RELATIVE TO THE CONVERSION OF A REGULAR MAN-O-WAR.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3016, 27 March 1867, Page 6

RELATIVE TO THE CONVERSION OF A REGULAR MAN-O-WAR.

• To the Editor of the Dili.* SOlTTHWtw'CJtosa. Sib.— l remember reading a fftble tome yean ago of a persdn purchasing a 'negro slave, but having a dislike to the Colour of hi* skin, he called! his Servant* ' together, 'and gave, the .poor slave a' regulac < scrubbing,' but success did. .not attend his .labours: . havingapent,* considerable sum in ihe '.purchase of ■ . this blaoVi ,and failing to change his colour by wash•ing,the A waster contented himielf by af»uring his friends, that; (( tbe devil was not so black ai he was' painted." , .■ , ■ : Jn your issue of this date, under the heading' 6f the "Tauranga Newt— Native Again,*' you give' your readers some wonderful news, and the name of Mr. Firth is several times mentioned. Fray, may I' ask, is this theiwunS gentleman that a few years ago -was ao load in his cry for war— that, in no very mild term*, condemned tho«e who even spoke against war, or said one word in favour of the native people ? We know that the patriot Firth was a regular man-o'-war. Be would not live' under Maori laws. He would not have the. native tomahawk shook oyer his head. He, on the hustings, assured the admiring mob that the power of the Maori chiefs most be ' crushed, and he, brave man, would never rest until the natives were regularly and thoroughly subdued. And now, Mr. Editor, you tell us that Mr. Firth has written to Matatuera, the Maori King. You say something about Maori etiquette — fancy a war spirit and patriot paying any attention to Maori etiquette I Nothing but the bullet and bayonet was thought of by him three yean ago. But now you tell ns that a "Mn Firth and the other run-holders, we suppose, noW odonpy their runs under the protection of ;the Maori King." Pray, Mr. Editor, 1 be merciful. You know what a scrubbing that man-b'-war, Mr. Firth, gave the Maoris, and after all cannot he change the colour of their skin ? Surely, lie baa not changed his colours and hoisted the. flag of peace, inat«ad of > the fiery cross of war ! . , ' ' Are you in sober' earnest? Ifl this the same Mr. Firth, and has he really suffered himself to become a tenant-at-will to the Maori King? Did he really write to Matutaera, begging protection ! On, what is this world coming to ! After spending millions of money on war— after' sacrificing so many valuable lives, and much property— and after all'Uhe washing that the Maoris got' from our patriot, we find the Maori devil (f u not so black as hewas painted." ■ ; " I r«ad la root newspaper, sometime ago, of a fea|fc ' given by » Mr. Firth to, the Maori, and, if I xemem< '

I lier right,_there^ were a few drinks stronger than water T»Bd7 fctid~not a little 'ioo&iflfflßuined. ; there were sweets for the Maori ladies, arid lollipops for' the dark-skinned children ; there were 'speeches delivered, and. after a well-spent day, 1 the Auckland lion laid down with the Maori lambs. Well, Mr. Editor, there is a blessing attending- every good act; and there is a pleasure in knowing that the Maori has k winning way to convert even the most warlike •pirits. !r! r But who would hare (thought that our i regular man-o' -war could so easily have been 1 concerted, audisiicha'wonderful change takeplace? even to 'that of ohanging'his ooloot, by merely taking a run -up the country*? May success attend' all tlioie who go forth with their flocks and herds, andjalthoijgh we' may smile at the changes we see going' on, ik mattew rlittle who fgivcs protection, so that ouridet.tlers'i property is safe, ! and t tbafc we are spared ir^m -theevilsof war,-and that we'can' all 1 think that the Maori character .is 'not so blaok as it has been .painted;— Yours, &c, , ■ , A Constant Bx adkk. Auoklaud, March 25, 1867.