English Extracts.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 102, 15 May 1847, Page 3

English Extracts.

Thames — On Saturday, Mr. Richard Mitchell, the chief mate of the ship Eliza, from Barbadoes, appeared before Mr. iiallainuie, to answer a charge of assaulting James Pomara, a New Zealand boy, whose history is a very cxtiaorditiary one. The case was opened by Mr. Hinde, Irom the firm of Beddome and Co., solicitors, who said the boy was 15 yeais olil, aud grandson of the eelebiaied' New Zealand chief Pomare. His father was killed and eaten in a native fight, and his mother died when he was very young. He reached Sydney in an English ship, alter a variety of adventures, and was educated by his guardians. He arrived in England last March, and was taken great notice of by some of the leading persons in this country, and was introduced to Royalty itself in Buckingham Palace. His protector was Mr. Caleb Angus, a merchant and shipowner in the city. The lad expressed a tush to go to sta, and was placed aboard the Caleb Angus, a ship named after his protector/ the captain being- instiuctcd to take very great «,are of him, and see that he was properly attended aud provided fur. The Caleb Angus was wrecked at Barbadoes, aud Pomara narrowly escaped with his Hie, and was thrown ashore with nothing but his shirt and Wowsers on. The lad alter visiting Grenada and St. Vincent, where he was taken into the seivice of the harbour master, and after undergoing many hardships and adventures, which had more the appearance of a romance than the occuirenccs of actual life, was shipped on board the Eliza for England. The lad was exposed to much ill-usage on boaru the Eliza, was frequently assaulted, and his unprotected state created no sympathy, as it ought to have been done. The lad was then intro duced into the wuuesaCh' box. He was. attired iv a midshipman's uuiiorm, purchased for him by Mi, Angus, and his intelligent open countenance prepossessed every one in his favour. The particular assault complained of was tommittcd while at sea.' The lad, who suffered much from rheumatism and pain, was treated very roughly, and oue day he was directed by the mate to take a marling spike on to the main yard. The lad was. directed 10 wait a minute by the man on the yard, and the mate called him down again, and alter abusing the lad, said he would give him a rope's end, and gave him a severe flogging with the bight of a thick rope. 'I he lad threatened to complain to the master of the ship, on which the mate said he would prevent him doing that, aud after striking him with his fists about the head aud fate, kicked him severely. Pomara said he would make the mate suiter for h s ill treatment when he reached England, and the mate beat him again, and caused the blood to flow from his nose and mouth. Pomara was disabled tor some time afterwards. The lad's statement having been confirmed by a seaman, Mr. Pelham after cross-exami-ning the witnesses, addressed the magistrate lor the defendant, aud submitted that the boy was insolent, and that the punishment was not excessive. Mr. Ballautiue said the law did not give auy power to mates of ships to correct any one, and he considered the defendant had been guilty of a very cruel and attrocious assault on a lricndless lad. It was not suiprising that mutinies were sometimes heard of, when such cruelties as those complained of were practised. He fined the mute £5 which was instantly paid. '1 he lad Pomara will return to his native land with Mr. Eyre, the new Lieutenant Governor of New Zealand.— Times, Nov. 29.