MAORI AND PAKEHA

Evening Star, Issue 17375, 10 June 1920, Page 3

MAORI AND PAKEHA

PARTS OF DR FULTON’S LECTURE ■ AT THE OTAGO INSTITUTE. NoTIF. Early in 1869 a war party of Ngatixnaniapoto came down from Mokau to help the Taranakis, and sent word that they were going to attack a small settlement and outpost at Whiteoliffs. This they did, and killed, in the most cold-blooded and ferocious way, a number of persons, among whom was the Rev. John Whitely, an aged and lovable clergyman. He was shot in the most heartless fashion by n half-caste called Wetere, and this atrocious act did more than anything else to disgust the great majority of the Maoris with the actions -of the Hauhaus, The whole country was now in a turmoil, and an avenging party was speedily assembled and proceeded to the spot to exact summary vengeance. At this juncture the whole course of events was changed. The Stafford Ministry went out, the Fox-Vogel Ministry came in. In this was Sir Donald M’Lean, ever a warm friend to the Maori. A truce was offered, and finally peace was declared. Te Kooti was tacitly allowed to escape, and lived for many years before he again became troublesome in 1889. He was arrested by Colonel Porter, but again released. To' tlm indignation of many, the Ministry of which Mr Bryce held the portfolio of .\lblister of Defence actually pardoned Te Kooti and the Witiltecliffs miscreants, so that of’ all those evil-doers Kereopa Tekai Whata alone paid the full penalty of his crimes. He was captured by Ropata, taken to Napier, and hanged. A short time before this Te Kooti, who had undoubtedly been badly treated, had escaped from the Chatham'islands by inducing some of his followers to. seize the schooner Rifleman, 82 tons, which had just come from New Zealand, and proceeded to Poverty Bay, where they landed. They were wall armed with the guns and ammunition which they had pillaged from the schooner. After several sharp fights To Kooti marched down tho Poverty Bay flat to Matawhero, where he broke hi's force up into small parties, sending eight or ten to each settler’s house. They were to use knives or tomahawks instead of guns to do their tilling quietly.’ Many women and children were slaughtered in cold blood. The escaping settlers took refuge in the old courthouse, which stood on what is now one of the city’s main streets. Te Kooti escaped, and carried on a guerrilla warfare for many months, and finally took refuge with King Tawhaio on the Waikato.