WILLIAM MOFFAT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5029, 7 May 1877, Page 3

WILLIAM MOFFAT.

The notorious Moffat, who, it should be needless to remind our readers, was convicted at Wanganui of manufacturing powder for the King natives, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, arrived in Wellington, under the custody of Sergeant Reid, by tho Manawatu, on Saturday. The general public are scarcely aware of the extraordinary character of this man Moffat, or many of the facts connected with the important case of which he was the hero, because they did not appear in evidence given at the trial. In connection with a mill that he erected within twelve miles of the King country he had a moveable forge for the purpose of mending arms and casting bullets, and it was in this mill that he carried on Ms infamous trade of manufacturing ammunition to be used by the foes of his fellow countrymen. Sergeant Reid was at one time afraid that the party of natives who went to arrest him would not bring him back, as he knew the man to be desperate, unprincipled, and clever, to say nothing of the influence he knew him to possess with some of the natives, among whom he had lived for a number of years. He therefore impressed upon the party that they would be handsomely rewarded for their trouble. And he was captured, and brought to Wanganui. To show, however, that he was regarded as a desperate character, ho was handcuffed and chained down to the boat, lest he should jump over and endeavor to escape by swimming ashore, after the manner of the famous Bob Roy, of whose adventures Sir Walter Scott gives such an interesting descrip tion. To those best acquainted with Moffat the above comparison will not appear at all far-fetched. It would appear that whilst he is as bad-hearted and treacherous as the worst of the class known as Pakeha-Maoris, ho is far in advance of any we have known for ability and audacity. When searched, among a number of things found upon him were several handsome gold rings, and a number of deeds purporting to be assignments of lands from certain natives in consideration of money received by them from him It is believed that these deeds represented nothing, being like tho plan of Eden, the public buildings iu which existed only in the mind of tho roguish Scadder. He also had a number of £1 bank notes, which he had converted into £IOO bank notes by inserting, in a manner most artistic, two noughts after the £l. It was beautifully worked in. His object was possibly to delude tho natives, and buy their protection, for he showed these to them, and made them great promises as to what he would do with them. In this connection he showed himself to be the prince of liars. Mr, Alfred Jingle’s versatile manner of concocting the moat improbable stories for the edification of the society he mixed in, and for his own special advancement in life and pecuniary profit, was literally nothing to this man. He confided to the Maoris that he was tho son of tho Prussian Emperor, and promised them that so soon as he had finished the powder job ho would start to work casting cannons for them, after which he would go Home and bring out an ironclad, and retake Now Zealand for the Maoris, over whoso wrongs ho shod tears of sympathy, What a sly dog, to be sure 1 As a matter of fact, Moffat was born in Auckland, and when a young man wont Home to England, landing at Liverpool, where ho was apprenticed to an engineer, .and learnt the trade, after which he returned to his native land—a circumstance much to be deplored. Sergeant Reid brought with him a sample of the powder made by this rascal, and it is said by competent judges to be of very good quality. It is very much to be regretted that the Judge was not empowered to inflict a heavier sentence upon Moffat. When wo look at the enormity of his offence, when we contemplate the dire mischief that might have followed the successful accomplishment of his infamous design, then the punishment meted out to him seems miserably small ; iu fact it almost sinks into nothingness. There can be no doubt the law requires amendment in thjs direction. Wo can scarcely imagine how it could have been so laid down. Looking at tho case as it stands now, the fact is perfectly

patent that but for the prompt action taken by onr police force, we might have to regret when regret wa? worse than useless, ami cry over the spilt blood of many of our fellow creatures. _____________