Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JAN. 21, 1902. A Man and a History.

Manawatu Herald, 21 January 1902, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JAN. 21, 1902. A Man and a History.

Thers has lately died in England, at the ripe old age of 87, a gentleman who in early life was closely connected with, Australia and this colony. Ex-Governor John Eyre commenced life as a squatter in New South Wales, to which country he went in the year 1838 with but the small sum of £4OO to make himself a position. His case is almost typical to that of our Premier, in that he was a self-made pushing man, and tried many parts. Whilst in New South Wales ha took up stock-driv-ing to South Australia, a long, arduous and perilous trip. He settled down in the latter colony and was appointed resident magistrate and protector of the Aborigines. During his stay in the colony he became known as an explorer, but in 1845 Mr Byre returned to England and in the following year was appointed Lieut.-Governor of New Zealand, as second to Sir George Grey. In 1853 he returned to England and was appointed Lieut.-Governor of St. Vincent, and in 1862 he was appointed to administer the Govern-ment-in-Chief of Jamaica and its dependencies. Here he met his Waterloo.

A slight sketch of the position of Jamaica at this period is necessary to make the trouble that bfifel Mr Eyre comprehensible. During the eighteenth century more than half a million slaves were brought over from Africa, and frequent rebellions of the runaway slaves occurred. Apparently a want of firmness and too much generosity on the part of the English Government misled the negroes as much as such conduct has done in later days. In 1881 there was a negro insurrection, yet in 1834 the whole of the slaves were emancipated at the cost to England of over six million pounds. It is easy to understand the position of slaves suddenly set free and the construction they would place on such a philanthropic action. Matters, however, did not coma to a head until after Mr Eyre had been appointed Captain-General and Governor of Jamaica, an appointment which suggests the presence of insurbordination. In 1865 an insurrection broke out and one can imagine the character it would be knowing what the insurgents had been, and one of the first murders were those of Baron Ketelholdt and the Rev. V. Hersohell and many others. The rebellion spread and many other atrocities were committed. It was suppressed by the exercise of a strong hand, and George W Gordon, a coloured member of the Legislative, was convicted of encouraging the rebellion and was executed. There were other executions and during the existence of martial law 1000 dwellings were burnt, and about 603 persons flogged. The humaritarians in England raised a great row and Governor Eyre was recalled. Those in the island subscribed a large sura for his defence, showing that those on the spot understood the wisdom of the display of strength and sternness. A “ Jamaica Committee ” was formed to prosecute the Governor, but a committee exonerated the Governor from the heavy charges brought against him. Mr Eyre’s health having suffered he retired upon a pension in 1874.

In this brief review of the life of a departed gentleman we have the example of the industry and success of a colonial, one who rose from a stock-driver to a Governor and the administrator of a government that had a serious rebellion to quell. As was to be expected of a colonial he exercised force in a prompt and stern manner that secured the suppression of riot and and thus assured the safety of the white population committed to his charge. He was singularly unfortunate in being the victim of those people “ who live at home at ease ” and who know nothing of the dangers surrounding the position of white settlers in the midst of dark races, and freed slaves being the very worst, many having old punishments to -pay off, and

whose conduct would be of the most horrible kind to women and children. These people because they read of soma of the insurgents being hung and others flogged thought the Governor must have been terribly inhuman, and thus by combination they raised funds to harry and ruin him by prosecution. This is one of the dangers which the Empire’s Consuls have to face, the absurd interference of persons at a distance. It is satisfactory to know that these persons failed at all points and after a discussion in the House of Commons, the legal expenses of Mr Eyre were ordered to be paid.