WELLINGTON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 473, 4 March 1869, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(FROM OTjE OWN COBRESPONDENT.) February 22. Since my last letter to you we have received in Wellington plenty of terrible news. On the 14th instant the ship St Vincent, 834 tons burthen, belonging to Messrs Potter, Wilson & Co., of Glasgow, which recently arrived from Cardiff with coals for the P.N.Z. and A.R.M Co., was wrecked withina few miles of here on her way to Lyttelton to load with wool, and seventeen or eighteen persons perished. She had only left the harbour on the day previous in ballast, and it was remarked by every body that she was too light. And so it turned out. Had there been 100 or 150 tons more ballast in her there is little doubt that she would have weathered the storm in which she was lost. On the Sunday at noon she was four miles off Cape Campbell, when it came on to blow heavily from the S. E., the gale increasing so fast that sail had to be reduced down to two lower topsails and fore-top-mast staysail, and, being unable to make any headway under such small canvas, she in ten hours drifted so far to leeward that breakers were seen ahead. An attempt, however, was made to anchor, but the chains parted, and at ten o'clock she struck aft, about two miles on the S.E. side of the Muka-muka rocks. In a very few minutes she was a total wreck, and soon nothing remained of her but a few shattered timbers strewn along the coast. To the want of ballast the loss of this ship and so many lives are attributable, but had the captain not been a complete stranger to the coast, the lives at least might have been saved, for the sea rolls straight up the bay to the head of it, where there is a good shingle beach, and the wind was blowing direct on to this beach. If, when he saw the breakers, instead of trying to anchor, or to get the ship out of her perilous position, which, owing to her being so light, the current into the bay rendered simply impossible, he had run her straight for the beach, she would have been thrown high up, and every person on board might have been saved. But it is useless now speculating, Whatever the reason, and let the blame have been what it may, he has paid a fearful penalty for doing his best to rescue the ship and those in her from destruction. The passenger, E. B. M'Kay, I knew well, poor fellow. He had recently come out from England in the Melita for the benefit of his health. When he left England he was so ill that no one expected he would ever land here. But the sea air and the change worked wonders, and, after spending a few weeks here, he decided to return home. The day before the St. Viucent left, he wrote a letter to his wife, saying how much better he had become, and that he was about to start home. He tossed up with me whether he should go in the St. Vincent, and thus be able to see Canterbury, or whether he should wait and go in the Wild Duck. How little we either of us thought he was tossing up for his life. I am very sorry for him. During his stay here he made many friends by his quiet, pleasant, gentlemanly conduct and manner, and now, poor fellow, he lies in his rough grave on the sea shore, the waves constantly murmuring over him Eesurgam. With regard to this fearful catastrophe, everything has been done here that humanity and kindness could suggest. When the mate, John Stringer, (who, with the sailmaker, a Swede, is the only survivor) arrived here, boats started off for the scene of the disaster, and the shore was searched for any that might be still alive. All that was found, however, were the bodies of the captain, the passenger, and six or seven sailors. An inquest was held by Dr Willfred, and they were buried as decently as the rugged nature of the place would permit. An enquiry into the cause of the wreck will be held to-morrow, but no fresh facts can be elicited. A subscription for the benefit of the families of those lost has been opened, and already nearly one hundred pounds has been subscribed. His Excellency Sir George F. Bowen has just returned from the Wairarapa district, where he has been visiting the last few days. It is not a little amusing to read the various accounts which have come down as to the reception he met with. Races, balls,

dinners, addresses, and all such things were got up for him, and from one quarter we learn that he was received with the utmost indifference, while another informs us that the wildest enthusiasm prevailed. lam inclined, from what can be made out from people who were present, to believe that the medium was the fact. Among the passengers by the p.s. Sturt for Wangauui on Saturday was the Hou. Coi. Haul tain. There has been a rumour here lately, and it has been industriously circulated abroad, that Col. Whitmore and the Premier have had a " fall out." This I believe to be totally incorrect. It is founded on a friendly private letter from the Colonel to Mr Stafford (so says the Advertiser this morning,) saying that if there were anyone to be found who could conduct the campaign better than he was doing, that man had better be appointed in his place, and he would not feel affronted. He only wished for the sake of the Colony that the troubles with the natives were over.

Mr [J. E. Fitz-Gerald delivered, on Tuesday evening last, a lecture here on the Public Revenues of Great Brittain. The lecture was one of a series of " popular " ones, but on this ocasion a most unpopular subject, or, at least one that few people wonld take any interest in, was chosen. The result was that very few atteuded at the hall. I was sorry for this, because the well-known talents of the lecturer should have secured him a better attendance. I remember once hearing this gentleman deliver a lecture or address on " Oratory " in Christchurch, which was the finest illustration of the subject I ever heard. I would go sone distance to hear it over again. A return cricket match was played on Saturday, between eleven of Wellington and eleven of H.M.S. Challenger's officers and men. It was a capital match, evenly contested, and won after a hard fight by Wellington, whose score was the largest by 11. Of course innumerable puns have been made about it. Cricket matches are mostly won by elevens. February 26. You have received by telegraph the first account of the massacre at White Cliffs, and, probably, by this time know as much of this fearful affair as we in Wellington do. Again have the Maoris shed the blood of our countrymen, not in warfare, but, while professing friendship, shaking hands, and actually while being invited to partake of hospitality. Another instance has been given to prove the uselessness of all attempts to eradicate the savage instinct and tastes from out the race as a whole; and another step has been taken towards what inust, I believe, eventually occur, namely, a war of extermination. The London Times almost sneers at us for permitting these murders to pass without fearful reprisals being taken for them, and tells us that as long as they can be committed with impunity, we must expect them. The Some News says that if the two races cannot live together, it is not the European that must pass away. Does not this show us plainly what isthoughtofus athome,andwhen, at the same time, we learn that Imperial soldiers will not be sent us, and that we have arms and numbers enough to stop all this, is not the course we are expected to take pretty clearly indicated ? Lieut. Gascoigne, his wife, his three little ones, the Rev. Mr Whitely, and two settlers, Richards and Milner, have been tomahawked in cold blood. The natives (about 140) landed on the coast at the Cliffs, and a few went up towards the house. They met Richards and Milner, and on pretence of having some pigs which they wanted to sell, enticed them down, one by one, to the beach, and murdered them. They then went to G-ascoigns's and met him in a field with his wife and children. Gascoigne (who had his youngest child in his arms) advanced toward them, and they, clustering round him, shook hands, and appeared delighted to see him. They then commenced the story of the pigs, and he invited them into the house, giving the child in his arms to his wife, and as he raised his hand to open the door, one of the wretches buried a tomahawk in the back of of his head. Having now disposed of the men, of course it was short work to tomahawk the mother and her infants. Fortunately, of this scene just the plainest facts only are told us. Enough of horror and brutality is suggested for the imagination to picture a scene fitter for the regions below than those of earth, and yet we seem to allow these to be enacted almost without a single stroke of vengeance being struck. The murder, the next morning, of the aged Wesleyan missionary who had laboured for more than a quarter of a century among these savages, was mercifully performed in comparison to that of this family. He was riding up to the house on Sunday morning when he was met by the Maoris, who warned him to go away. He does not seem to have thought them in earnest, and continued to advance towards them when they fired a volley at him, and he fell pierced by seven bullets. For each one of these poor victims, at least ten or twenty Natives should be shot down, and this carried on for a very short time would teach the savages through the only instinct they understand, fear, that they must leave our countrymen alone. If the authorities cannot do this the settlers should hand together and shoot down every Maori they see in their district, warning so-cafled " Friendlies " to keep out of the way and thus save themselves. These rebels should be looked upon simply as so many vermin

to be exterminated by anyone coming across thorn, whether belonging to the Colonial forces or merely settlers. What has been done to bring vengeance —fearful vengeance it should have been —home to Te Kooti and his band ? So little that I fear we are disgraced by it _______