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Letter from John Gare Butler to the N.Z. Committee, Church Missionary Society, April 1st, 1822

KIDEE KIDEE,
April 1st, 1822.

To the Committee, (The N.Z. Committee)
Brethren,

The Rev. Mr. Butler hereby declares in the name of his son, and his own name, that had they received the same treatment from any officer of the Hon. Church Missionary Society in England, as they did from Mr. F. Hall, on Tuesday, March 25th, 1822, neither of them would have remained in the service of the Society any longer, conceiving it to be contrary to the doctrines of the Gospel of Christ, and opposite to those principles and rules which the Society hold forth for the guidance of their missionaries.

Mr. Hall, in the first place, refused my son some trifling stores, to pay natives for work done for, and on account of the Hon. C.M.S. (say three iron pots, one adze, one pair trousers), and then charged me with being a bully, because I told him I should name the matter to the Society, and he further said I held flannel belonging to the Society the value of which I knew too well to give to the natives; I told him if he thought so he had better write to the Society to that effect. Query. Am I a thief?

He next said I endeavoured to deprive him of his situation. This is shockingly false. I then told him I wished to establish a school at Kidee Kidee as soon as possible, but it appeared to me as if he desired to thwart my plans, and I am still in the same mind, or else why should Mr. Hall wish to wrest the things out of my hands, which I applied for at Port Jackson? And notwithstanding his receiving a letter from thence to say certain goods marked “B” were intended for me. he still persisted that I had never given in a demand by list to Mr. Marsden; and that it could be proved so.

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I would then ask how did the things become marked in my name? and how was it that he received a letter from Mr. Campbell to say such things as were marked “B” were intended for me. I need not say anything on this point, as the fact carries its conviction with it. Besides this the Society must know by my letter from Port Jackson, which is an exact copy of that which I handed to Mr. Marsden for articles to enable me to establish a school on a small scale, and also for implements of agriculture.

I remain, brethren,
Your affectionately,


(Signed)

JOHN BUTLER.