HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 378, 5 January 1899, Page 4

HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.

TO THE HDITOK. Sin,— Tlie readers of your journal have lately been treated to a series of articles entitled " History of Cambridge," by Mr Win. Rout. The writer professes to chronicle events which took place during the past thirty-five years. He has only been an inhabitant of the district for little more than two years. With the first part of his supposititious history relating to the Maori nomenclature I do not presume to judge, as that part of his information has evidently been received from some Maori scholar. I take it, therefore, for granted that that portion of his history is correct. But when he presumes to enlighten old hands on events which occurred from 1863 up to the year 1873. and pretends to have obtained his information from persons who took a pro. minent part in those stiiring and exciting times, it is high time for some one more familiar with the early history of Cambridge to take up the narrative. Bungled and garbled distortions of socalled history may suit the voracious palate of Mr H. Roche, but the public of Cambridge are more fastidious in their taste, and more discriminating in the history of their settlement. Permit me, therefore, Mr Editor as an old member of the 3rd Waikato Regiment, and one who has borne the heat and burdens of those stirring times, to point out a few, at least, of the many faults of Mr Rout's history. In conning over his narrative the following statement is given: "As an inst-mce .of the courage of these men, some i!00 of this 3rd Waikato militia volunteered in 1863 for service under General Cameron during the Taranaki war." As a matter of fact, not a single man of the 3rd Waikato Militia ever volunteered for the Taranaki, for the very simple reason that they were not called upon to do so. I can only conclude that the compiler of the history has in some way confused Taranaki with the Tauranga campaign. Even then he has magnified the number of men called for nearly seven times. Ihe Queen's Redoubt was, prior to the Maori outbreak at Tauranga, the headquarters of all the Imperial troops, as well as of the militia regiments. But only portions of fach regiment were stationed there. The Ist and 3rd Waikato Regiments were the only two stationed there in conjunction with the Imperial troops. When the Ist received marching orders for the scene of action at Tauranga some 30 or 40 of their men were left sick in the Hospital at the Queen's Redoubt, and it was in order to make up the full" strength of the two companies of the Ist for Tauranga that volunteers were called for from the 3rd. A sergeant, two corporals and 30 rank and file was the required number, all of whom volunteered from No. 8 Company, the writer of this letter being one of the number. Where then did the 200 come from ? Equally incorrect is the account of the settlement and occupation of the land in Cambridge, wherein he asserts that "In 1864 active hostilities broke out between the Maoris and the pakehas." The truth is that hostilities had broken out early in the year 1863, and the land was confiscated as far as Rangiriri early in November of the same year. In the following month of December Ngaruawawahia wa,s taken and occupied by the Imperial troops. Mr Rout makes the attack on Mr James Laney to have taken place in 1866, whereas it really took place in the same year as the murder of Sullivan, but two months prior to that event. Whatever reliance can be placed upon the History of Cambridge from the year 1873 to 1886, the year of my return to Cambridge, I leave those to determine whose knowledge of facts enable them to do so. The History of Cambridge, if properly written, would be both interesting, amusing and instructive, and would clearly show the fallacy of depending upon the faith of Governments to carry out contracts entered into hetween them and their credulous dupes.—l am, etc., Junius Hibernicos Cambridge. _