THE INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FETE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1066, 27 November 1877, Page 3

THE INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FETE.

The Christchurch correspondent of the “ Saturday Advertiser,” a journal published in Dunedin, in its issue of Nov. 3rd -writes as follows : “There are two incidents about the fete that are worthy of mention, though they are not of a very pleasing character. One is that a performer who had given his services was robbed on the ground by some scoundrel of his watch and his socks while amusing the public, and while those articles were stowed away in a tent. The other deserves mention at greater length, and should lead to the instant dismissal from the police force of one of the officers who is a disgrace to it. It seems that among those on the ground was a poor German family, consisting of mother, father, and two children, who were trying to earn a few pence by playing upon various kinds of instruments. The man had evidently nearly run his race, the woman was old and feeble, and the two children—a girl and a boy, about nine and eleven years of age respectively—bore sickness and inanition in their faces, the girl being wan and sickly, with the hectic spot that betokens the -fell disease —consumption, while the boy’s eyes were sunken, bright, but haggard. In fact, the whole family bore the marks of extreme poverty and emaciation and had come to earn a few pence —perhaps to save them from starvation. They were too honest to steal and too proud to beg, so they trusted to the kindness of the people to reward them for their musical performance. The little boy played the violin, and each of the others an instrument of some sort, with which they rendered some very pretty and pleasing airs. A crowd speedily gathered round, and coppers were freely bestowed. And then, in his officious zeal, one of the ‘stewards’of the Fund came rushing up, and ordered the family to leave the ground. The father replied that he had a permit from his Worship the Mayor, and declined to go, upon which the ‘ steward’ aforesaid (let us trust he was the only one among the lot without a heart), went in search of a policeman ; and a stalwart officer, six feet high and burly in proportion—a sergeant who is noted for his officiousness — came up and brutally kicked over the stand upon which some of the musical instruments were placed, scattering them upon the ground, and ordering the players to leave on pain of instant expulsion. But at this the English blood of the crowd quickened its pulsation, and they defied the sergeant to touch the family, and had he dared to do so they would have mobbed him on the spot. As ho retired from his disgraceful position he was hooted and yelled at, and if he had received deserts he would have been tarred and feathered on the spot. lam not an advocate of lynching, Mr Editor, but if that fellow had been soundly kicked by the people my heart would have rejoiced. Such a piece of official interference, impertinence, and brutality is, I should hope, seldom witnessed in a Christian —let us say in a humane —community.”

The following reply appeared in the same journal of November 24th : Sir, —My attention having been called to a communication from your Christchurch correspondent, which appeared in your issue of November 3rd, I take an early opportunity of asking a small space for a reply. lam very averse to “rushing into print,” but cannot allow wilful falsehood to go uncontradicted. The paragraph to which I allude is the one referring to two incidents of an unpleasant nature supposed to have occurred on the Cricket G-round on the day of the Indian Famine Relief fete.

That a performer was robbed of his watch I regret having to admit; but that any such outrage as that attributed to a police sergeant took place I am happily in a position to deny most emphatically, having been an eye-witness of what really did occur. The particulars are, shortly, that wo found a number of amusements upon the ground which formed no part of the programme arranged by the committee, Ono of these was a string band consisting of a woman and two children. Having placed themselves in a part of the ground far removed from what we wished to be the centre of attraction — and, consequently, interfering somewhat with the attendance thereat—one of the stewards and myself took the matter in hand, asking the assistance of Sergeant Hughes. Itinerant vendors of india-rubber balloons, cigars, &c., who were not contributing in any way to the funds of the committee, were ordered outside the grounds ; and the musicians in question were asked by myself from whom they obtained permission to bo present. Finding that they were under the impression that they had such permission, and that they were willing to move away nearer to Hichardson’s Show, no further notice was taken of them. The steward ‘‘without a heart " was Mr W. It. Mitchell a more kindly gentleman does_ not exist and he did not “ order the family to leave the ground,” neither did he go “ in search of a policeman.” As to whether I am possessed of a heart or no, is a question I will leave my friends to answer. Than the statement that Sergeant Hughes, “the stalwart officer,” “ brutally kicked over the stand upon which gome of the musical instruments were placed,

scattering them upon the ground,” a more Wicked Lie (please print this in capitals), was never told. He never attempted to do anything of the sort, nor did he even order the players away. Other statements in your correspondent’s letter arc equally false. The man who “ had evidently nearly run his race,” is as healthy and robust as any man need be ; the woman is very farfrom being “ old and feeble ; ” and the children are well-nourished, healthy, and intelligent. I am glad to know, from personal observation, that the girl is not “ wan and sickly,” nor has she the slightest trace of that dreadful “hectic spot which betokens the fell disease—consumption ; ” and that no sign of haggardness—as I trust there never may — presents itself in the boy’s face. His Worship the Mayor could not possibly have given a permit to either the band in question or any other persons, he not having any such authority, tire only body holding such right being the Domain Board, of which the Mayor is not a member. The “ English blood of the crowd” which “quickened its pulsation” existed only in the fertile imagination of your sensational correspondent, as also the “ hooting and yelling.” The “kicking” at which his “heart would have rejoiced,” would be well administered to the writer of such wanton mendacity. My letter has run out longer than I intended, but I trust your English love of truth and justice will prompt you to grant me space for its insertion. —Yours truly, Chaeles E. Beiggs, lion. Sec. Sports Committee. Christchurch, Nov. 13th, 1877.