ME. MOORHOUSE'S EFFIGY.

West Coast Times, Issue 636, 8 October 1867, Page 3

ME. MOORHOUSE'S EFFIGY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE WEST COAST TIKES. Sic— l confess that I perused the article in the " Despatch" of to-day, despriptire" of the burning in effigy of the Superintendent of the? Province with feelings of considerable fcnnoyfcfice, caused more particularly by the sentence'— -" The League lias triumphed, the effigy has oecti burnt" — lest ilia general public, far or near, should, by implication, identify the cause of the "Westland Separation League" with such a senseless exhibition. Howsoever Mr Moorhotise may have shown his utter incapacity for superintending' the .Province generally, and the District of Wesilditd { in particular, howeyer he may have failed Jri his promises for the,. performance of acts, some of which, at Sic lime lie .niade them, he must have known could not, or wouM not be carried out, and. howevel' particularly treacherous his expiring throe may have been in attempting to inflict on Westland what you justly designate a * foul wrong,' by saddling ori hei' an unjust, because in- ' equitable, proportion of the whole debt of the Province,'- yet,, as a membra.' of the ' Separation League,' I should deplore that other colonists had grounds for concluding that the League, as a body ,which has succeeded in effecting so vast a benefit for Westland, had either directly or indirectly sanctioned such a wild proceeding, at resorted to such a method for exhibiting their indignation. Sp4aking as a citizen, and not as an officer ef the Leagup, and in entire ignorance of the sentiments' of of its members, I desire to place oi." re-, cord in your columns my condemnation of such an act, which I can only think more worthy of the members of a " corroboree,"- than of civilised beings. In fact, your very pungent description of the scene, was Me a painting .of wild savages dancing round and exulting over their victim — rather than of Hokitika, New Zealand, period, a.d. 1867. The real cause wants' none of this, the Petition has spoken for, and denionstrated itself— Mr Moorhouse's acts, and those of his Executives, are indelibly engraven on the annals of the Province, and stand inneed of no other record. I am, &c, S. M. South. Hokitika", OctoWs> „ [Mr. South appears to us bo he very unnecessarily indignant. It was not the League that burnt Mr Moorhouse in effigy. It was the' £'soy>le who took that means of marking their reprobation of the strong enmity" of Mr Moorhouse towards .this district, which had at length disclosed itself. After all, the demonstration yas a very orderly one, and it must be Within. Mr Souths recollection that many similar manifestations of popular disfavor ; have been 1 jnade in the old country , .withotit greatly _ stocking the public ju'erves, or endangering, the foundation of the' Constitution.— Ed. W. C. T.] TO THE EDITOS 01? THE WEST COAST XIME3. Sib — I am certain that nine-tenths of the entire population of Westland heartily endorse the opinions expressed in your journal concerning the ceremony of Friday night, in wluch so many of Westland's friends took part. I allude, of course, to the hanging and burning of Mr Moorhouse in effigy. It is with regret, however, I learn that we have some persons amongst us who have expressed disgust at the demonstration made — persons they must be with strong Christchurch proclivities, who arc inclined to clamor for Moorhouse as loudly as ever, although he has done bis best to utterly ruin our young community, and justify the inscription that was fixed upon his breast — Arch Traitor to Westland. It is currently reported that the Goldfields Secretary has on several public occasions stated that had lie known of the intending effigy-burning, he would have called out the entire force of the poliecf to put a stop to the proceedings. I think, however, there was every opportunity for the officials to know what was going on, as the band, playing the Rogues March, perambulated the streets, and made a point of stopping in front of Government House to attract to their proceedings. I think it was very wise of Mr Bonar not to interfere. These demonstrations are not unusual in England. They are better than riot and broken windows and 'broken heads. If there had been any police interference, there is hardly room, to doubt that the people would have assisted, with scarcely an exception, in consigning the Member for Westland to the fate he merits. Let what took place on Friday night be taken as proof that Westland docs not intend to be ridden over rough-shod by those whom she has lifted into the saddle. I am, Sir, Anti-Chbistchtjech.