CORRESPONDENCE. TO MY CRITICS -"BACKBLOCKER," ETC. CIE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 24, 5 April 1907, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO MY CRITICS -"BACKBLOCKER," ETC. CIE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —It is possible that I have misjudged my own race ; that 1 thought it sinned in ignorance; and that it only required a reminder to recognise its errors, and amend them ; but when it attempts to justify them by pusilanimous plausibilities, and comparisons of how Belgians or Russ-Tartars would have acted, given similar opportunities. And, moreover, ignores the fact that killing is extinction, whether by slow mutilation, as do the Congo Belgians, or sudden dismemberment with Palliser shells fired into fleeing women and children as we did, and yet poses in the world's limelight, as a symbol of humanity and justice, I am confronted with a problem of only two solutions. But perhaps I have not, like my critic, acquired the physiological knowledge that skintint minimises physical suffering ; that what is to the white skin hopeless anguish and misery, is to the black, brown, and yellow, mere transient discomfort; that the tears of heartache of the African negress, and the Maori wahine, for butchered kindred, are not so scalding as those of their white sisters. That to break up the home-ties and destroy the hometreasures of the brown and black, is condonable —even meritorious ; but to do the same to the white is a dastardly outrage, which must be punished with -scientific distruction.- If so, my education is incomplete, and there is much that I must learn and unlearn ! My critic also deplores that the Maori has disregarded " Pakeha virtues." Which virtues ? And who has taken the creature in hand and to his heart to teach him ? Has our relationship not been a system of cozening, until his lands were acquired, and then abject neglect— ? And the first virtue hie asks of us to render : honest observance of treaty stipulations, we refuse him ! Virtues indeed ! To my critic's other charges, I unhesitatingly surrender: I do champion the cause of the afflicted ; I do advocate the practice of National honour and probity ; I do appeal to my race for justice and mercy to the Maori; Ido "denounce hypocrisies. And whether my critic elects to apply to these, the stale and hackneyed term "effusions," or the offensive : " Bitter invective and blatant partisanship," the position is this : So long as the Press of the colony will admit my voice to its pages, so Ion*; willlthat voice be heard, and absolutely refuses to be intimidated or coerced. And when he further says it will do more harm than good, he confirms my suspicion, that what I condemned were not sins of omission, but wanton premedidated commission, and my every stricture is abundantly justified. For his graceful commendation of my literary work, I sincerely thank him; it is nicely said, and certainly kindly meant. But the rest of his attack is weak, his aim erratic, and his artillery the same old worn out smooth bore ! Let us shake hands. —I am, etc., W.B.