THE PARIHAKA AFFAIR.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11485, 19 January 1903, Page 6

THE PARIHAKA AFFAIR.

i TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —Mr Alpers'a letter, which appears in your issue of the 17th, indicates a fine command of the English language, but not English fairpky and truthfulness. And it if a matter for regret that a gentleman •who display* such literary ability in the 'command of words, should descend to the "Deadwood Dick" style of writing, and display as little regard for fact* as ba does for good space. Instead of the raid on Paxihaka being a farce, it ended the farce. The fare* was before the sth of November, 1881, and it consisted in keeping up a force that was useless. The extra men mobilised by Mr Bryce cost a, bit more ni the time, but it has saved money since, for had not Parihaka been invaded the incompetent force would have probably been ;n existence now, an-d somebody would hay been blamed, as Mr Gladstone was because be did not put the Boers in their place twenty years ago. Mr Biyce has often been blamed because he took such a large force to Parihaka* He erred on the right side. If there were no deeds of heroism at Parihaka it can be said on the other aide that John Bryce made sure there would be no disaster, much as has often happened, to . British forces through men not having so much savey as Bryce. The Maoris did not fight; they may never have intended to fight. The same could be said of many who have taken part in riots that have occurred all over the world. Nevertheless, for the purpose of maintaining law and order, the soldiery in overwhelming numbers are often called out. When suoh things happen is it called a farce? Instead of owning up to hie blunder of calling the constabulary red-coated strangers when they were grey-shirted strangeis, he trys to bluff. Behind the dancing children which are alleged to have corns out to welcome the strangers, "came their mothers, hearing i>oo loaves of bread, which Te Whiti had bid them talw to feed th.: invading host." So jays Mr Aip?i>-, but though I heard that bread was offered tt> eoroe of the officers, I did not see it, nor did I hear of the baking, though I was in the yah two nights before- ite investment, and outside its gates when that event occurred. 'Seeing that tbo 'host took a meal jn their haversacks, they should not hays beer* hungry with the 500 loavts chucked in. One company was, anyhow, and the Maoris would not even sell a kit of potatoes, which is strange if, as alleged, they were so liberal with the loaves. Mr lsrycc β-tked for bullet*," cays Mr Alpers, "and they gave them bread." Perhaps they did, but the Maorie would not part witn anything eatable for love or money to the rank and file. Mr Alpers talks in a stagey way, no doubt, because he does a bit in amateur acting. Ho seems best in comedy, ior ho is comical where he tells of Mr Hamilton having inspected the bush behind Parihaka and failed to find arms. That might be possible if he bad gone on searching up |n I&e present day. Over a hundred men searched that same bush over a week before they found the remains of a man that wan lost. "The specials of the •Lyttelton Times' jwito co cleverly eluded the vigiiance of the oiifcpoete were solemnly wrested," 6o eaye Mr Alpers, and I premise it was come Ihne after they eluded the vigilance. But the absurdity of a special, who was not with any army, eluding our outpostfl to get - into the camp of the enemy, will be obvious to all military men. In tine instance tho statement is more than incongruous, as we had not outposts out. Even if Mr Alpers, through lack of military knowiedge, was to confound the camp sentries at Puogarehu, or \he advance guard and.flankers that were out, still, the state- . mesnt, would be nonsense—(l) because early in the morning there wae absolutely no obstacle in the way of entering Parihaka from the pakeha side; (2) and when the forces from Pungarebu and Rahotu met a abort (tistance from Parihaka, they were in dtose formation, and the flankers did not trover a frenfc of two hundred yards. The rest of New Zealand was ooen to the special. "Then ctune the pillaging and (burning." This statement of Mr Alpers ■would cau/re readers not "in the know" to think of Delhi and the looting at Pekin, and certainly ocUtaim a grave reflection on oat men. The extend of the pillaging amounted to an occasional kit of potatoes sad other vegetable. Why, if a Maori saw a eoldier near a> plantation be would inform the guard. The men were not allowed in the pah except, oa duty, and though many did enter far reasons I won't mention; •eversul were caught, and some were fined, end some from the service. And. the same thimt happened when stealing wae detected. The Maori tad do treasure to loot, and the few mats aod bits of greenstone obtained by the men were paid for far in excess of timir value. The. burniog ie more Action, and to burning and pillaging Mr Jlpers oujzhi to have addtd-ravish-ing, for this would have Been as true as the outer, and would have completed the harrowing tale he 'stems .to try to convey. Again, Mr Alpers save: "Had one single excited youth Sashed a tomahawk—had come fierce virago spat' her defiances-had Boxcta indignant chieftain brandished a taiah, what would not nave happened?" Just what did happen, Mr Alpers. If you had been looking on at the «ateaaoe. to the pah when the incn marched in you would have seen <kwens of viragoee epit defiance, nay, more, blow their noses in defiance, and «lap tlwir hipe in defiance, sot to speak of l»wling out words that would be. conyidered obscene by yonx; readers. This wee whet Mr Alpftre calls a Quakers' meeting, bet let him call by what name he chooses, the antics of the Maori ladies, this was what 1 haw. The dancing and the ohildisn. gk* of \h* children may have oc«uired, the Maori is just as inconsistent as\ Mr., Alpers. .."•.;.-..■ ' ..... Mr: Alpers, in conclusion, seems to find much more satisfaction in tie kindly notices given in paper* of standing. But then -file editors o! ;th«se papers di 4 not Know -that the pillarnng consisted of some garden stuff, that the burning consisted of the bornioK of fikh. that Mr Hamilton couldn't inspect the bush in ten years', that in spite of the 500 loaves none of the men tasted a bit, that there were no posts except the poets of the Maori fences for the "Lyttelton Times" specials to "cleverly elude," that the "fierce viragoes" more than "spat their defiance, ,, that many viragoes, instead of one. put out their tongues, spat and blew their noses, slapped their hips, and used what the pabeha would cell filiby language in defiance.—Yours, etc., . . ■; ZEALANDIA.