TO THE EDITOR.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 116, 24 December 1873, Page 2

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —Permit me to make a few remarks with reference to John Breingan’s prosecution,or rather persecution, of poor Duncan Fraser. Breingan has at last effected his object—he has succeeded in lodging Fraser within the walls of a gaol—he has drawn him away, for a time at least, from the “ coveted land.” We shall see what will be the next step of Breingan and his “Hau Hau” allies, for Wi Mahuika and any other natives who may be supporting him, are quondam Chatham Islanders, while on the other hand Duncan Fraser is in possession of the land,, as the tenant of the loyal chiefs of Te Ai tanga a Mahaki tribe. Fraser has now been considerably over a year in possession of the ground in dispute. Breingan never has had possession, except by the elastic stretch of his own most fertile imagination. Fraser alone is the only man who ever has positively occupied and possessed the ground. Still there were others who coveted the rich flat of “ Te Kootu,” and to whom Fraser was an eyesore. We can all remember how another party who shall be nameless, placed a man there

with instructions to keep driving about Fraser’s sheep, and to annoy him as much as possible, and that this process was kept up for many months, poor patient Fraser simply remonstrating, and gathering his sheep together again, as they were scattered and driven about; Fraser’s patience in the end gained the victory, and the party referred to retired from the field. After this, Breingan, who rents a sheep run, on the southern side of the Waikohu river, and immediatly abreast of Fraser’s run, looked across and saw that “ the land was fair.” Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard, and resolved to possess it too. So he induced his Hau Hau/riesd Wi Mahuika, who by the way had previously signed Fraser’s agreement, to sign a document leasing to him, and on the strength of that paper, he marohM off at the head m a party of “Han Haus” to turn off the sheep of the man in possession. Human nature was at length overtaxed; the last straw had broken the camel’s back, and the result was as it turned out. Fraser’s mild, gentle temper underwent a sudden transformation, and in defence of his property he took the only means he could adopt to repel the invader of his rights ; one man alone, he saw he could not contend againt six, and he suddenly resolved to do something that would frighten them into letting go their prey, and in this he was successful. The act may not have been lawful, but who will say it waa unjustifiable. Yet prisoner though he be I would rather stand in Fraser’s shoes today than in BreingEn’s; what tho’the body is captive, if the mind is free. Fraser’s conscience is as clear as ever, but ia I say No. He is a «w» of broke* faith, forsworn (though in no Court of Law) I aay so deliberately, and I challenge him to rebut the accusation. I tell him, and he

knows it, that he pledged me his sacred word of honor to go to Napier, and at the trial, to put the whole matter m such a light as would go to prove that Fraser was justified in the act he committed. Has he redeemed his pledge ? No. Urged on by the most deadly malice, he even went so far, as to employ counsel, at his own expense, so that he might insure himself the pleasure of gloating over the misfortune of the man he sought to ruin. I now leave Mr. John Breingan to the stings of his own conscience. Let that mentor whisper to him whether he has done well or no.—l am, 4c., J. WYLLJX.

TO TUB EDITOB. Sib,—You see from the advertisement of our Bazaar, that the funds are to go towards building a Church. It was first proposed to devote them to a Manse, but as a Church was a more pressing and public want, it was decided to devote them to that object. We have received help from home, Auckland, Wellington, and Napier. In consequence of this outside help, and the very hearty and generous assistance of the Poverty Bay settlers, whom I shall take an opportunity of publicly thanking, we have nearly £250 worth of goods for our Bazaar. All these have been marked at low prices to ensure a ready sale. If, therefore, the inhabitants of the Bay come forward and buv as readily as we anticipate they will then (D.V.) we shall have a Church in Gisborne in a very few months, because we intend building at once, if the goods meet with a ready sale. So that the people of the Bay have this matter entirely in their own hands. If they will only come and clear out our stock, we promise them a Church, in as short, a time after the Bazaar, as it is possible to build one. As the clergyman of the Bay I am of course very anxious for the Bazaar to succeed. But there is another reason which makes me anxious for its success. I have observed with great indignation, that whenever Poverty Bay is mentioned by the Southern papers, they speak as if it were only a half civilised place. Now I should like to shew them that we are as far advanced as any other place of the same size in New Zealand, and the fact of our raising a good sum by our Bazaar will go far to show this, added to which, this is the first Bazaar in the Bay and the people at Auckland and other places are waiting to see the result. I>et us prove to them that we are not backward in our religious institutions, but ready to help every good work. Our friends outside have helped us liberally, let us prove we are worthy of their help by helping ourselves. I trust then that all the inhabitants will do everything that in them lie to make the first Bazaar in Poverty Bay a complete success, and their past generosity leads me to believe they will.—l am, Ac., W. Hevingham Boot. Gisborne, Dec. 19,1873.