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Tauranga Argus and Opotiki Reporter, Volume 1, Issue 3, 8 December 1866, Page 3

H. J.

G.

To the Editor of the Tauranga Argus. Sir, — It is with extreme regret that I ask thelavor of an insertion of this letter in your next issue, but as you have pieclaimed yourself the champion for the redress of abusev private, politieal, or social, I have less reluctance in asking sueh a favor. Now that through the medium of your paper a way has been opened up for the solution of all diffieulties of a social nature, my request (after the manner of'Mr. Tite Barnacle' who sostrongly abjected lo the 'man " who wanted to know, you know,") is that you will aseertain what has become of the fund collected for the Monument to the memory of that illfated, yet courageous ofScers Lieutenants Percival, Norman, and men of the lst Waikato Regiment, who„ in the early dawn of a new qareer fell with glory at the battle of the Maukau. Repeatedly has this inquirv been made from all portions of the island where,lay any of the lst Waikato Regiment, and as repeatedly... has the question been shelved, or the right of enquiry been ignored altogether. I take upon myself as belonging to the lst Waikato Regiment, ;now stationed in Te Papa, to charge jroii with the. serious responsibiiity of'endeavoring to clear up this inystery. When nearly 1100 strong the Regiment was asked to subscribe to a testimonial to the memory ot poor Percival, and I believe to a man a day's pay was, sacrificed. Yes. sir, I repeat sacrificed, for with the exceptlon of a small

paling fence, nothing exists. tqshtmr the sptrf whei-e lie the mortal remains of that gallant soldier, and our pay for such an object whither has it dfown ? A dim vis'ta of ehampaigne suppcrs, together with broil.ed .bones at four in the morning arises to a suggestive mind together with wild carouses and unseemly' noise making night hideous. This, 1 fear Mr. Editor, in some sort uecounts for the- testimonial to the' memory of those brave men being so long neglected. Visit our churchyard "and say that the pqorest soldier together with their officeW have been forgotten, the stuff their friends . were made of was not the time-servihg policv of a moment; or the sensual gratification of a passing hour. I am a poor man sir, and would like my half-crown back, — I am, &c.,

Te Papa, December 5, 18 &6.