TE KOOTI-A DENIAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1106, 12 May 1893, Page 25

TE KOOTI-A DENIAL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l ask of you, as a favour, to publish the enclosed correspondence (No. I. and No. II.) in your valuable columns,—l am, &c, Thos. McDonnell, Lieut.-Col„ N.Z.M. Wellingtm, Bth May, 1893. No. I. Waitaramoa, Remuera, Auokland, 3rd May, 1893. Lieut.. Col. MoDonnell, Brougham street, Wellington. Dear Sir,—My attention has been drawn to a letter dated 21st of April, whioh appeared in one of the Wellington-papers on the 26th April, headed ' Te Kooti,' and under which appears your signature and addre&B, and in which yon state that Te Kooti's having been driven iu a oarriage through the streets of Auokland in my company was a matter of notoriety. To a similar statement I made a publio denial in the House of Representatives, and 1 again now state that there is absolutely no truth whatever in the statement. I never saw Te Kooti in a carriage, nor do I know that he ever rode in a carriage either in Auokland or elsewhere. So I will thank you to correct the statement whioh you have so publicly made, suoh statement being absolutely untrue.—Yours truly, E. Mitchklson. No. 11. Wellington, Brougham street, May Bth, 1893. To tho Hon Mr Mitohelson, &c, Sea. Dear Sir,—l hasten to acknowledge the reoeipt of your letter of the 3rd inst., in whioh you take exception to a remark made by me in a letter I wrote referring to tho death of that notorious ruffian, Te Kooti, and which appeared in the New Zealand Times of che 26th ultimo, viz,, that when Te Kooti was in Auckland, three or four years ago, he was driven by you in an open oarriage through the streets of that city. The statement contained in your letter, that you had denied the imputation of being with Te Kooti at the oocasion referred to, was quite unknown to me, or I should not have even partially quoted, as I did, from what bad been published and animadverted upon in the Auckland and other newspapers as a fact. lou. I now presume, made the denial in the House in reply to these publications. I repeat, had I known of this, I would not have made the remark I did, as your publio denial was sufficient to settle the question. Permit me now to express my sincere regret for hav. ing, though unwittingly at the time, caused you pain by my remark. Still lam glad you wrote to me, for I know there are many others who are under the same impresion that I was, viz,, that you had lionised Te Kooti at the time referred to, but who now, after reading your letter, whioh in justioe to you I publish with my reply, will no doubt see that such extraordinary reports had no truth for their foundation.—l am, &c, Thos. McDonnell. Lieuli.'ColonelN.Z. Militia.