MILK PUNCH FOR NATIVES.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 161, 12 February 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

MILK PUNCH FOR NATIVES.

To the Editor of the D. S. Cross. Sin, —Allusions have been made in the S. Cross to the fact of the Government having provided “ milk punch” for natives, and severe censure has been bestowed upon the Native Office for the alleged act. 1 have been requested by the Colonial Secretary to inform you that he has made a thorough examination of the records of the Native Office, and that there is no evidence in existence tli -*- “milk punch,” was ever provided by the department of government, and there is, in fact, no authority whatever for the statement, except an item in a return printed in an appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives from the House ot Representatives, 1862. In that return, as printed, there is an item of “D. Hay, milk punch for natives, £9 75.” In the manuscript return as received by the House of Representatives from the Native Minister, Mr. Bell, and laid upon the table, the item is “ milk for natives.” Some person with more wit than discretion has interlined in pencil the word “ punch,” and the printers have set up the item as “ milk punch.” The official responsibility, of course, rests with myself, though the blame really seems to me to 1 e due to whoever took so unjustifiable a liberty with a public document, and which, in the hurry of business, escaped the notice of the corrector of the press. I may add that I have seen the original voucher in the Native Office, and am informed that it represents a supply of milk to natives lodged at Mr. M’Lean’s house, who were attending the Kohimarama Conference, in 1860. Yours, &c., F. E. CAMPBELL, Clerk Housa of Representatives. Aucklaed Feb. 1, 1861.