SIR ROBERT STOUT.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17321, 6 December 1921, Page 8

SIR ROBERT STOUT.

MR H. G. WELLS CORBEOXED. THE AUTHOR'S CURT REPLY. (FROM OTJB OWN CORBSSrONDKNT.) LONDON, October 26. Sir Robert Stout has taken the trouble to suggest a correction in Mr H. O. Wells's "Outlines of History," but from the author 1 he has received what can only be described as extreme disoourtesy. In the circumstances Sir Robert has' submitted the correspondence to the "British Australasian, *' which has now published it in full. It appears that in June last Sir Robert wrote to Mr Wells as follows:—"Dear Sir,—As on old Australian colonist, and one who knew many of the pioneers of Tasmania, will you allow me to draw your! attention to a sentence in your book—'The Outlines of History'? It is as follows:—"They (that is the Spaniard in America) 'were as destructive and reckless as the British in Tasmania, who shot the last Palaeolithic man at sight, and put poisoned meat for them to find' (page 410). This is incorrect. The last Paleolithic men in Tasmania were put on Flinders. Island, and every effort was made to save them. It is no doubt true that iu the conflicts—the civil war, in fact—between some of the settlers and the Tasmanian aborigines many of the Paleeoliihic men were shot, but you must know from your reading that many of the early pioneers treated them kindly and that the aborigines acted as savages act, in killing some of-the pion*. eers and in destroving their property and rattle. The Government of Tasmania denounced any bad treatment of the natives, and did what they could to save them. I feel sure it is only necessary for mc to call attention to this sentence 1o have it corrected in a second edition.—Yours truly, Robert Stout Chief Justice of New 'Zealand." Mr Wells's reply was:—"Dear Sir,— If you will consult Ling- Roth, the authority on the native Tasmanians, you will find chapter and verse for what I say.—Very truly yours, H, G. Wells." To this letter Sir Robert replied in the following terms: —"Dear Sir, —I am in receipt of your letter in reply to "mine of the 26th instant. You staterif I consult Ling Roth, the authority on the natisre Tasmanians, I will find chapter and verse for your paragraph of which I complained. I know both the first and second editions of Ling Roth's treatise, and there is neither chapter nor verse which bears out your statement, that the British shot 'the last Palaeolithic men' at sight, and put poisoned meat for them to find. On what date was this done? The last Palaeolithic men were alive long after the visit of the two friends, Messrs Walker and I Backhouse, to iliem in 1832. Have you I read Walker's journals ? And are you acquainted with Bonwick's 'The Last of the Tasmanians' ? Have you read Calder's book, 'Some Account of the Wars," Enterprises, Habits, etc. of the Native Tribes of Tasmania,' published in Hobart in 1875? Are you aware that in 1832 in order to preserve 'the last of the Paleolithic men' in Tasmania, they wore removed to Flinders Island, and that Mr Walker wrote in his journals, they 'were treated with kindness in their captivityr' Again he' wrote, 'every possible effort was made to secure the well-being of the few survivors of the native tribes'? 'lf you refer to the. authorities I have mentioned, and to papers published in the Journals of the Royal Society of Tasmania, you will discover the incorrectness of the paragraph in your book at page 410. It is true there was war between the Government and the tribes, and some of the members of the tribes wtro shot, and that some con- , victs, and others, treated them harshly, I but you should not forget that these I

'Palteolithic* men we're treacherous and committed many murders. There seems to hare been only about 2000 of them Alive in 1804, when the colony was founded. Some estimated the number at 4000, others at 6000, but in J. B. Walker's extracts,, given in the journals of the Royal Society in 1898, the number was given at 2000. Many causes led to their passing away by a changed life, different environment, contact with other races, introduced diseases, the drinking of alcohol, wars, etc. You will find all the writers who have dealt with theif history Admitting these causes. See; Roth, Calder, Bonwick, Walker. I feel sure when you make yourself acquainted with the authorities you will withdraw your unfortunate and unreliable paragraph to which I have directed your attention. Yours truly, Robert Stout" Sir Robert adds a note that to this letter he has received no reply.