r addressed '*a few words of frieiftlslUp/ r WMyce and Mr Wilkinson thun returned' to wjierd they had originally lested. Te Kooti, after waiting a few minutes;. evidently in uoubt what course to, pursue, , retired among his followers and partook of refreshments. About an hour subsequently the natives began to assemble in. Iroht ' of; !the ( wharer where, ! Mr Bryce and party were .seated, and after a few minutes t Te Kooti and his immediate folkWers 1 took up a positipn in the , centre of the Maoris^ and directly opposite Mr ' Bryce, 1 v the outlaw standing,, by himself ,w,ith his, umbrella 1 . Mr Bryce then ' advanced and said : " Salutations . jto-.you all, to Rewi and the Ngatimaniapotos, to Te Kooti and his adherents., I .have heard words addressed to me by Te Kooti, and ifl understand them rightly, they are q£ good impdrt.i This is enough of greetin «■ ; we will now revert ,to the business which brought me here to-day." Mr Bryce then referred at some length to the position whicji had been taken up by Te Kooti against the Europeans in the past, but that after the fighting' had ceased Te Kooti had lived quietly, and not offended against the Jaw. He had, come there that day to see Te Kooti face^to face; and'"lie\i!rfr6ni'his own lips"his.nitentions as regards the future, as he had heard Te Kooti or his people had made use of threats towards the Europeans. As 'the European population, 'therefdrd, were willing to forgive past oll'ences with the assurance that they would rfdttDe' repeated in the future, Pai'liameiit had passed a law by which all political offence? arising out of the late troubles might be foi given. He was there as the representative of theGovernmentprepared to exterid pardon to Te Kooti and othefs, if he (Te Kooti) would stand up like f a man, •uid reply to him as plainly as lie had spoken, and given an assurance that henceforth he would live quietly. To Kooti/ in replyy commenced by referring to the book, evidently a record of what h.ul transpired between himself and Mr Shcehau when Native Minuter. Referring to the. acousation ( of Mr Bryce that he had made threats, lie stated he felt incensed about Barlow having captured Winiatatreachciously. He then stated that for the past ten yeais he had lived a peaceable life, and wonld continue to clo so, but if molested by r th'e t Europeans he would fight again, and' his conduct of the p;ist might- be token as an earnest of what' it would be in the future. , ,Mr Bryco replied jf \\? understood aright Te Kooti luul promised not to offend against the law in the futuie ? and he would ask him again to iepeq.t what he had formerly stated. Te Kooti replied that he would fulfil what he had promised. ( Mr Bryce then said : In the name of the Government, in the name of Parliament, I can assure you that not only you, but all political offenders will be pardoned, and I, will use the utmost expedi,tipn in getting the pardon gazetted within ten days. 'Te Kooti, you may now consider yourself a free, 'man! I am now ,prcpaied to shake hands with you. Tins both did. Mr Bryce then called on, Rewi, who said he was .satisfied that Te Kooii's intentions were good, but that if Te Kooti was now molested and fought, he (Rewi) wpuld be found on his side. Rewi's remarks were, however, m.ide in the best possible humour. Te Kooti having said a few -words, shook hands' wfth the Government paityj and the meeting then concluded. Mr Bryce's party drove to To Kodti'a tent and bade a final farewell. Mr Bryce then returned to Te Awamutu via Kihikilii.