"RETRIEVING OUR LAURELS."

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 654, 8 February 1869, Page 2

"RETRIEVING OUR LAURELS."

To the Editor of the Eawhis Bay Times.

Sir, —"Veritas," writing to the Herald in reply to my queries, feels " called upon to say a few words in behalf of a gentleman who seldom or never takes the trouble of defending himself," apparently forgetting that that gentleman has at all times so many ready to sound his praises for him. Passing over 1865, which Veritas alludes to, let us inquire when it was that that geutleman " retrieved our laurels after repeated defeats, both on the East and West Coasts." Was it when he sent a few natives to assist in recapturing the escaped Chatham Island prisoners, which was not done % Was it when he got a large body of natives together at Wairoa for a second expedition to Puketapu, which they did not reach 1 though they did certainly destroy Te Waru's deserted pa before returning to Napier. Was it when they again went to Poverty Bay 1 Admitting that they did somthing on that occasion, I think it can hardly be called the " retrieving of laurels," for they left the field before the heavy fighting began. Or was it when he despatched a large force to Wairoa for the protection of that district, and also for a third expedition to Puketapu, from which they returned, without meeting an enemy, to Napier Wairoa instead of via Ngatapa and Turanga, where they might possibly have been ofservice. No doubt " Veritas "believes that the influence of Mr M'LeaU is necessary to obtaining the assistance of natives. Experience, howeve, tells another story, for although the Ngatiporou natives had, following the example of those of Hawke's Bay, returned to their kainga, yet when they found that Colonel Whitmore required their services, they returned without consulting anyone in Napier, and the result of the combined action of the forces was, as we all know, the fall of Ngatapa, and the death of most of the Turanga murderers.—l am, sir, An Inquirer after Truth.

P.S.—Another champion, under the name of " Truth," has rushed to the rescue. lam so astounded by his statement that Mr M'Lean is equal, if not superior, in statesmanship and strategetic skill to Count Bismarck, that I am compelled to pause until I have had time to recover from the shock.