MAJOR PORTER’S ADDRESS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 63, 5 November 1887, Page 2

MAJOR PORTER’S ADDRESS.

UNJUST MIS-STATEMENTS, POSITIVE AND EMPHATIC DENIALS. Fbom our Wellington correspondent we learn that the misrepresentations sent from this district in reference to Major Porter's address to tho J Battery has caused much interest to be taketi ill the mutter throughout the colony, The Wellington Press has taken the subject up warmly, and if the information supplied wore correct we should be fully in accord with that journal. The Press, on Wednesday night, we are informed, stated that if the report had been exaggerated or distorted; and this were confirmed, there would Be an end to the Matter, but if Major Porter did address his men iij such a way as is imputed to him, he should be severely reprimanded; With this We entirely agreeHowever, there is another aide to the ques" lion that must be given weight to. We have already emphatically denied the correctness of the wording of the Herald’s report, from which source there is no doubt the Press Association message Wks also sent. If our report is read it will be seen that Major Porter did nßt suggest the advisability of shooting Te Root!—he merely, explained what would be the probabilities j Te Kooti did come to this district, It is well known here that many persons openly threaten to shoo) the murderer if he is allowed te come bach and to qu* mind! without ptasuifilng to interpret Major Porter’s meaning, it would be better that the notorious murderer should be killed at once, and the perpetrator of the deed brought to justice, than that a wholesale massacre of innocent people should be rendered possible. But so far from Major Porter giving cause for alarm; he haa endeavored to pacify the existing feeling, which the Herald has done much to arouse. As to the statement imputed to Major Porter, that “if Te Kooti does come here I will quickly settle matters with my old enemy," we unhesitatingly assert.that the imputation is false.

How the lieraid can have the presumption to maintain the correctness of such statements astounds us. It is a serious matter when the reputation of one of our leading citizens is at stake; and We had thought our contemporary would hive hid the manliness to Acknowledge, it was ~in error. Instead of doing this the Herald affirms that their report is correct, “toned down, rather than highly colored.” It is unnecessary to again deny this, but now we may ask, where did the Herald get their report from ? The only reporter present, taking notes, was a representative of But Staff, a shorthand writer, whose fuller report we published on TuesdayThe Herald report must hate been written from memory by. some 01)6 in the tanks ct oritside of the building. Let tkem produo their leporter and his notes and we will do the same. The absurdity of bringing in outsiders to verify their report at once proves the weakness ol their position. But even on those grounds we can prove they are wrong. We have held that our own report is the only accurate one, independent of all outside opinion, but taking up the questionable course suggested by the Herald, all those we have asked are either positive as to the incorrectness of the version derived from the Heraldof eIBS deem it wiser nut to commit themselves on points on which they are not certain. Several members of the Battery say they are prepared to take oaths that Major Porter never said what has been imputed to him. We have interviewed Major Porter, and asked for a definite statement in the matter—it must be marked that anything we have previously said has been on the authority of our reporter’s shorthand notes—and the Commanding Officer distinctly asserts that he has not made the statements imputed to him, and he also affirms the accuracy of our report.

[Since the above was In type we have been pleased to see that dur contemporary has partially retracted its assertions of Thursday evening; by declaring that there haa been a misinterpretation. The report that the Wellington Press appears to have got hold of is certainly different to that which the Herald gave, but Will our local contemporary explain what it means by stating that the report was “toned down"? Then we would like to know what interpretation would be almost certain to be taken from the following i 11 He and Te Kooti were old enemies, and if he should corae and ba the means of causing trouble, lie (Major Porter) would very duickly take the opportunity of settling matters with him.” Without attempting to twist anything the inference we should take would be that Major Porter had a feeling of malice against Te Kooti and would be glad of the opportunity of vengeance. Place our reporters words alongside those quoted above—"lf he does come, I shall be prepared to use strong measures in putting the law in force should any disturbance occur.” If our contemporary will, as in fairness they should, admit the incorrect wording of the passage referred to the matter may be dropped. It is not always agreeable for one journal to give way to another, but where individuals are concerned as in the present case, journalistic amenities should be