HAWERA ON CROUMBIE BROWN.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 498, 7 February 1880, Page 2

HAWERA ON CROUMBIE BROWN.

(To the Editor of the Patea Mail.) Sir, —In replying to Mr Croumbie Brown's letter, in which he charges me with being afraid to write my name, he may be assured that it was not because I was ashamed to put it there, but that I was quite willing to accept the honorable title bestowed upon me by himself in his first and last letter on this district, feeling assured that the settlers here place as little

credence on the opinion of a bird of passage—here to-day and away to-morrow —relative to myself,' as they do on any of the “bird’s" articles on this district. I have this satisfaction, that however “dirty” I may be, I cannot be so black as one who is constantly rubbing, in his work, against the P.D’s.

Mr Brown states that he, as a special correspondent, meets with very many “ queer cards,” in declining the honor of mine. I have no doubt about it. It was totally unnecessary for him to have made that explanation. I never imagined that .Mr B. had ever associated with any but “queer cards” all his life ; in fact he has an intimate acquaintance with the queerest card in this district, whom he can see any time ho looks in the glass. I am sorry to feel that I have aggrieved Mr C. B. by mentioning his name. I did not know he was ashamed of it. It is certainly not on uncommon one, nor does it required reiteration to remember. But what would he like to be called ? “Special” to the Lyttelton Times , Auckland Herald , or a London paper ? I will, if he wishes, call him the “ special” for sake of brevity; but my apology for mentioning his name, or even knowing of ins existence, was the heading of an articlein the Taranaki Herald to this effect—“ The following is a letter of Mr Croumbie Brown’s in the Lyttelton Times" I think it mentioned “ special correspondent,” but really forget. I do not, however, forget the contents of that epistle. There is an old adage to this effect—“ Persons who reside in fragile doinociles should not propel missiles.” Had the “special” not slung mud about, oblivious as to where it stuck, ho would not have been irritated with a grain of Hawera dust in his eye,. He does not mmd slandering, libelling, ami villifying a whole community ; but when he receives a few home truths, he talks about consulting bis solicitor. Bui in this “ special” game of “ Biulf” I am quite willing to take a band, and “go it on the blind” fifty pounds (cheque at any time) on the proprietor of the Mail ; and no doubt many interested in this game of Bluff would “ go one and one better.”

There is no doubt (he “ special” can “slate” me as well, or better, than I could “ slate” him, were it not that I have truth and justice on my side—two articles that seem very scarce with the “ special,” if wo may judge from his articles on this district, in which ho has neither given the whole truth, or meted out justice to the settlers. It is now in}' intention to give the plain, unvarnished truth, and leave it in the hands of the settlers to judge for themselves who is the one that can write scurrilous letters. The “special” writes that from Hawera to Opunake lie had to carry a revolver, not to protect himself from the natives, but—you all .know why. When he reached Opunake, ho left his revolver belaud, because lie felt perfectly safe in the domains of Te Wh iti. That the nearer he went to Farihaka, the more courteous he found the natives, &c., and hear this. 0 yo Good Templars, not a drop of liquor to he had, &c. “ High faintin’.” Wiiat would any sane man infer from this? I take it that it was safer to travel between Opunake and Farihaka than in the district between Hawera and Opunake, across the sixty' miles of glorious Wannate Plains ? What are the facts ? That the guide told the “special” to. leave. Ida...revolver behind at Opunake, for if the natives happened to see it at Farihaka, they might not use personal violence, but would vsry likely muru their horses, saddles, and bridles, leaving them to walk back to Opunake, and look ple.rsaut. Anyone, accjoalutud with Maori; w, knows whaC their law of nuiru is. I need not explain it. How how does it read ? I take it thnsly. It was perfectly sa'e for tiie “special" to travel where he liked in this district between Hawera and Opunake, with or without a revolver, without meeting any one more’ dangerous - to him than himself; but the nearer lie went to Farihaka, the more unsafe it was, to cany any weapon, lest the natives should get th-ir backs up, and take all they' possessed, and send thorn empty away'. It is too thin fur the “ special” to do the martyu- biz., and say “I came a stranger, and was ‘ taken in’” relative to carrying a revolver, for there is little doubt the unanimous expression of opinion hete is that he came a stranger and “ took ns in”; at least I have heard many speak of the “ special” who are not public house loafers, but occupy better positions than ever the “ special” is likely' to in this world, to this effect. “ I must confess I was taken in" ; and others, “ I was not, I saw through him, didn’t like the look of him, &c." I’m afraid if I compiled a, dictionary of terms made use of by the people of Hawera relative to the “ special,” it would be more than he would like to read.

The ‘‘ special is evidently laboring under a case of a guilty conscience, &o.” He may rest assured that I was perfectly indifferent about his hotel hills. I care not whether he paid for his liquors or not, but jt will remind him of a little conversation that took place between some settlors. He ill remember asking the settlers’ opinion at'out the late “Maori scare,” and being tol d that he could see for himself that “war meant ruin,” and was asked to counteract the feeling down South that we wanted war. He said he knew the feeling, and would set things right. He did it with a vengeance. The “'special” does not think I am able to give .any opinion on native matters. Certainly I can only speak of some fifteen years knowledge of the natives, having worked wvth them for months together ; but I do not profess to be able to give the same amount of ■ information that certain he.aveu-bom genuises can after a few days visit, relative to the manners and customs of the natives, and also of the black sheep that infest a community. When, however, he appeals to the right-thinking portion of the settlers in the district, he may feel quite satisfied that they think rightly of him.

I know there sere many honorable men in the colonies as ‘‘special correspondents, who have as their rilotto — For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good tbtt we can do. ButHawerahas been afflicted with such cpieer specimens of u specials tne last twelve months, that I feel the following advice may not be out of place to point a moral, &c. That all men, whether tramps, special correspondents, or bagmen, who travel" for their bread auo outlet, should

go about with a civil tongue in their heads and civil and truthful pens in their hands and not try to slander communities, for they have no idea when they may gravitate to that community again.—l remain once more One of C.B.’s Dirty Govt. Tools ?