CORRESPONDENCE.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 286, 12 March 1874, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not necessarily endorse tiit* opinions expressed by om oo* respondents.] .

(To the EJitor of the Waikato Timks). Sic, — About five yeara since, at tlio instance of the Stafford Ministry, Sir George Howen roooininonded to Her Majraty'a Government tho institution of an order of valour, the New Zealand Silver Cross, to bo given to those officers and men of tbo Colonial forcei who had dif»H««>» -i-r* <.u«uiniTo. a^:- e *i«» „,. vj Heroic actions in the field b9 f o-o '. ie enemy. Far this high honor many were reoommauded ; but except to those who had the good fortuna to aarve under the command of Colonel Wuitnioro, tho decoration was not given, morjover, the receipt of the recommendations were not even acknowledged. Two years ago, aeveral letters bear* ing on the subject, appeared in the N. Z. Herald, calling public attention to the injustice done, and suggesting that a competent board of officers who had personally served in New Zealand should be appointed to enquire into, and report upon the claims. The abore suggestions ware strongly endorsed by the Editor of that journal, who, being a member of Parliament, and in opposition at the time, obtained from the Defence Minister a promise that the matter should be attended to. Accordingly a board was nominated by Mr McLean, not of oflicers of the Regular or Colonial forces who had seen service in New Zealand, but in the majority, composed of men who had never heard a shot llred in the colony, and had served in India amongst & miserable set of herring-stomached Asiatics, who are rather different I think from the men composing the New Zealand Army, whether European or Maori. The conclusion arrived tt by these Southern gentlemen was to the effect, that none of the cases brought before them were sufficiently "exceptional " in their character as to be deserving of any other comment than that of their having done what duty, compelled thorn to do. In giving expression to this extraordinary, but not unlooked for opinion (knowing whose noinineos they were), the board gave a decision diametrically opposed to that of Sir Duncan Cameron, K.C. E. tho brare and distinguished General Officer, who, if he had been unfettered by the interference of Sir George Grey and the self-reliant maniacs composing his Ministry would have been more aucceisf ul than he was allowed to be. This officer specially recommends to the Governor the giving of the Cross " for distinguished bravery 111 ihe field," when under his immediate command to Lieut.-Col. Macdonnell. This recommendation, although coming from, so high a military authority, and one that H.M. Ministers and Commander-in-chief would have carried out, fell to the ground, and Colonel Macdonuell has not received thj Cross, I believe); but the decoration, has been given to the Agent-General, "Dr Featherstoii, who never held & commission or any rank At all in the Colonial Forces, beoause with 500 others he aooompanied General Chute on his inarch in rear of Mount Egmont, January, 1866. It is sincerely to be hoped that gome Member of the House will call for all the papers connected with the refusal in the ewes named, in the abuse of making a military decoration, a political bauble of no greater value that which is worn by Messrs McLean and Vogel, and which high-minded, men like Stafford and Fox indignantly refused to accept, and bring the oensure of the House and of the country on the heads of Ministers and their subservient nominees, the Board. It has been assigned as a reason for 'giving the Cross to Featheraton that the presence of the 70 Wanganui Maoais who accompanied the Superintendent of Wellington, were necessary for the success of the expedition. This is all stuff ; it was not Dr Featherston'a influence that induced these men to march any mote than it did to right and win the battle of Motua, — a turning point in the war — or than it did to lead the whole of the fighting portion of the Wanganui tribes, not 70 only, but more than 350, to Invest, attack, and take, with GO prisoners, the Archie Pa, an outwork of the Weraroa Pa, which capture led to the fall of that stronghold, the key of the whole of the country from the Waitotara to the Waiongongaro, and paved the way for raising the siege of Pipiriki and the successes of General Chute from Otapawa to Taranaki, and and without which it is well known the expedition under his command would not, could not have move a foot. A petition should be sent to the Queen praying that she will withdraw her sanction fos the issue of an order that was intended for distribution, as is. the Victoria, to brave officers and men of Her New Zealand Colonial Forces, and not tv political adventurers to whom it may, for propitiatory purposes, be given when from whatever cause they turn rusty and become dangerous. Onida.

Tho following is a copy oi General Camerons letter to Colonel McDonnell .—. — Dear Colonel Alagdonkbll, — I 1I 1 havo just written to the Gorornor of Jfow Zealand, recommending you for the " Silver Crow," and beg to offer you my best vrisheg, that you may obtain that honorable decoration, to which you are fully entitled for the bravery you displayed on the occasion specified in your letter. I assure you that it has given me great pleasure to reooran.eud you for it, and'l only wish that that gallant fellow Yon Temp*ky was still alive that I might do the same for him Your Bushrangers and Naxon's Yeomanry did good service at tho beginning of the war. Very sincerely yours, D. Camebon. Eoyal Military College, 16th July, 1873.