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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 14, Issue 1155, 24 May 1870, Page 4

Sik, — There has been a good deal of dissatisfaction about the amount of money expended on the Maori war ; it is not from want of grinding down the men on the part of the officers, military heads, &c. It was read out in orders oa- parade, in December last, that the pay for- the Constabulary was to be raised to ss. per day and rations, in place of 53. per day without rations ; and that by giving three months' notice, any man could get. his discharge. Several of them have done so, but when they wore being paid they ( were told if they did not take 3s. Gd. iW day, they might gp without, thus deducting from £6 to £8 per man. One man was charged in his accounts with goods* he never received, and when being paid, finding it deducted, he refused to take it, he was told that if ho persisted he would most likely lose the whole of the money due to him (then four months' pay), and that all ho could do was to sign unclor protest. Aftei?'a good deal of bother this was done, and although he both wrote to one captain of his division, and spoko to another, besides several subordinates, he has never heard any more about it, and being now discharged, is. not likely to. , Is thore not contingent money allowed to captains for repairing the men's accoutrements, «fee., if not, there should be. 'Tho .men have had to pay for. their own for the last twelvemonths, even after having reported to their captains., , Whore is tho loot money (money received for horses, cattle, &c, that was brought in and sold on tho West Coast) P the men have spoken about it soveral tim.es but, always receive evasive answers. Why were the men not paid: ss. per day during tho voyage from Melbourne to Wanganui ?■ Captain Stack promised it ; if hois the i'eedgnised Government agent, his word should bo made good. Is it not curious that the jumpers served to the men out of stores at 75., should be also sold, at, canteens at 135. ; and at the same time thore is no clothing in store at ' those., posts ; the same with socks, &,c. Surely the Government stores are.^npt handed to the canteens ; still 'l thought the Government only had thdsd particular goods.— l am, &c, ' ' ■' ■ - •■• : .'-■•- Obsebyeb,