ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 17, 16 December 1863, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

WE DO NOT HOT.I» OUUSEI.VF.S RESPONSIBLE j TOR THK oriNTONS EXPRESSED BY OUB CoBUESI'ONDENT.S. (To the lidilor of the Invercargifl Times.) Sir. — Knowing you to be a lover of justice and fair i>lay, and an advocate for man's legal right 3, let him be ever so humble, induces me to lay before the public, through your widely-circulated journal, a few brief facts concerning the voyage of the brig Grecian, under my command. However painful the subject must be to me, and others connected with me, still lam in duty bound to myself and owners, to meet and repel any attack on tho interest of the one, or reputation of the other. The malignant and slanderous attack on myself which appeared in your con temporary the Southland News, of the 10th inst., stated to be an extract from the Melbourne Herald, is malicious in the extreme, knowing that the vessel has been in port for the last six weeks, and an authentic account of her cruise having been laid before the public l which created no little excitement at the time, llowever, as many of your readers may j not have noticed tlte former publication, if I am not trespassing too far on your valuable columns, they will perhaps, read with interest, this second edition ; more so, as the principnl actor has been so prominently drawn before the public — denounced as a wretch unworthy the appellation of a man— black-balled and blackguarded, hung, drawn, and quartered by the scribbling crew, and condemned without benefit of clergy. This, I am told, Mr ICditor, is leual and right, to publish any and every, thing you hear, attack a mans" private and public reputation. When, I say public, 1 mean that the master of any vessel w hatever, is public property, and from the estimation in which he is held by that body, he invariably dates his rise or fall. What a prospect a man has before him, in a small community, with such a reputation ; but I am digressing. Enclosed I send you a copy of a declaration, signed before the llesidcnt Magistrate here, by several of the seamen who have been in the vessel tho whole of the voyage. I have six others of the crew at Stewart's Island, employed at the mills and other places, who will readily attest as to the legitimacy of the trade in which the vessel has been engaged. 1 also send you a declaration signed by two Maori seamen, who have been in the vessel twenty two months. Now, Sir, we will refer to the log book, commencing at the port of Wellington, N. Z., where the clipper brig Grecian fitted out in a very suspicious manner, i.e. one old musket, and one pound and a-half of powder- Of course .being at peace with the Maories, the authorities took no notice of this armament. On the sth February, 1863, sailed from Wellington, after bring duly cleared at the Customs. On the 10th same month, sighted the Chatham, where we remained until the 28th March; after having obtained about four tons meat, and ten men we sailed from the Island for a cruise. On the 4th April sighted New Zealand. We remained cruising between New Zealand and the French Hock until the 3rd of May, only seeing whales once. On the 4th sighted Cut tis' Island. On the sth (Sunday), saw a small group of Islands about N.E. from New Zealand. On ths 21st sighted Savage Island, named by Cook in his discoveries, but now one of the most peaceful and religious islands in the South Seas. At noon stood in for the Island. MTherson, boatswain, with f evcral others came aft and asked permission to go ashore as their time was expired, and stated that I had promised to land them at New Zealand, and they saw no prospect of that, so they should be landed at the Island ; but the mission would not have them stay, and gave their reasons, that such a lot of unruly whalers would do more harm in one week to Ithe natives than they could recover in seven years. The men returned on board very much dissatisfied at not being allowed to remain ; one described it as a Paradise, another as the garden of the South Seas. The American ship Alabama in com* puny at same time. On the 21st, Turner and four other seamen came aft and said that they would not whale any longer. I told them that I was on my way to an Island, and if they wished it they could go. On the 26th stood in for the Island of TutuUla. Two boats with native crews came off to the ship. The undermentioned seamen asked in a proper and orderly manner if they could be allowed to go on shore, of course I had no alternative but give my consent. The vessel remained three days at the Island. Then made sail to the S.W. On the 30th. sighted Kepple, and 3 1 st. Pooly,B Island. On the 7th June, anchored in Qaneea Qalava (one of the Fijis) and procured water, On the 14th got clear of the island ; Brieu, the cook, deserted the ship. 15th, sighted the Island of Somn Somu. 18th, sighted the Island of Garo ; one hand joined the ship (a native). On the 21st, sighted Tendea. On the 27th, Qound Island, where I had taken some oil the first part of the voyage. On the 3rd July sighted the Island of Kic, the north Island of the Fijis. We cruised thereabouts until 17th without seeing anything in the shape of whales. On the 18th, stood in for an Island called Vatu Lele. I intended to whale for humpbacks. We remained here, sometimes at anchor, according to the weather, until the 29th August, seeing hump* backs every day, but getting none, when we got underweigh and stood out to sea, and sighted the island of llantavio. Picked up a very large canoe. It would appear that the canoe had been capsized, and all hands lost. We could not do any hing with it ; let it go. On the 4th September sighted the islands of Mala, Angaw, M'Batiki, Fijis. On the Bth sighted Mutuku. On the 13th sighted Ono, and sighted it again on the 19th. On the 21st, sighted Turtle Island ; 22nd, sighted and landed on two small uninhabited islands, called Simonoff and Mikaleoff, the southern extremity of the Fijis. On the Ist of October, sighted Norfolk Island ; found a few ships cruising for humpbacks, neither of whom had done anything. On the 12th, sailed again from Norfolk Island ; and on the 22nd, sighted Cascade Point, West Coast, New Zealand, and brought up

in Jackson's Bay, through stress of weather. 23id, got underway, and Btoo.i away to tho" > S.W. On the 26th, brought up in Port William, Stewart's Island; the rest you know. Left ship at Tutuilla: - M'Phers >n, Besisdy, Glover, Turner, Chalton, Johns, Toley, and Whatkins. Yours respectfully, Tuos. J. M'Gkath, Master, Brig Grecian. Bluff, Dec. 12th, 18C3. Declaration referred to above: " We, the undersigned, officers and seamen of the brig Grecian, Thomas J. M'Grath, master, of Ilobart Town, state that we havo served on board the said vessel during the time opposite our respective names; and do hereby affirm that the said vessel has been engaged in whaling the whole of the time we have been in her, except when in port getting supplies. We further state, having heard thu report of John Turner read, who was formerly one of her seamen, that such report is entirely without foundation, and published with a bad and malicious intention; and we also know that it was not the captain's wish to put the men on shore, but Turner and his mates insisted upon it, as their time had expired. " William B.yrtlett, mate, joined ship 24 th February, 18C2. his «' Alexander X Lawsos, joined ship lGth mark December, 1860. " Henry llacan, apprentice, joined ship 16th December, 1800. " Signed and declaredbefoterne, at Campbelltown, Bluff Harbor, this 12th day of December, 1863. " J. Newton Watt, J.P., " Resident Magistrate." "Parewha 12 Fiherna 1863. " Ko mana he kai rnahi i runga i te kaipuke ko Grecian. Erua tekau raarama i noho ai mana i runga i tana kaipuke, Kua rongo mana i nga korero o te Nupepa ka nui te teka. — Kahore mana i kite i nga Kanaka c rapu whera anake te mahi—l raea te rangatira <>te kaipuke ki ona kai mahi—me noho—ka mea nga titngata ekore matore c noho "NaMana his "WilhamX Blood" mark « Signed by Paora and William Blo<> 1, Aborigines of New Zealand, tho same having been read over to them and declared by them to bo correct in every particular, this 12th day of December, 1863, in the presence of «J. Nbwton Watt, J. P., and llesident Magistrate, Bluff, New Zealand. «. — (To the Editor of the Invercargill Times.) Sir, —l take the liberty of asking you (and your contemporary through your columns), if in the exercise of any of your privileges as public journalists, you have become informed as to what the inteu ions of the Government may be with respect to the outlay of the sums voted by tjje. Provincial Council for the purpose of making and maintaining roads through the different districts ot" the Province-; or as to tho conditions of the contract entered into by Mr Da vies with the Provincial Government, for the construction of the Northern Railway, particularly thu time iv which it is to be completed, and thu forfeit stipulated to be paid if the work is not completed in the time; oiCas to the, c£^ditions of the contract for construction of Q'^ Bluff Railway. ... The summer season, during which so much was going to be done, is now nearly half gone, and nothing done as yet; and now the conviction is fast forcing itself on the public mind, that not only the Invercargill streets, but the country roads also, will be, if'-not worse, quite as bad as they were last winter. Look at tha North Road (in the feeble hope that the railway will be-finfched to Winton by the winter), we will say beyond Winton ; how long will it be passable when a little ram sets in ? Take the scandalous and most dan gerous stxte of the approaches to the Aparima Bridge —even now, in the very driest of weather, all but impassable, and not an eiioi t made either to remedy it for the present, otto make it viable for the next winter. Look at the East Road, Mr Editor; remember the state it was in last winter, and then try and believe that no advantage has as yet been taken of the fiae weather to prevent it bein;£ just as bad through the winter approaching. Now, as to the Northern Railway. The express condition on which the Government were allowed t« take the line by the route they wished was, that the line should be completed by the commencement of the winter. The only argument that made it popular,and the Government members and measures popular too, was this —•• The line direct from Invercargill to Wiatoa will be finished by the commencement of winter." The evidence of the "highest scientific authorities procurable in this Province" was adduced in support of this statement, and the same assertion was shouted by the orators at thu monster meeting, and it was for this reason alone that a " majority" of the Council withdrew their opposition and allowed the Bill to pass. Now, Mr Editor, can you tell us, or can you get the Government to tell as. by puLlisliing contracts or otherwise —for I suppose it is the duty of public journalists to insist on the people being thoroughly informed on all such matters —can you tell as, is there anything going to be done for as in the way of roads? Are we to have either roads or railroads—either, neither, or both ? I am convinced there is no subject on which the public more require, or more desire information than ok that of roads. What is going to be done to make them passable through the next wiater? I am. Sir, Your obedient servant, _ Z.