A REJOINDER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 804, 9 June 1879, Page 2

A REJOINDER.

[To the Editor of the Hjskald.] Sir,—" Settler," m your issue of last Friday, appears to have misapprehended my meaning. I'repeat, "Asa rule, the Natives are patient under wrongs, and seldom come to blows." Now, his answer to this is — the monument m our cemetery, Edward Packer, Todd, &c. I will not take up your time by relating what acts led up to the erection of that monument, but I am sure that everyone who knows the history of them, will, on reflection, feel surprised at their having been delayed even as long as they were. As to the cases of Packer, Todd, &c, these are no more an answer to, or confutation of my statement than any other murders would fee. Ido not write m defence of murderers, black or white. AH I have to say regarding such is— hang them. The murder of Packer was certainly not a matter of race ; the supposed murderer was a half-caste who had been living as a white man. Are therej not numerous cases of Scotchman murdering Englishmen (as ■wtell as their language), and dont Irishmen kill both whenever they get a chance, if they have the. misfortune to be landlords ; btit those are not reasons why the nations should be hated, or w,hy the feelings of revulsion at the crime should pass beyond the immediate dner of it. Indeed,, we know ~ very well that Paddy has just oause of complaint ; but, if " Settlers" argument be logical, we must have no pity for Paddy's wrongs, or (just as bad) supposed wrongs ; no grAtitude for his hqspitatity and cheerfulness ; no admiral ion for his courage m the field. It would be very hard to condemn a whole race because of individual instancs of atrocity } and while on this subject, let me inform "Settler" that Europeans are muoh more prone to ' crime, and to crimes of more heinous nature, than Maories. Here, m New Zealand, there are trials of Europeans at every Supreme Court for capital offences unknown, and for others almost unheard of, amongst the Marries. I think it well to say here that I am not what is called a " thiokiand-thin " supporter oi the Maori. He has many faults, and many more now now-a-days, than he had formerly, they are mostly of our own making j but it has lately become prevalent to give him no show at all, and as there are many who oan, and who like to take the cudgels against Mm, I prefer, on this occasion, for the sake of fair play to take his side. Remember, 1 do not bespeak your better feelings for any wrongdoers or murderers (of any colour) but for the race generally I do. I ask your sympathy for a weaker, but yet a aioble and courageous race, whe have been greatly demoralised by ourselves, and who are fast passing away. As an evidence that some have allowed their feelings to run away with their reason, let me point to a passage m a letter published m your columns by " Stitch m Time " — " It is a disgrace to the district that we have not risen to a man to drive these Natives, off our fellow settlers' lands," or to that eftect. lam much puzzled at this sentence. Is it desired to institute a wtr here ? Are we tired of pence 1 Could we hope for success m such an attempt 1 Or is the writer green enough to suppose that the public are going to risk their families lives m 4he attempt .to defend the known bad titles of one or two persons 1 Believe me, fellow settlers, that as long as the Natives are willing to confine themselves to legal means, you had very much better let them do so, the consequences' will then fall on the proper shoulders. As for Mr. "Stitch" it would be well to reduce his precepts to practice. 'Sergeant Kidd will give him an opportunity of driving Natives off his fellow settlers' land on the West Coast, to his heart's content — no occasion to initiate fighting here. If he does not practice what he so earnestly preached, I think we are justified m classing him with other humbugs. -r-I am, cfec, Interpreter.