THE BROTHERHOOD.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1915, Page 8

THE BROTHERHOOD.

BRYCE v. RUSDEN. The usual weekly meeting of the Xew Plymouth Brotherhood was hold at the Good Templar Hall yesterday afternoon, Mr. A. Amllmry presiding over a good attendance. The address, entitled Brycc v. Rusden, was given by Mr. Rockell, M.A., and it included many reminiscences of the Maori wars. In opening, the speaker outlined the commencement of the troubles with the Maoris in Taranaki and the part taken therein by Lieutenant Brycc. The partieu'ar instance to which he referred was the skirmish between the Kai Iwi cavalry aud a party of natives at Handley's woolshed, near the Maori stronghold of Tauranga Eka, about thirty miles north of Wanganui, where Lieutenant lSryeo distinguished himself. Later John Bryce became Native 'Minister and was partiv responsible for the destruction of that other wellknown Maori stronghold—Parihaka. The Government of that time was often accused, by tlipse who did not iknow or realise the circumstances, of treating the natives badly, hut he 'maintained thev adopted the only possible attitude and the right one. IW. «.usden. of the Victorian Ministry, visited Xew Zealand, and in common with some others, thought that a three weeks' trip through the country qualified him to write its history. On information received from the Governor at that time, and from Bishop Hatfield, he proceeded to write a "correct'' history of the country, in which lie accused Brycc of all sorts of infamy in bis dealings with the Maoris, including a statement that the Maoris attacked at Handley's woolshed were composed entirely of women and children, and that Lieutenant Bryce and Sergeant Maxwell took pleasure in ruthlessly slaughtering them. Subsequently Bryce prosecuted Rusden. Evidence was first taken in New Zealand 'ky a commission, the. trial taking place in the Old Country at a later date. At the trial the evidence proved conclusively that Rnsden's statements were illcorrect, no less than 3(1 witnesses giving evidence that, (lie Maoris at Handley's woolshed were chiefly rfien. Bryce gave his evidence in a remarkably clear manner, but Rusden broke down completely. The jury returned a, verdict for Bryce and awarded him CSOOO damages. The defendants appealed against the larg'e amount of the damages, but the appeal was not allowed. Mr. Bryce then offered to claim, only the amount of his expenses, £2531. In' conclusion the speaker declared that in his opinion the verdict fully justified the conduct of the Xew Zealand Government towards the ! natives.