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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 1026, 13 May 1869, Page 2

DELIBERATE MISREPRESENTATION. It is very unwillingly that we notice certain remarks of the Wanganui Times, in its issue of Tuesday, but the course taken by that paper in describing in blackened colours a transaction which, so far as authentic information goes, never had any existence save in the disturbed imagination of its narrator, renders it a duty to do so. We have sufficient reliance in the good sense of the settlers not to fear that the calumnies cast upon the colony in its prosecution of the war will be treated here with other than the contempt they have already brought upon that journal. The in-

fluence of our contemporary in this district (and we feel some sorrow in saying it) is now absolutely nil, and he knows it, but like the Parthian he shoots his poisoned arrows in flight ; and after the lapse of months he proceeds to rake up and dress in a sensational manner for the English Mail a tale of barbarity, alleged to have been incited by the colonial authorities. Tn industriously disseminating a paper such as his at a distance where its real character is unknown, he confidently expects that his monstrous inventions will be talked of, if it were only for the startling nature of their details, and he reckons on the credulity of a class of philanthropists ever on the alert for anything to damage the fair fame and prospects of the colony. It is but a poor bird that fouls its own nest, but perhaps rendered cynical by disappointment, our contemporary is ready to earn a little notoriety in the annals of Aboriginal Protection Societies.

In the Wanganui Times of Tuesday—the Summary number —occurs the following passage among others of a like character : It appears that whilst Kemp and his men were out scouring the bush in the neighbourhood of Manugota, they observed and followed up some of the enemy, fired a volley into them, killing two men and one woman; a third man who had climbed up into a tree was shot through the shoulder, the ball going through; he fell, was seized, and whilst living dragged to a log upon which his neck was laid; the longhair which hung over it was shaved off with a sharp tomahawk, and then his head was cut off, as were also the heads of the other two men. The "bodies were tiien tied up by the heels to a tree, but purposely so close to the ground that the dogs might eat of them, commencing at the bloody necks. One of the heads, that we believe of Teturupa Tepene Tematangi, had the eyes scooped out, and was then stuck upon a pole when the captors danced around it demanding information as to the whereabouts of Titolco Waru. The three heads were then taken to Colonel Whitmore’s tent, and thrown down there to substantiate the claim for head money.

This is a horrible story, but we have no hesitation in saying it is the result of some horrid nightmare. There is not a word of truth in the details given. Why was the story kept so long treasured as a bon bouche for our cousins at home ? The affair is far past—nobody ever heard of it—and now all at once these horrors come upon the public like a thunder-clap—a charge not so much against the Wanganui natives, for whom there i 3 no need to be specially squeamish, as against the conduct of the war as pursued by the colonists. If there is any truth in the writer’s statements, let him prove them. It is well, —and we will take every means of making it effective,—that a direct contradiction will go home by the very mail carrying the story, which it was no doubt hoped would be used to the prejudice of New Zealand. The whole drift of the article is of a character which has happily been extremely rare in the colony :—The foul atrocities of our cannibal enemy are qiyetly glozed over, and it is sought to show that the war has been savagely maintained by us against him. All know, with sorrow, how much it has been the contrary.

The following letter has been forwarded for publication to the London Times, the Edinburgh Scotsman, and the Lublin Freeman :

Sir, —The colonists of New Zealand have now ceased to expect material aid from Great Britain in carrying on war with the savage tribes of the country. They can only bow to this decision of the Home authorities. It is, however, let me say, a virtual abnegation of governmental control in the colony. And the vinculumhas been cut not by us but by the British Ministry. The Governor here, as thus reduced to a mere puppet, may now or at anytime be dispensed with at our pleasure. Let statesmen at home see to it. The colonists, few in number and widely scattei’ed along the sea-board of the North Island, with nearly the whole of the interior in the occupancy of turbulent and lawless tribes, are ill prepared tor such a war, but being forced into it, —the quarrel was neither of their making nor seeking, the affair must be prosecuted to its bitter end.

One thing I would therefore seek to impress upon our friends and critics at home. This, namely, that having the war to carry on, we shall be allowed to do so in our own way —in the way most likely to lead to a speedy and permanent peace. War cannot be made a May-game, and there are wide differences of opinion amongst colonists regarding the best mode of prosecuting hostilities, but 1 speak with unwonted confidence when I say that there is no difference of opinion whatever in their determination not to do. a single act calculated to bring reproach upon the race from which they have sprung. All our faults have leant and continue to lean to mercy’s side. We have no wish to shun fair and open criticism—quite otherwise : but the colonists having long been subjected to misrepresentation, I respectfully submit that in future criticism should be abstained from by those who are ignorant of all the conditions under which such a war must be waged. The simplest justice demands this. It would be affectation to deny that these misrepresentations have not, on many occasions, given much pain ; it is hard to be misjudged by a community whose good opinion you value ; but that had to be borne. Latterly calumny hasjbeen all but dumb in the face of our great sufferings, and we trust it will not be repeated. Another remark I wish to make. There are ill-conditioned silly persons everywhere. This colony, as a matter of course, has its share of them. They are fretted, it may be, by some supposed slight, their partisanship perhaps is stronger than their judgment, or they would sacrifice the fair fame of their countrymen to the hope of creating a sensation —they belong to the class indicated in the Chinese proverb, who wrnuld burn their house to roast their eggs. One or other of these persons may occasionally send home absurd and malicious calumnies of their countrymen ; a Wanganui journal furnishes an instance this month ; the case will be rare, hut it may occur. Let ail such stories be treated as they deserve. They will turn out, on examination, to be either weak or wicked inventions. The colonists of New Zealand, coming from the homes and traditions of the old country, are not likely to act differently from what their friends across the sea would do. A change of country has not changed either their natures or habits of thought.—l am, &c.

Two prize-fighters recently fought 16 rounds in a saloon at Bryan, Nebraska. Music preceeded and followed the fight, at the close of which there was a dance. The ladies of the corps de ballet attached to the saloon occupied seats on the music stand during the fight, and enjoyed the entertainment exceedingly. Civilisation advances.

COLONIAL FORCES COURTS MARTIAL A.CT, 1868. The Wellington Evening Post gives the following resume of the above act, under which the people of Wanganui have the privilege of just now living : —The act is a very strangent one ; it provides that all things contained in any act of the Imperial Parliament then in force in New Zealand for punishing mutiny and desertion, and other military offences, shall apply, and the powers be enforced by such officers and men of the Colonial service as shall be empowered by the Government for that purpose. It also enacts that the Governor may authorize officers to hold Courts Martial for the trial of offences, provided they be field officers, in the militia and volunteers, or commandants in the Armed Constabulary (except in detached situations, when a captain of militia or volunteers, or an inspector of the Armed Constabulary, may convene Courts Martial); every officer so authorized having the power to confirm what sentence the Court may see fit to inflict. The act states that these provisions shall only apply to men on actual service, but that of course matters nothing ; six lines in a Gazette can put every man under sixty years of age on service, footing in an hour, and sny district virtually under martial law. Courts Martial presided over by millitary or naval officer of standing, high character and experience, are famed as being just and impartial tribunals, but we shudder to think of the results of placing unlimited and irresponsible power in the hands of many of such, men as command our colonial forces.