MR. P. RAILL AND THE RUSSIAN GENERAL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12649, 6 September 1904, Page 3

MR. P. RAILL AND THE RUSSIAN GENERAL.

To ihe, Editor. Sir, — I noticed a paragraph in your Budget of the 3rd inst. announcing the fact that Kuropatkin (tho fapious Russian General) was originally an old Koru boy, mado known through Mr P. Raill. Well, Sir, wonders will never cease, and I think this Kuropatkiu story beats any of Mr previous efforts. There certainly was in the early days an old settler hero by the name of Monahan, who had a son. The son died in Koru and the father in !NV-.' S'iymouth Hospital ; but tho nephew mentioned by Mr Raill iie-vcr ] existed in Koru. Mr Rnill was \m- | known in Koru till many years after tho Monahans died, which took place somewhere \<i tho sixties. Fancy the famous Kuropatkin laying before Mr Raill his plan of campaign. I shall not be surprised to hoar that the General has asked Mr Raiil to bring the Kaitake Rifles to assist in driving tho Japs into the sea. — 1 am. etc.. ONE OF KORUS OLDEST SETTLERS. To the Editor. Sir, — I am in a position in slate that the information you give w.ih r.'gard to the '"genesis" of Kuropatkin is barely correct. Kuropatkin, or Crow Pat as we called him, was wellknown here. In his early days lie wa.s a raider of poultry—indeed, was probably the most expert poultry raiser in Taranaki. Bis ability to sit on a rail (hence, perhaps, your informant's information) and crow, invariably led to such a fluttering of the fair sex of the poultry tribe around him that he had only to help himself— which he invariably did, and dots now, by all accounts. It must be the same eld Crow Pat. H appears, also. as if forr-o of association has made the old boy .a bit of an olid hen himself. So it is. More power to his wings — let him !ly. He left here some years ago. Tie-wa:-4 an enthusiast in climbing Mt. Egmont. Ho climbed once too often, alas, that 1 must Kay it. and was too <{uick, and before he could recover himself (or was it that a suffering hen-owner was after him ?) lie rolled dean down the other side, and it is there, perhaps, your informant heard of him. Ho rolled clean into the sea, and struck a shark (you'll remember the young man and the shark). and was from that position picked up by a passing vessel and carried to Australia, from whence, hens being scarce, he worked his way through the CochinChinas to Russia, on his way trying his hand at the Peking ducks. Tts the same old Crow Pat, and glad we were t> :rct rid of him.— T am, etc, MITIO CORRESPONDENT.