PUBLIC MEETINGS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 73, 29 July 1843, Page 290

PUBLIC MEETINGS.

APPOINTMENT OF DELEGATES TO,

PROCEED TO AUCKLAND.

A public meeting was held on Saturday last, for the purpose of- selecting two gentlemen to proceed to Auckland with the depositions taken relative to the Wairoo massacre, and who should be authorised to report on the state of this settlement.

A. M'Donald, Esq., haying been called to the' chair, said that he considered the purpose for which the .meeting bad been called a highly important one, as the' Government would of course require all the;'' evidence to, enable them to fcrm a correct Opinion of the melancholy event. From the nature of. the statements which were first published in Wellington, there was good reason to believe. that. Government was not yet in possession of the real facts. The Hon. C. Dillon said that, as statements had been put forth, , calculated to injure the memory of the many estimable men who were murdered, as well as .to defeat the ends of justice, ft ' was highly necessary that there should be no further delay in laying before the Government the documents .which would enable it to form a correct opinion of the lamentable affair. The evidence taken was conclusive that I one shot only had, been fired by the: Europeans (which there was every reason to believe was accidental, as no order to fire }iad b>en given) when a volley was discharged by the Maories, by which several were killed or wounded. It was also' satisfactorily. "shown that* Mr. Thompson severely censured the party who he supposed comfrnjenced-theafiray, though he was mistaken in the' person.' "What we now sought for was, that the perpetrators of the cruel murders should

not escape because .they were Maories, bat that should in this.'as well as in all other matters, be under the; same laws as ourselves. With these views, lie would move the first resolution: — " That it is highly expedient that the Colonial Government should be informed, with the least possible delay, of the real facts of the late unfortunate massacre at Wairoo, in order to its taking the necessary steps consequent thereupon. Mr. Greaves expressed his willingness to second the resolution, as he considered it highly necessary that the Government should be in possession of all the depositions; but he took rather an unpopular view of the question, in not attaching that degree of blame to the Maories which was generally awarded them. The resolution was then put and carried. ' . Mr. Graham proposed the second resolution, which was seconded by J. Tytler, Esq^ — That, in order to the perfect Carrying out of the above resolution, a deputation of persons*possessing our confidence do immediately proceed to Auckland, and lay before the Government a true statement, accompanied by the depositions of those survivors of the party who were witnesses of the N affray. Put and carried. Dr. Renwick proposed the third resolution —

That David Monro and Alfred Domett, Esqra.; -be nominated for the above purpose ; and that this meeting has full confidence that the abovt named persons will fully represent its view*. Seconded by Mr. Elliott, who observed that it was fortunate that two gentlemen had [been found to undertake the charge in whom the inhabitants of Nelson might place full reliance. Carried.

G. Duppa, Esq., in proposing the fourth resolution, said that, as the gentlemen who had consented to proceed to Auckland were willing to give up their time to forward the public interest, it was. the duty of the public to defray the expenses of their journey; he would therefore move — That all the necessary expenses to he incurred*^ by the deputation shall be defrayed by public < subscription. s . Seconded by Mr. Beit. Carried. ' ' 1 Proposed by Mr. Stafford, and seconded Tjy Mr. Poynter — That a committee be appointed to collect the necessary sum,,, and that the surplus, if any, rf distributed amongst the widows of those persons who unfortunately fell in the late massacre. Put and carried.

The following gentlemen were then named as a committee :— Messrs. Greaves, Poynter,, Cautley, Renwick, Mills, Dillon, J. Tytler, ( Duppa, Williams, Fell, Beit, and Ross ; and . Mr. M'Donald as treasurer. ■ The thanks of the meeting were then given to the Chairman for his able conduct in tfc chair. • -. "