THE MEETING WITH TE KOOTI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1965, 10 February 1885, Page 4

THE MEETING WITH TE KOOTI.

Dl him. tlic meeting with 'IV Kooti, The Hon. tin 1 Native Mmistei said : T know tli.it your woidsaie good, and >i>m he.uts .lie w h.it yotii wolds e\pless. 1 undeistand fimn yum present and kind cxpiessions th.it joii euteitain untiling lint fneiwlly and loyal teehngs towards the Co vtmmeut. Tlio (iini'imm nt of the colony isgie.it enough to -hi'ltcr all the poopic of tin 1 colon}', to protect them, .md to defend tlu-ir land, hlioity, uiiri Ii\ «.*•». Some tune ago iiiv piedecessor published the amnesty of forgiveness, to IV Kooti and others who had cum i rutted offences aganiHt the law. To night I registei that amnesty in his ie spect. One <«ov eminent does not undo wh it .1 previous (iovemment has done. The foigiveniss is complt te ; tin 1 pardon i- also complete. We, thcrefoie, expect in the future Te Kooti and the (jov eminent will undei stand each othei, and we shall expect loyalty from To Kooti and his fiiend-. His woids to-night, mswl'll as the piescnt, I accept on his behalf .is .1 pledge of lo>.tlty to the < U>\ eminent. The < !o\ pi nmeut and the Constitution of the colony allow the fiilli t latitude to .ill tho people of the country to do what they please, so long as they do not injute othois and break the law. You may jiiG-iOMu your own institutions rind your own religion inruct, and we have no light to, nor do wp, interfeic with jou in the exeicise of tlu l«el «e lights It is mu duty to defend jou, and to make no distinction between you and the other natives and tho Emopenns of the colony. Jt is my peiHonal desire that in futinc we shall all lit) one people, that i-> to say, that wo whall live in pefue with our neighbour, and cultivate 0111 own lands without mtei fcrence, fnun others. If you }iay« any giievances you have only to make them known, and the (Jov eminent will lediess them. It is my duty as Native .Minister to listen to eveiy glievance, and, if possible, to iemo\e it, .md to place you in such a position th it your right-, will n-it be i nvaded, Tn addition to the fneudship that has been (\- piessed to the (Jov eminent, and to im\m If as its repieseiitative to night, I lispe to hear, befoie Uiih meeting is over, theexpiession of your views upon all these nubjttti to winch I h.ive icfeiied. lam unreseived in my hpoocli, and T hope you will be tin same. 1 think it best to bo candid with you, and way what I menu, i shall not entertain sentiments difTeient to those vvnrdn. Again I thank jou foi your expiessioti of goodwill, and hope you will speak your views openly. A 'number of Te Kooti'rf follow pis nd dreispd tlio nipeting in supcession. Tho speakers referred in linlv to the. land given ftl Or.ikau t«» Te Kooti by Mr lSryce, and Te Kooti's pimifised visit to Waiioa, on tho T'!nst Poa«t. The land -it Onknii \\a<* in n swamp, and llicy nolcetl Mint tltoy should bo

brought o» to dry 1 and. They a*ked fmthi r fni the r»Mcr\e mi which theOrukau block-house, stood. Mi Ualatico >»<«ml : With respect to tho l.tnd .it Oi.ik.m, I have in ide eiiqumr , ,iud finiliil th.it tin- 1 ni(l i- M"t lit tnr ti ttlemont •hi .ifi omit of (1 nidi I 1 1 11 1 1 ■ k tin I.' tiiiM li.ix i- been some mist iki in gi\ ing this land, .!•> it muld nut h.oo hmi tiif mttiituni of the (in\f rum Mil tv hue given vm land emend with w itor tv rn-idi" upon. Tli- rei|ik>t li theretoie it leasonablo fiii>'. I will soi" it is attended to. Ke-peiting tho -itc of tlii* OllktU block-llt'llsO, I IMlllll't s.iy it it i>> .it tlii- di>]n»il (if tin- (iiiNcrniiH-iit. If nut vi 1 willp-t yon land Miniowhere u]t>v. lffcnni" to the I ttcr vnt to To Konti .i-kuiL' him not to \iMt W.nro.a, mil which Ti I* in^'i h.id (inotrd. if thc\ looked .it tliu li'ttci th»\ would think that it did not pi.ihilut 'IV Kooti from j,">niK r to th> Ki-t (,'o.i-t, ha-lnd hi'i'ii infi-rn-il. lint -imph coutiiiud ,ul\ u r tli.it it would lie )x'tt< i fni thcii)vl\t'-i, in the e\t ited feeling, to ab>t.nn from MMtmg the K.ist Coast nt that tune. Thi'ie i« .i sort of hitb'i ft'i'lm^ .uiion^Ht some of the people, win don't foiyet the p.i<t, and I think it hitter for \ mi to leni lin heie foi some time till tint hitter fueling has passed away. Time In aX all wounds, and in .i few yt«.tr«< it is probable that the people of Wairoawho fortified their pi and took up guns and thre i toned >ou will ha\e forgotten all that took place ,i few years ago. Tho <!o\eininont will jiroteet jou m the exc'erci«t> of your liberty and jour religion ; only thp (Jo\oinnient may still advise you mi thi'ie matturs if they find that harm is likely to ensue on jour\i^it. The Government, *o far as in arm will stretch, will piotect you, and will ,ul\isp the people of Wairoa not to interfere with you so long at you do nut interfere with them. I win ghid to hear the sentiments expressed that you wished to go to the K.i«t Co.»»t from a feeling of affi ction, and to m.tkc tlio people of one religion. These Npeocli»*» are good, and I .mi Mire when the peo]>le of the Ka^t Co.nt know -what your intentions are thsy will allow you to go and return in peace. I hope, therefore you will understand Unit (iovernmont do no interfere with your libert}, but only warn you when they sec danger threaten you.