Letter to the Editor.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 9, Issue 504, 3 May 1865, Page 3

Letter to the Editor.

Wanganui, April 3rd, 1885. Sir, —Me and Bill (that’s my mate) is awful hard up. Hearing as how the poor devils of Officers at the Militia office was reglar done to cet more prisiners, so as to have a guard told off to look after ’em, Bill and me has agreed to allow them to make us prisiners if they will find us tucker for three weeks, for we has an awful appetite,, and we should get our grub on the cheap, and poor chaps with large families would not liave to be nailed to keep our fine looking Militia officer's on pay.

Hoping a 3 you will put this in your paper, We are Sir, Your servants, Mk asd Bill.

THE GRIEVANCE OF THE WAR.

.Wanganui, April 30, 1885. Sir, —War is undoubtedly one of the greatest scourges that ever could happen to either a civilised or uncivilised nation, for during its continuance it causes almost a total suspension of all advancement, commercial, political, or social ; but it is also a well known axiom _ that out of great evils there will frequently arise a considerable portion of good. The parallel of this Maoi i war is not to bo found any.vhere in the annals of British warfare. Tho enemy certainly, for a savage, iff a very clever, and, we may say, a very superior, specimen of the genus to which he belongs. Of course, to taise a proper view of the subject, it is to be deeply regretted that tho efforts of. those good and ardent men of our mother country' should have proved so unsuccessful at last in trying to iustil the doctrine of Christianity and to enlighten this benighted race ; bub it is, navertiieloos, a melancholy fact that the labours of cur nusoKaiaries have proved to be a signal failure, that is, with a very large portion of the native population, and more especially those who have taken up arms against us. It would appear that the Maori is a being whoso nature is uasuscepti bland incapable of receiving the impression of our religion ; it is true lie has already soiuo notion, of a chimerical kind, of the Ohmoian faith, ous nothing beyond it. As for understanding it _ m its fall meaning he really does not; and with regard to these rebel fanatics, their previous knowledge of Christianity only seem 3 to havo madepthem, if possible, even .greater devils than they were before, revelling in the most horrid and bloodthirsty actions, and exulting in that most inhuman of savage appetites, cannibalism. How it is very true the divine mandate of our Lord was to go and preach the gospel ot salvation to all the earth, and this mauclate, it cannot be denied, has been obeyed by bio ministers and disciples in these islands throughout the whole length and breadth, of them; and despite of these labours, still theso natives hold out in desperate and most determined resistance to all authority, and set alike civil and religious rule at open defiance. Alter such a consummation of events it would, be therefore only but juat to presume wo are acting a Ohristuia part in taking up arms and punishing these inhuman savages, to whom wo nave given every encouragement and shown the right way, while they li&ve most obstinately and insv.lsingly refused to accept all our efforts to no fcnem good, and we trust, Cod being on our side, wo shall finally lie successful. The policy of the Government in this moat critical and important affair of bringing these Maori rebels into subjection cannot bo too firm, aud it moreover requires the most able administration in the country to cope successfully with the state of things at the present crisis. There is every reason to believe that these islands aro destined eventually to become aa populous and thriving in an ana commercial point of view as any omor of Her Majesty’s colonies, and the speedy termination of the war must most undoubtedly bo the great desideratum of all wellwisliers to. tho colony. Unfortunately the war is not drawing s© speedily to a close as was anticipated. The Maori still keeps to his old haunts in tho bush, and at present there is but very little prospect Ox driving him from it by the troops now at the front. A regiment of Forest rangers would probably do moreto bring them to their bearings than all the infantry, artillery, or regular troops now in the field. The Hangers are the best drilled body of men for this campaign, where the enemy has to be ferretted as it were, out of a bush country, that could possibly be employed in tho service. Were this plan of combatting the foe adopted, I think they would soon be glad to accept tue terms of the Government. It is to be regretted that there are so few of the Hangers, they are so eminently useful in bush warfare and so well accoutred and eqnipped with everything necessary for their work. I am £:o., Jeunx Militaire.

TRICKS R’S CASE,

Rangitikoi, April 25, 1555. As believing that Trieker is innocent of the crime for which he is suuenug, I vyoiuiur that those who v/oro at one time stirring in tnc iluitter seera to have relaxed in their efforts oa ins behalf. What can be the cause of this apathy ? Surely, Sir, it cannot be that these gentlemen have been iailuenced by such aa are contained in the letter which I forward to you with the request that you will publish it in order to show what are the grounds oa which Trieker ia held to be guilty. I am &e., A S'e'BsoßTnun.

Rangitikei, December 2nd, ISG4. My Bear Mr.''S yook, - -I?ow that Tricker’o sentence is commuted, and nothing fhr-t wo can do or say, will alter his fate, 1 shr.il, if you like, be happy to give you for your satisfaction any information I can upon tue subject;. Trieker’?. ‘ Cock and Bull’ story about a conver sation with -me .relative to a road underground is a more fabrication ; no such conversation over took place with me ; not only om I myself certain of this, but the constable whoserved tho warrant on him asserts U.e same, and Jus was present the whole time with ns. There is a track across tho swamp by whi-.vh I have creased myself on foot without getting tho vmier over my ridiug boot", at a point in

the swamp in fcholi-K*! '..Tween L\.v. <n at w u isam a nd ycofct’.;, both of which you can nee from a iiili be.-iido l;bo swamp jantat this erosiing. _ 1 found thn? crossing out •••’';• o' receiving your second letter on tho subject of the w.vamp crossing. I had then novel 1 bs-vn rent; - the uv.vimp, r.ml know netting of it, attUomk. I always. believe, wliat I believe 1 said in ,7 emugioii, Diiiiu so long a swam p would have a nbabovv place in it somewhere in its le.a.gtn, no a iter receiving vour second letter X <leternuand tv luves’-jignto the matter ; —made the constable take nie mto the sandhills and point out t-Le swamp, wlnea bo did ; and Mb me within two miles of it, L went to the swamp prepared to prove it the whole length. 1, a perfect stranger to the place, '.never having been elf the track from Bull’s to Scott's before, went to the narrowest find most likely looicmg place, god { ,y,,. V X TU'.lWise IVX L 10 V :X): '1 ■ ! 111 10U.' 1 ll'Ki half t-b ikii'-H, without having been in more tiirm twelve or lourtoon inches of water, and I moreover found that a man had some time before boon across it at the same place ; for part of the crossing leys over a thick raupo swamp, so thick that it boro weight as pressed where tho raupo Lad been bout down before; 1 say this was a man’s track, for below tho raupo there was. about 3-.| or 4 feet of mud, quite enough to have swamped an animal, which I would havo walked through not on the raupo. 1 have been sorry to see now strongly and publicly you have taken up Trie leer’s ca.se without such aa intimate knowledge oi all the minutiae of the affair|as might lead you to think differently. I have, I confess, the most deep conviction that Tricker is the murderer, and that opinion was formed with greater opportunities for coining to a decision than anyone else could possibly have had, as the captor of the-half caste, foreman of tho coroner’s jury, as Magistrate staying at Bull’s while the inquest wan going on, no one could have had such facilities'os 1 had for getting at the real facts of the case as they transm'rsd. Believing as'ldothat Tricker is guilty of one of tho most cold blooded murders ever perpetrated, you cannot wonder that I should say this, that I look upon it as a providential circumstance that-twelve jurymen were formed who would find tho man guilty on the evidence which was before theml cannot help belie vingthat ere lone; the truth will come out ; but X do believe that your strenuous exertions on the prisoner’s behalf have raised his hopes and prevented what otherwise the insupportable companionship of his crime alone with himself in his solitary cell would long ago have driven him to, viz., a confession of Ids guilt. As it is, judging from what 1 know of the man’s character, I have no hesitation in saying that if ever he get is his liberty again it will be only with added caution, perhaps, to find another victim. I use strong language, but I really conscientiously do believe that I have ample reason for so doing. . I shall be happy to answer any questions you may put to me, but one tiling I must request, viz, that you will not use my name to Tricker at all. I shrink from and dread the man so mucli> My name is so intimately associated with a conviction, I have not hesitated to make him and his friends aware of, that., I consider myself with him a marked man; and even after tho lanso of years if he should bo set free his release would bo tho signal to me for departure from his neichbourliocil. This being the case you will easily understand why Ido not wish to be brought to tho man's thoughts though I do wish to heli> you to a reversal of your present opinion. 1 remain, Yours very sincerely, A. W. F. Kalcoiibe