ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 96, 30 June 1843, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Colonist. Mr. Colonist —May I ask the favor, through the medium of your paper, now the Colony is placed in armour, (to use the words of some great man in Fatherland, whose name at the present moment 1 quite forget), and every man sworn in, or ought to be, as special constables, and as it is agreed by every one to be highly necessary (after the late horrid affair at Cloudy Bay) that every man capable of bearing arms be trained to the use of them for our defence ; How is it that only the working classes meet to be trained ? Why are the gentry; why are the merchants ; why are the storekeepers, &c., &c., absent ? ‘ Have they no wives; have they no children; have they no property to defend ? If they have wives; if they have children; if they have property ; cannot they spare one hour out of four-and-twenty, and join the ranks of the working classes ? Is it false shame keeps them back ? Or do they think it a degradation to mix in the ranks with those men who are now training to defend their adopted country in case of its being required ? Is it not like throwing cold water on the enthusiasm that now prevails—not only throwing cold water, but, in the hour of danger, create confusion, amongst those who are trained ? Now, Mr. Colonist, I humbly submit it is your duty to try to awaken the lethargic—to arouse the lukewarm —to cheer on the willing—and to encourage the timid, to a sense of their duty—and to caution those that rise and spread false reports, that they are offending the laws of their country, and doing a positive mischief to society. Tell them their duty is to set an example, not to keep back when they ought to come forward; not to be inactive when they ought to be on the alert; and not to stay till the eleventh hour, and then come forward unprepared, for then they will be worse than useless, they will be in the way. Tell the Rangateras and the lukewarm of the working classes, their adopted country expects every man to do his duty in the hour of need, and prepare for it by joining those patriotic bands that are training every morning at 8 o’clock in their several districts. I remain, sir, your humble and obedient servant J. Stoor, One of the Working Class. June 29, 183-1. 0