THE PARIHAKA EPISODE

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11494, 29 January 1903, Page 5

THE PARIHAKA EPISODE

LETTER FROM THE HOX. JOHN BRYCK.

A Canterbury friend of Mr John Bryce having sent him cuttings from "The Press" ; retaining the articles ;uid letters in refer- :•:■.• to the Parihaka affair. Mr Bryoe wrote .-■ : ir.i in reply, stating that ksving ivad Mr Alpers's letter and ths article in rep'.y, lit' <itd iton think it necassary to say more himself. He enclose*, however. ;i copy of a short letter which he had wiitten n> another friend, an ex-resident of Wang.-uini, who h;ul ivi-so si»nt him the cuttings, udding that ii thought desirable liis corrt , spond. , nt might forward it to ''The Press." The tetter has accordingly been placed at our disposd, and is as follows: — "tireytcvwn Rtreot. January 17: h, 1903. "Dear Mr , —lt was very kiiiil of you to y?nd me tihe copies oi the Chrit-tchurch "Press" containing the comnuius oa Te Whiti and the Panhaka bi»>iiv>s. The article in "The 'of th« 10th of January puzzled nw very much ns to the writer of it, but it is perfectly accurate in every detail—most surprisingly so indeed. It is quite refreshing to ivad plain, truthful statements on th« subject. As to tho chapter in the work to which reference is mode (wlikh I haw nc-t. seen) ".« far as my jih-ol-loction servo* me. I have never before heard the term 'ii;v. s co' applied to th? occujwtion of Parihaka, although I have often heard it Cttl.ed it raid. But wtaher it. was just or unjust, cruel or benevolent, wicked or righteous (on all of which paints I hold a satisfactory opinion), at, all event* it was cwnpletdy suix>es.Nful, nji4 a 'jsncoessful 'fiasco' seems to me to be a contradiction of terms-

"As to tho letter of Mr Gordon I have no complaint to make. He is writing from memoTy of events which occurred 21 years ago, and desires, I dare suy, to be perfectly fair; memory, however, sometimes plays us queer pranks, and if facts and logic are somewhat astray in his letter, it is not. to be wondered at- Were I acquainted with Mr Gordon, arxl speaking to him, I would a*k him to tako k» from me that Te Whitj never gave the most distant hint of a desire to have his claims tested in a court, of law, but on the contrary repeatedly poured contempt on the idea. The 'raid' was bloodless. The men's guns were not loaded, in case an accidental shot might lead to bloodshed, as hact happened in this colony more tllian once. A student of human nature need no assurance that had the leader bc-en cruel and blood-thirsty, tlie results would have 'been bloody likewise. "We'll, lam satisfied. It is the event in my life of which I have never ceased to be proud, although my strongest feeling at ■the present moonent is one of intense gratitude to my colleagues, who gave me the opportunity of joining with them in doing a great pubic service. How important that service was no other man in New Zealand was in a position to- estimate as well as myself, and at all events I have never doubted its value, —I am, dear Jlr , very sincerely, yours, (Signed) JOHN BRYCE."