MRS COLCLOUGH'S DEFENCE.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1847, 2 September 1874, Page 3

MRS COLCLOUGH'S DEFENCE.

To tho Editor of the Thames Advertiser. Sir,—My letter to yourself, published on the morning of the 31st ultimo, was intended to be a private letter, and though I fully believe it3,publication was kindly meant, I am very sorry it appeared. As it was published, permit me to add, for public information, a few facts. Whether I did right or wrong in failing on heavy pressure I will not argue. . It may have been a false step, but I was urged to it by fear. It is past and cannot be recalled. I preferred, and would still prefer, to leave the colony rather than try to make arrangements to pay through the Court of Bankruptcy, my objection being that such arrangement would be a terrible and expensive yoke, but I had every wish to pay, and one of my creditors, Mr K, T. Herbert, of Grahamatown, took round, at my request, to all my creditors a paper, by which, if they would bind themselves to support me in my position. I would bind myself to place my salary in the hands/of my friend, Mr Kenshaw, and after drawing a monthly sum for our support, authorise him to distribute the remainder amongst my Thames creditors until they were paid up 20s in the pound. Such an arrangement would keep me in straightened circumstances for years, but by the advice of my minister and other friends, I made it. Two or three wanted

their money, and signed, but the majority would not sign. The offer was. made be* fore I had received one farthing of salary, after my trouble. I forbear from comment; I take no notice of anonymous

stabs, but I state plain facts-that must be known to the Kauaeranga Committee. Whether they have faithfully done their duty in depriving the public for an indefinite period of the services of a qualified head teacher for the girls' school, is for the publio to judge. Allow me to thank that portion of the public at any rate who have sent their children to the Kauaeranga Girls' School for the warm-hearted tenderness, countenance, and support I have received from them through all my troul)les. f Between myself, my assistant teachers, and my pupils, there has been a warm friendship which will be the only tie hard to break in leaving the Thames. . For all their Bakes I hope the certificated " female" for Kaueraiiga may not be long in finding, and suitable when found. X presume she will require to belong to the genus homo, though the fact is not stated. In conclusion, allow me to assure you I .am sorry to have to ask you to insert thi>-, but feel it necessary to do so, and. trust to the unvarying courtesy I have received from the press that you will not refuse my request. Mae? A. Colclotoh.

A ROMANCE OJ? THE SEA.

One of the most extraordinary instances of a sudden change in social position has' just occurred to a young seaman on board; the whaleship' Asia,' and who was brought up at the lUice Court recently on a charge of desertion from that vessel. The, alteration in the circumstances of the youth, who has been following the sea for: the last five years, is of the most extreme character. On one day a blubber hunter and the next a baronet, witii £20,000 at his command,"and large estates in lingland and Wales for his patrimony, Mr liaw- ' thorne, the shipping master, received aa ; announcement from England to the effect

that Theophilus Davis, who was supposed to be on a whali'ngcruise out of" the port! of Hobart Town, was entitled to a large, fortune. An order for £100 for present expenses, accompanied the information, and when the ship came into the river, the youth was apprised of his good fortune. Without auother thought of the delightful associations aud responsibility of a 1 foremast hand, he hailed a Chinaman's boat that was passing, jumped idto if, and proc3ecled to the boarding-house of Mr Hanlin, who went with him to Mr Ua.vthorne, who advanced him £10 for a. respectable rig-out, which was obtained' before proceeding. to the residence of, Captain Uayley. Un arriving at the; house of: the skipper, whom the young, man expected to surprise, he wa3, instead 1 of being congratulated on his good for-' tune, given into the hands of a constable, and consigned to durance almost as vile as that of a whaler's forecastle, for the night. Next morning he was brought before Mr Tarleton, P. VI., and in spite of the efforts ■ of Mr Grates, who was retained for the deserter, and in opposition# the suggestion of the Bench that the charge be; withdrawn, the prosecutor insisted on th'e ; case proceeding. It tailed tor want of legal eviience. We have been courteously put iu possession of the facts of the case, but refrain from nmiioniug the name of the baronet, who was uncle to the youth : who now succeeds him in title and estate. We, however, may say that he was the 1 head of an ancient Welsh family, aud owned estates upon which there are valuable slate quarries. Two sisters, whom the present baronet left at home when he , started on his cruise, are also well provided for by a legacy of £20,000 each. As the subject of the present remarks, stood before his accusers, and made the necessary replies to the questions put to him, it was evident from his appearance and manner that he, at some time, had had different experiences to his recent ones iu the whaler.—Kobart Town Tribune.