CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 206, 27 August 1873, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

*** We are desirous of affording every reasonable facility (or the discussion of public subjects; but it roust be understood tliat we are in no way responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. To the Editor op the Nelson Evening Mail. Sib —In the Nelson Evening Mail supplement, containing the Rev. T. Buddies very interesting lecture on " Christianity and Colonisation among the

Maoris," I notice that he cites the appalling massacre of the captain and crew of the " Boyd," at the Bay of Islands. There is a terrible sequel to that sfory told in ** Events in the life of William Tapsell, the old Dane," who died at Maketu on the 9th inst., and as we live in times when the motto seems to be justice to the Maoris and injustice from them, it may interest your readers. Not that I advocate tbe wild retributive justice of the whalers, but to show that punishment could be and was inflicted in those days with promptitude and without Colonial or Imperial Government aid. The extract is as follows : — The " New Zea'ander," of which Mr Tapsell was chief mate, had been away from the Bay about two months, and was cruising off the East Cape, in company with several other vessels, when a whaler that had been lying atParoa brought the melancholy intelligence. Seven or eight vessels were tben busy catching whales, and some of them fast to whales at the time, but they all with one accord left their whales, and sailed for the Bay, coming to anchor at Paroa. Each vessel cent out three boats, the crews of which were all armed. These surrounded an island on which was the fortification of Tipoki, and landed all at one time, shootiug every native that came in fight, and inflicting a terrible punishment on the bloodthirsty cannibals who had so treacherously murdered their countrymen. Tipoki was wounded in the shoulder with a musket hall, and with the assistance of two of the women who supported him swimming on each side, he reached the mainland. Some of tho natives got away in canoes, some swam from the island, but a great many were killed ; the boats' crews cornpitting the wcrk by setting fire to the whares, burning the canoes, and destroying the crops, after which they embarked and rejoined their ships. The whole of TapselPs narrative corroborates Mr Buddies, except in the orthography and fate of the above chief, which may be merely a case of mistaken identity in one individual, the chief. I should be glad if the rev. gentleman or any of your readers could complete the dread story, by stating the after fate of Mrs Broughton aud family and tbe sailor boy, whose lives were then spared. I fear it will never be known if they ever escaped, or what they suffered. I am, &c, H. J. Goodman. Nelson, 26fch August, 1873.