CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 67, 9 October 1862, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Hawke’s Bay Times. Sir, —In my reply to the observations of Mr. G. S. Cooper in a paper of some week or two back, I beg to state that I have never received 9 head of cattle which the Maories took from me, which to me are worth ninety pounds. How can I or any one else be satisfied with such disgraceful treatment when property is unlawlully taken away, and the Government pays the Maories to keep them quiet, without enquiring whether the property for which the price of ,£3O had been paid had been returned. I can prove in continuation that the list of cattle that was produced in what was called a court at Puketapu was correct, and the beasts therein named have never been returned, I have now been for twelve months without my dairy cows, and my means of gaining a livelihood are of course taken away; and even now, when my cows go down to the river to drink, the Maories claim, through that most extraordinary official the Commissionor, Colonel Russell, ,£2 Is, 9d. for that privilege. In conclusion, I must only say that I hope that if we cannot trust to have Justice here then we may get it at home ; and that through your report of the state of Native affairs here in your monthly summary, British subjects at home may have some slight idea how British subjects abroad are treated. I trust that some gentleman in Napier may take this matter up, and enquire what respect is shewn to the Crown here, and if it will allow a man to be knocked down at his own door and rubbed of his property. Yours, &c., Thomas Shirley.