THE POVERTY BAY MASSACRE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 409, 21 November 1868, Page 3

THE POVERTY BAY MASSACRE.

PROPOSED PUBLIC MEETING. Several residents of "Westport, desirous of acting in conjunction with the inhabitants of other towns in the Colony, in giving expression to their desire to see some vigorous action taken with a view to the suppression of the causes of such shocking incidents as have lately occurred in the North Island, forwarded a letter to Dr. Giles, R. M., on Monday, request ing that gentleman to call a public meeting. The following were the terms of the requisition : ""We, the undersigned inhabitants 01 "Westport, upon learning of the confirmation of the horrible news from Napier on the East Coast, earnestly beg to request that you will coincide with us in calling a public meeting, for the purpose of urging, in conjunction with the other towns in New Zealand, upon His Excellency the Governor the absolute and immediate necessity for action on the part of the

Colony at large, to prevent such further serious loss and sacrifice of human life, and to institute a more judicious expenditure of the public revenue, in quelling the frequent disturbances in the North Island."

It was our impression, on a perusal of the requisition, that, on account of his official position, Dr. Giles might not feel himself at liberty to convene, or to take part, in such a meeting, though sympathies might be fully with the object. Dr. Giles has forwarded to the gentlemen who signed the memorial the following courteous reply, and they have called a meeting, to be held at the Empire Hotel this evening, at which the Chairman of the Progress Committee will preside : " Gentlemen, —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, requesting me to call a public meeting for the purpose of urging upon His Excellency the Governor the adoption of some line of action with regard to the native disturbances in the North Island, as well as to the expenditure of the public revenue. "In reply, I beg to assure you of my entire sympathy in the feelings which have been called forth throughout the community by the recent shocking and disastrous news from the NorthIsland, as well as in the desire to give ex, pression, by means of public meetings not only to those feelings, but also to the opinion of the colonists as to how the present serious crisis may best be dealt with. "At the same time I cannot feel it consistent with my official position to take any part in urging any policy upon His Excellency the Governor, or in finding fault with the expenditure of the public revenue. " I must, therefore, beg that you will kindly excuse me from calling a public meeting for these purposes."