THE MASSACRES AT POVERTY BAY.

Colonist, Issue 1165, 4 December 1868, Page 5

THE MASSACRES AT POVERTY BAY.

Os 10th November, Te Kooti the chief of the escaped rebels from Chatham Islands descended on a settlement of Poverty Bay in the North Island of this Colony, and murdered indiscriminately thirty-one Europeans, and above fifty friendly and other natives. The greatest cruelties were perpetrated; and neither age nor sex was spared. Detailed particulars will be found elsewhere.

A public meeting was held in Nelson on Monday, November 16th, when his Honor the Superintendent filled the chair, and warm resolutions were enthusiastically adopted, expressive of sympathy with the Norfcb Island sufferers, and a desire to aid the Government in all vigorous efforts that might be used for the suppression of the rebellion. Similar meetings were held in other parts of the Southern Island of the the Colony.

An undoubted mistake.was made by the Ministry in removing a body of some sixty

trained men, (admirably adapted to act as a flyingcolumn) to Wanganui from Napier, not far from the scene of the massacre in Poverty Bay. It is affirinedthatministershaddueintimationofthe intended raid, butjgave no heed to it, and the removal of this f'orco dispelled all fear of opposition from the mind of To Kooti, who had, it is said, only a small party, which, however, had ample power for effecting much evil. Since thon the Ministry have removed from Wanganui to Poverty Bay Colonel Whit more, the commander, with some 350 of the Armed Constabulary, in order to effect, as is said, a " crushing blow" on Te Kooti; and then to return to Wanganui with all convenient speed. The Government is strongly blamed for this, as the most formidable force of the enemy is undoubtedly in the Wnngnnui district, and the town of Wanganui; is left, it is alleged, with too little protection. Some of the papers are loud, and utterly unmeasured, in their anger against ministers for this movement, and some writers do not scruple to accuse Mr. Stafford of purposely removing these men, in order that the people of Wauginui, who made themselves disaggreeable to him at a recent meeting there, may suffer for their pains! Charges like thece of wilful endeavors to sacrifice a wealthy district, are exceedingly wicked; they are unfair and illjudged ; for it is scarcely possible that any sane man could conceive that any Minister charged with the disposition of forces which are to protect the couutry, would sacrifice the country and his own name, to gratify a contemptible grudge. It is a charge as preposterous as unjust. The Miuistry may bo greatly mistaken, and may incur as they do, a serious responsibility in sending Cofonel Whitmore and such a large body of men from Wanganui to Poverty Bay —a responsibility all the greater, from the fact that the people of the latter district did not appear to want the men, and are dissatisfied by their removal from a more necessitous district; —a blunder it may be on the part of Mr. Stafford's Government ; but to accuse that Minister of malicious desire (for that is really what is meant) to see Wanganui punished by the rebels is one of, those unwarrantable newspaper assaults which are without reason and logic, and help to place a too large portion of the New Zealand press in the position of unjust and biassed critics. The movement may be serviceable, and its very suddeuness may make it so. A heavy blow struck in Poverty Bay, the scene of the late massacres, may stop the war in that quarter, aud the blow struck, the force could quickly return to Wanganui. This may be a sound stragetical movement; it is doubtless attended with not a little risk, but even that is not unprovided for ; but whether this be so or not, such accusations as are to be found in some portions of the Wellington Press, appear to us to be the very wantonness of rabid opposition.

The hon. Mr. Stafford, the Colonial Secretary, having resigned his seat for Nelson city, has been elected for the district of Timaru, in Canterbury Province. The only candidate that has ottered himself for the vacant seat is Mr. Joseph Shephard, a settler in the wild country beyond Fox-hill. Mr. Shephard has issued au address, which is very short, written with unusual care, and may mean —anything. This is the more disappointing, because of some promising signs which he gave on a former occasion. Mr. Shepherd is but little known in the city, and notwithstanding that significant fact, and the other fact that the electors know next to nothing of his opinions (for his address contains hardly any clue to more than one definite proposition),—Mr. Shephard does not propose to meet the electors until the day of nomination ! Keally, after an address so vague and general, that is rather late in the day for the electors, a:d Mr. Shephard had better make his appearance at once ; that is, if he desires to secure any confidence in himself, or in the prinei pies he is prepared to profess. Such a delay as he proposes ia, for a man in his position, perfectly unprecedented.

Oub readers will find la'e and interesting particulars concerning the Poverty Bay massacres in our 6th page. Mr. James Grove, Sheep Inspector at Pox-hill, and Mr. Sparrow, Inspector nt Takaka, have had their services dispensed with by the Provincial Government. This is sail to be a measure of ecomny, and the duties hitherto performed by them will be performed by the Chief Inspector, Mr. Nairn,

Mr. Sparrow, we are informed, has resigned his seat for Takaka in the Provincial Council, and it is said that Mr. Arthur S. Collins will succeed him. The change will be a marked improvement. Two other seats are vacant, tho.se of Mr. Dreyer, for Cobden, and Mr. J. V. Smith, for We3tport.

It is stated that orders hive been received in Nelson from Wellington to call out the first-class Militia (young men and widowers,-between the ages of 16 and 40 years,) for active service, or rather for preparation for active service; but this is not officially ascertained.

Volunteers for the Front.—Sixteen Tolunteei'3 were sent away from Nelson by the John Perm on Wednesday last for Wanganui. Twelve wero from Nelson, and four from the West Coast. Orders have been received that nil carbines, spare rifles, and revolvers, are to be collected and sent to Wellington for use at the front.

Dunedin High School.— A telegram from Dunedin states that Mr. Hawthorne, of Ipswich in Queensland, has been elected Head-master of Dunedin High School, the office lately hold by the Rev. F. C. Simmons, now Head-master of Nelson College.

Consecration of St. Aiban's Church, Appleby. —The new Church afc Appleby win consecrated on Monday last by the Bishop of Nelson. Tho congregation having assembled, his Lordship, preceeded by its minister, the Rev. "W. Lewis, tho Rev. Q-. Johnston, the Rev. R. Thorpe, and the Rev. C. Mules, entered the Church at eleven o'clock. The potition of consecration was then read by the Registrar, and the Bishop and Clergy again passed in procession through the Church, and back to the table, while alternately repeating tho verses of the 24th Psalm. After some appropriate prayers, the sentence of consecration was read, and at its conclusion full morning service, in which all the clergy present took a part. This service was of a choral character, and the solemn and beautiful ritual of the Church had never before in the Waimeas been so impressively rendered—with all the additional solemnity and beauty derived from musical accompaniment. Tho sermon was preached by the Bisnop, who took for his text, John Ist c. A2nd t., " And he brought him to Jesus." Tho preacher dwelt on tho character of St. Andrew, to whom tho day is dedicated, and of whom the words of the text were spoken —words which set forth, his Lordship said, the groat object for which all Churches are erected and set apart. The sermon, though

] coming at the close of a service of very unusual j length, was listened to with unflagging interest and I attention by the large and crowded congregation. The collection at its clo3e amounted to £16 (is. 41. I Soon after the conclusion of the service, about sixty i persons sat down to luncheon in a booth erected for i the purpose, the Bishop presiding. After the toast of " The Queen," the Rev. 0. Mulo3 proposed the health of the Rev. W. Lewis, (to whose active and widespread exertions Appleby owes her Church), of My. Higgin the architect, Mr. Morris the builder, and the Building Committee ; Mr. Chamberlain responding on behalf of the Committee. Towards evening the children were assembled for tea, and afterwards the adults, the booth being filled on each occasion The evening service was conducted by the Bishop, the Rev. W. Lewis, and tho Rev. G- Johnston, the latter of whom preached, the church being crowded. The evening collection amounted to £3 13s. 8., which together with that of the morning will go far towards paying off the small debt still attached to the Church. The total cost of the building as stated by the Bishop in his sermon, appears to have been £416 ss. 6a., while the sums obained from all quarters amounted to £362 7s. The Church just consecrated is perhaps the most attractive of those sacred buildings which in a treat measure give the Waitnoa its home-like charm" and which make 3 that district look like a portion of the old couutry— " Besprent from shore to shore with steeple towers." It consists of a simple nave and chancel; the former having five lancet windows in either side, with bold picturesque buttresses between each window and at I each corner; and the chancel having a triple lancet j window in the eastern end. The roof is very high pitched with marked projecting eaves, aud each ( of. the gables is surmounted by a cross. Its inter'or " with ordered pomp-decent and improved," is particularly pleasing, and has a finished and tasteful appearance, to which the carved font, the handsome chandelier, and communion cloth very much contribute. The roof is unceiled, and its many beams add greatly to the effect. The ground attached to the Church (about an acre in extent) will be used as a cometry, and has been neatly laid out, and planted with shrub 3. Together with the Church itself, it has a fresh and cheerful and cared for appearance. Appleby Church supplies a want that was much felt, and will be the means of affording regular religious services to a neighborhood hitherto remote from any place of worship. The new bridge over tho Waimea river, just by, renders it also available in supplying the religious wants of that portion of the neighboring district, which is too distant from its own Church for convenient attendance. It it is dedicated to St. Alban the Martyr, (a name which recent events at home appear greatly to have endeared to many churchmen), but will no doubt be inseparably connected by a grateful district with the name of tho Rev. Mr. Lewis.