INTERVIEW WITH TE KOOTI.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 80, 6 April 1891, Page 3

INTERVIEW WITH TE KOOTI.

AN INTERESTING KORERO.

The Hon. A. J. Cadman, Native Minisfer, returned from t'bo Waikato on Saturday evening. He has kindly furnished ua nir!) the following account of the interview that took place between Te Kooti and himself at Otorohamta.

Te Ivooti .sfii'l: "My reason for hero i= ill connection with ii matter I \vo;it to see your predecessor and Mr Lswis about in Auckland. I asked them for a piece of Government land at Ohiu-a. The Native Minister agreed that 1 should have it. Atter that i was arrested because or my journey to the East Coast., and I suppo.-.e the oiier of that land has been withdrawn. Now that you have beeii appointed Minister [make tba application again i'or that, piece of land."

Mr Lswis haying, at Mr Cadrnan's request, explained the position of this matter, T iKooti, in reply to a question stated that tho Ureweras had no authority from him to ask for this land.

This Native Minister said the matter was one respecting which ho would requite to consult bis colleagues. The iirsb question was whether tho land v.'aa now available. if any ■"promises had. been marie to Te Kooti which should ba carried out lie would fulfil them. The wish of bimsolf and of his Government was to pud native matters on n healthier footinjr than hitherto. Me asked To Kooti what, ho considered was the position in relation to land at Orakau which ho was allowed by the Government to occupy.

iTo Kooti replied that he had given that land back to the Government because it was tib only for bird.-' and cols, and not suitable for human beings t;> live upon, lie now wished to receive in exchange land at Te Wainui or Ohiwa,

The Native Minister promised to consult the Premier on Uio subject. If Mr AHtcheli;;;n hud promised this land, he would endeavour to have Uio promi&e carried out, but the decision wouid rest with the Cabinet.

To Kooti said ho would only look to Mr Cadman.

Tlio Native Minister: "I have hoard a great dual iibout you in tl:e past, and a Kooil de.d that. 1 have hoard has been unfavourable. Iviy present feeling is to treat you fairly, and if you will deal reasonably with mo I desiro to do the same ; but, as Native Minister, i have to consider all. It is not my disposition to be quarrelsome, but lho reverse, i wish the Maori* always to speak out vvhutthoy think, and they will Hud that I on my part will be very plainspoken also."

Te Kooti : i\ly troubles with the Government em'ed in 1874, when 1 came to live at Tv Kniti. 1 Him showed toy iovo to the Europeans in the protection 1 gave to Sir Matikay when he wa* attacked by tlie native* ; a second lime when Mr lluisthouec was tied up by Tβ Mahuki and his people : and I continue I to act in lluit way up to 1883, when I wa* pardoned by M liryce, who told mo I was not to rotrac my stiips or go back to my old ways, fclia the law would protect we in the future ar.a that tho (Jovenunont would be my parent, and thiit I was to remain under the authority of the Queen. All tho«o things 1 ajfreod to. Tlio only tiling in which I trampled on tho wfina of the ijueen was my persisting in going to Gifcborne, but I did not intend to trample on tho Quean's authority, or lenow tout I was breaking the law by going to Gisbor.-.e. Tho jealous Maoris ami Europeans of Gisborne charged mo with having arms in my possession or; that journey. That was oniy an invention o! their ill-feeling. 1 had given up my arms to Mr MitehelHon arid Mr Lewis, and toid them that all 1 would carry for my protection in tho future was tho law and the authority of the Queen. [\\ all my movements .since then, 1 have never curried arms, but always trusted my protection to tho laws and the mana of the Queen, Tho Native Minister : " I had marie up my mind not to mention this subject myself, and I should no* have done so unless you had broached it. 1 wi.-h to .-ay a word or two looking at. this matter as a private individual and also as Native Minister. At the time of your journey to Gisborne, and when 1 had no idea of becoming Native Minister, 1 told ray constiUioiitg thao I did riot think you had boon aliojjoLlier fairly treated by being: imprisoned. Personally, 1 have a respect tor any chief who sticks up for his tribe and liis friends, and the fact that he has formerly fought against us does not weigh with me. I havo more respect fur ono who tighte lor what he thinks is right, than for ono who is a sneak, and vvliocrawls to you. That io mv opinion as a private individual. A3 a M nister I look- upon tiio Poverty Buy vi-it in this light. Not from fear of you or of your arms, or of your-breaking the law, but from the fear of Europeans breaking the law, it would be the duty of the Government to prevent such v thingcoming about. To illustrate what I moan 1 may tell you Uiut since I have been Minister I havo had applications from European-) to enter the Urewora country to prospect for ;r<;!d. I know time if Europe.ms wiT3 illlcwed. tj l;<i into tihnt country, it. WNiild c:iu.<t; tioib c ini'i i hive reir it my duty to prevent- any .-iicl, trouble. The natives Iv.ud strong opinion. , ? about prospecting, in the**ame way- as the Gisborne hold strong opinions about yon. The Government have really no more power to prevtnt prospectors going into the Drewora country than they had to prevent you going to Giiborno, but I have distinctly refused to allow prospectors to go there, and if they were to persist in going there i should stop them. I should do this to prevent trouble arising, the law being broken, and porhaus both natives and Europeans being punished. I look upon your visit to Gisborne in the same light. While you have tho same right as anyone else to go to Gisborne, your going there would cause trouble, and, should occusicn arise, I should feel it my duty as a Minister to prevent that trouble."

To Koori : " 1 will now givo up all thought of going to Gisbome, out of respect, for tlia wishes of tho Government. As regards the Tuhoe (Urewera) people, I am the person that hat tho tying up of that district. I have always told them to bo careful not to commit miy wrong on the Europeans. There are two things objected to by that people—surveys and gold prospecting. I am very pleased to hear you say that you have refused 60 allow gold prospectors to go into that country. The natives place implicit confidence in mo, and when I tell them to remain peaceable they will do so. I now ask you to let the matter of surveys and prospecting remain until it is seen nrhut future action the Tuhoe will take. The Tuhoe are a good ueople and amenable to reason."

The Native Minister: "I have come to the same conclusion. I have been informed that one survey was made in the Urewera country in an underhand way. I intend not to allow anything of the sort in future. All will be open and clear, and I shall not ennourago surprises of any sort." To Kooti : "I shall write to Tuhoe and tell them of this meeting, with which i am very much pleased." The Native Minister expressed his pleasure at the character of their interview, and .promised thab if Te Kooti met him in the same spirit in future, ho would have no cause to complain.