REWARDS FOR VALOR.

Evening Star, Issue 7470, 14 March 1888, Page 4

REWARDS FOR VALOR.

TO THE EDITOR. Slß,— Allow me space to say a word or two about the late John M'Cutcheon and Mr Cannon. When we have such examples shown us, how we envy such noble, unselfish characters, who rush into the very ]'iws of death, as it were, to save the life of another. When we feel life so sweet, how few would volunteer to run such a risk. I was highly gratified to see such heartfelt sympathy towards the bereaved widow and children exhibited at the theatre on Saturday night by so large a number of people. The conduct and words of young M'Cutcheon remind me of a young man in charge of a pair of horses on the Maori road some four years ago, when some part of his carriage broke, and his horses taking fright cleared at a terrific rate. How that young follow stuck like grim death to his horses, heedless of his own danger, only anxious to save the lives of those in the carriage. His words weroj: “I’ll stick to them to the last ”; and so he did. I stood where the Jubilee Park is now, horrorstricken, expecting every moment to see the trap go over the precipice with a tremendous crash ; but by some presence of mind he slewed the horses round to one side, bringing the carriage to a standstill, thus saving the lives of three or four ladies. Ho was thrown to the ground heavily, but the rest escaped without a scratch. I lifted him up bleeding, and the first words he spoke when ho regained consciousness were: “Are any of the ladies hurt?” I went away to Melbourne directly afterwards, and lost sight of that young fellow', and it was only on Saturday night, when I heard the remarks of the member for Dunedin South with regard to Mr Cannon being worthy of a medal, that I thought this an opportunity of writing through your columns of what I had witnessed myself. If ever a young man deserved a medal for his courage and presence of mind, the young man I have referred to did. Trusting that those who are better able will give this matter their con-sideration.-I am, etc., An Eve-witness, Dunedin, March 10.