TE KOOTPS PARDON.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1661, 27 February 1883, Page 2

TE KOOTPS PARDON.

TO TJIK EDITOR. Kir,— The 10th November, ISGB, \ull long live in the memory of New Zealanclcrs as the darkest day in the annals of New Zealand crime. A day when defenceless ■women and children cried aloud for mercy to a murderous ruffian, and, finding none, were outraged and f only murdered. It is hard, even alter the lapse of fifteen years, to hear unmoved of the pardon of the chief actor ill that scent? of cold-blooded atrocity, and I venture to think the step will require a better justification than' that of expediency before it finds f.'nour with the majority of those who have lived in tiie colony tor the last twenty years. During the years Te Kooti was hunted like a wild beast no one thought of doubting the justice of the fate in store for him had he been caught. The very fact of bis so long eluding that fate and his pursuers was almost telt to be a reproach on British manhood at the time. The policy of expediency decreed that lie should be j left unmolested for a space, with the almost certain hope that ere long, in the natural > course of events, he would be taken as others of his race had been, and in sharing their fate would vindicate the majesty of law, which says, " Thou shalt do no murder," and u whoso sheddeth man's Wood, by man shall his blood be shed." Why liang Iverona and pardon Te Kooti ? Why hunt To Kooti for years with the fixed intention of hanging, and now pardon him ? Were we wrong in thus treating him that we should chase him with a pardon now ? arc questions that naturally occur. Truly, nothing succeeds li,ke success. Te Kooti successfully evades the law for a number of years, and, as a natural consequence, gets pardoned and shaken hands with by a Minister of the Crown, (That gentleman's honesty will doubtless prompt him to excuse honest men, if they should decline shaking hands with 'him hereaffcoi 1 , politically speaking.) Had this man, Jby,any show of repentance or friendliness dining the years he had been left alone, seemed to merit mercy jat our hands it would not have been so bad. But no. Even at the time of receiving his pardon he thought it. necessary tq employ i threat. He seemed, indeed, to take his pardon vevy imgrafiiously, as well indeed he might, being master of the situation in his own mind. For the many and past arguments against, only one, and that a very paltry one, can be brought forward in iavour of the, act.. We are told that a question of sentiment must not be.ajlqwocl to interfere with the settlement qf the country. That is to say, we avo asked to sacrifice our feelings of what may be right or wrong » condone crime of the deepest dye to the end that our pockets or, what is more likely, someone else's may be benefited ; a soulinapiriug sentiment truly ! Granting for the sake of, argument that pardoning Te I^ootj' x\?\\l have the desired effect of opening up ihe cpuntry, and I rather doubt it, who is lively to. benefit most by it ? Not you or I, Mr Edifcoi?, unless wo I possess the , means to "stand in" with some of the large moneyed institutions who make the acquisition of native land their business, with the ulterior determination of sharing it out again at a small profit tp tho.se wljoge good fortune may bring them to OwMIW'PS fa' search of a home. Yes ! that is about ifo IJpwever nauseous the draught, or bitter the pill , administered by Dr. Bryce, we must swallow it to the'end that some one — sitting at home in England at ease, possibly — may draw his dividend out of some (New- Zealand land speculation. — I am, •fee, -, ' • Old Colonial.''

4. W#GB re yp^d' 1 stbppi^rim" Jfjvmiltprv &Oad Ristncf' apn£4rs a antfther ' column, ' ' < .Mr J. B: Whyte invites tenders! up to the 7th March for skimming and ploughing acres of grass land. _„ ( , i ; ', ■( [ i A ( c<?neerfc tuukballj pill be held,,to-mor-row evening at Te Awamutu ip. aid ,of a. fund) to renovate the Public^ Building. '' ,1 ''"^Ji'S.l^eld^d^fflJ^ioia lii^ next 'Jiqfse'sale'ai theiffatlbnal'Histel;'d4 Y mb'ri'dge, ion 'Si'tliraa'y, |rd ajatch; at 12 o'clock, t.lj >\ < f «"A'A, 'hayijng occurred in the "VYailcato Coiin'ty Council by the .resignation pf CpmicindC'R.'li^K'aJph.'ilbtice' is giyenjin!Our,-adyMtjiingiColumhs- ( .that nominafions bf p'cr?ons*?dUlf qudlsf?fed 'to 'serve" -Will l b6 > received"'af \h\i Post-officeVJCirikirirda} upnto I l|lth t day'a% p.m.','toMr ikfe'WpecijiUrate' im terms;' 1 o« s ctio^s^lUa-<^ln^irid^^MtFiicdon^cl4