TARANAKI ASPERSED.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13921, 27 March 1909, Page 3

TARANAKI ASPERSED.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — I would suggest that a meeting of the old Taranaki settlers should take place at an early date to refute the calumnious statements appearing, in your and other papers without an,> comment, as emanating from a Mr. Wakefield, in an address given at the Imperial Colonial Club, London, England. He is reported to have stated : "The renewal of war in New Zealand led to Sir George Grey being sent there again as Governor. He found things in a frightful mess. Panic and misery prevailed ; half the people had fled to Nelson, and the rest were frightened to death." Old settler s know this to be absolutely untrue. As a matter of fact, our women and children were forced to leave our shores practicaHy at the point of the bayonet, and many defied the authorities There was no panic, and the .majority of the settlers were in good spirits. As regards his next statement that "Sir George and others walked about seven miles along the coast road," etc., this we all know to be utterly false and absurd. There was no pa called Whenrua for him to capture in this district. If \ the statements referred to are allowed to go unchallenged they become historical facts, thus my reason for writing. I would ask some older person than myself to take the initiative. — I am, etc., WILLIAM HUMPHRIES.