Motueka, New Zealand 🌍

Motueka (#nz38)

A small windmill, belonging to Mr Salisbury, containing a flour mill and other machinery is reported as being destroyed by an assumed drunken mob, as reported by a letter to the editor in the Nelson Examiner, Issue 62, 31 Oct 1857

To the Editor of the Nelson Examiner.
Sir - Last Monday night, a party of men whose names are known, were drinking at the Swan, kept by W. Harding, long after midnight, and playing at skittles; the noise they made being distinctly heard by many of the neighbours. Shortly after one of them was roused by a noise in his neighbour's grounds, and getting up, sees three or four men run into the bush. Others again hear noises which they suppose to be caused by falling trees. In the morning detached buildings all through the village are found overthrown, fences broken down to furnish handspikes for the work, and cattle let into well-kept gardens, the public lockup showing the marks of great violence, and four levers left behind which had been used in the effort to destroy it, and finally a small windmill belonging to Mr. Salisbury, containing a flour mill and other machinery overthrown and utterly destroyed. And yet, up to this time, no one has been called to account for all this wanton and wicked destruction of property. I do not know who is to blame, or whose duty it is to watch over the public peace and safety; but if there is any such person he has grossly neglected his duty, and if there is not, our boasted self-government is so far a farce and no government at all, and our freedom merely a license for every drunken vagabond to destroy his neighbour's property at his own will and pleasure. The Motueka people stood up for Mr. Bobinson as their Superintendent well; now I call upon him to stand up for them and see them righted.
I am, &c.,
A Motueka Man.
Motueka, October 30.

A week later Issue 64, 7 Nov 1857 carried a little more reporting, listing the damage as rather less:

On the night of Friday, October 23rd, sundry acts of most wanton mischief were committed by a number of individuals, doubtless somewhat under the influence of liquor. A fence was torn down, the property of Mr. William Nice; a small outbuilding belonging to the School Committee upset; an attempt was also made upon the lock-up; the windmill belonging to E. D. Salisbury, Esq., was thrown over, the damages to which are estimated at a £40 or £50; wheels were taken from bullock-drays, and were hidden; and various other minor acts were perpetrated. We trust that a sense of honour at least so far prevails over the individuals that they will make ample amends to the various parties for the damages they have so wantonly inflicted.

Associated people

• Edward D Salisbury