Untitled

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 20, 14 November 1861, Page 3

To the Editor of the Hai r lce's Bay Times. Sic, —If the Herald , during “ her” brilliant career in this Province, had gained notoriety by “ her” vigorous exposure of the many and intolerable abuses which have brought us to the pass into which we have now got, then I should look upon “ her” repeated and singularly weak attacks upon me and my public doings as something worthy of note ; but when I remember that during the time “she” has resided amongst us “she” was never known to attack anything, however bad, likely to affect present monthly subscriptions or prospective printing contracts, I am naturally led to conclude that that dear old lady is stirred up to her present pitch of exceeding wrath by some other less patriotic motive than a protest against my actions upon public grounds. I am led into these remarks by the very prominent position which your venerable cotemporary has given to a little turn up I had with a few blackguard Natives the other day, the circumstances of which it may be interesting to the public and to yourself to hear from mo. On Sunday last, was talking to Messrs. Shirley, their cafile came over on to their land, and were . presently pursued by

some Natives. This was rather too minch tor llesh and blood to stand. I therefore volunteered to drive the cattle into the yard, and had very nearly succeeded, when a reinforcement of the enemy came up. I, however, stuck to the cattle as long as even the faintest hope remained of accomplishing my object without resorting to violence. You will please to observe that I did not offer the slightest violence to the Natives, but drove the cattle away from them, offering by that action a passive protest to what I considered their most outrageous and unwarrantable conduct. No sooner, however, had they succeeded in securing their prize than they turned upon me, and endeavored to seize my horse, whereupon I set to work and struck out right and left, and had I been better armed they would have got the worst of it; and I am by no means satisfied with not having been able to give them a more severe handling ; as it was I had but a light whip. They went off threatening to seize my horses on the morrow. I therefore immediately put “ my house in order,” sent a message to the Resident Magistrate to the effect that should the Natives make any attempt to put their threat into execution, I should resist to the very utmost, and also obtained a supply of “ arms and ammunition” in case of need. My neighbors flocked in like brave good fellows determined to stick by me, and upon the whole we presented a very respectable appearance by eight o'clock the next morning. I believe the Natives who are at present taking suck an active part in the cattle lifting are a few blackguards who will continue to pursue the same lawless course until they receive the just thrashing they so richly deserve.

It is quite absurd for such garrulous old crones as the Herald to try and make out that the whole Native population is ready to fly to arms ; that's just like such nervous and flighted “ creeturs.” I say and know that they are too wide awake for any such stupid conduct, seeing that His Excellency the Governor has come here laden with £50,000 a-year to be equally distributed amongst them,

I am, Ec., O. L. W. Rousfield 12th November, 1801.