CORRESPONDENCE.

Colonist, Volume XXXV, Issue 7172, 18 November 1891, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Colonist. Sir, — A short time ago, in searching the records of the late Provincial Council for information upon the waterworks, I dropped upon the report of a Committeo of the whole Oounoil, which voted part of a certain sum of money, which had come into their hands, to the erection of a monument in the city of Nelson to those who fell in the Wairau massacre. Knowing tbere was no such thing in the city of Nelson, I thought it good enough to follow out. This I did with the following cuiious result : — It appears that in the early days a ship named Lloyds came to the Colony, and for a breach of the Charter party had forfeited £300 to the New Zealand Company. This £300 in 1858, by vote of the Company, came into the hands of the General Government, or the Provincial Government, for the purpose of erecting a monument as before mentioned. In 1859 a Select Committee of the Provincial Council recommended that this money be spent in enclosing the graves with an iron railing and the erection of an iron monument, but no mention is made of the place where it was to be erected. In 1861 Mr Elliott moved for correspondence upon the question. Superintendent tanamits message. The Provincial Secretary moved the £300 be spent on iron railing to enclose the graves, and the remainder on a monument connected with public utility in the oily of Nelson. Dr Munro moved report of Select Committee ol 1858 be adopted. This was carried. In 1863 Mr Elliot asked (for Dr Munro) what had become of the money. The Provincial Solicitor replied it had not been spent beoause of difference of opinion as to site. Dr Munro moved the Superintendent concert

measures with the Executive of the Province of Marlborough to apply the £300 to the purpose originally intended. This was carried. In 1864. the Supeiientendent, to transmit a message, with reference to a letter received from the relatives and friends of those who fell in the massacre, asking that the bodies be disinterred, brought to. Nelson cemetery, intered in one grave, and that an iron fence be erected round the grave, and a neat obelisk of stone with the names inscribed be placed in the cemetery, and the remainder of the money be spent for some useful purpose, the Oounoil in a oomrnittee of the whole agreed that the wishes of the memoralist bs carried out, but suggested for their approval that the graves be left undisturbed, and protected from desecration, and the remainder of the fund be devoted to the erection of a monument in a conspicuous part of the city. In 1865 Mr Oswald Curtis asked the Provincial solicitor, whether this sum of £300 had been received by the Provincial Governmejt. The Provincial solicitor replied : " Money has been received, the future action dependent on replies of Marlborough Government, as to the removal of the bodies." Mr Hodgson moved that the sum of £300 available since Nov. 10, 1858, be spent during the current year on the erection of a cenotaph in Trafalgar sqaare. Mr Oswald Curtis moved as an amendment that the money be placed at the disposal of a Committee of three, one appointed by ths Superintendent, one by the Provincial Council, and one by the friends of the sufferers. This was carried. Mr Burn moved the Speaker (Mr Barniooat) be appointed the commissioner to represent the Counoil in spending this money ; who the other two were I have not been able to learn. By reference to your files of 1866. I learned that Mr Felix Wakefield presented some tablets to the Cathedral Church to be ereoted therein; I also learned that the General Government sent Mr Felix Wakefield to Marlborough to supsrienterid the ereotion of the monument there, and tbat a church and school was built there by public subscription. Bat whether that £30!) was handed back to the General Government, or is now in existence, I haya not an yet been able to learn, I have enquired of Mr Burn, and Mr Barnicoat since he has been back, and their recollection of the matter is very faint. Bat Mr Barnicoat has promised to refresh bis memory by referenoe to the late Provincial Council records, find he agrees with me, if this £300 is in some Bank, it could not be pat to a better use than some lasting memorial in the City of Nelson, to crown the Jubilee of the settlement, of those pioneers who fell at the post of duty. My object in publishing this ia to get more light upon it. Perhaps some of the friends of those who fell, may have their memory awakened, or Mr Greenfield, who waa I think the Provincial Secretary, or Mr Curtis can inform us \vhether tbe money was handed over to the general Government, or is still in existence. Yours, &c, J. PIPHB,