MAORI MURDERERS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 2, 3 July 1865, Page 1

MAORI MURDERERS.

[From tUe Sail; Southern Cross. 21st Jnae.} Is the law a dead letter is New Zealand ? If it is not, wherefore comes it that murderers are allowed to go at large, without an effort being made by the authorities to bring them to justice ? The Government cannot plead ignorance of the fact that many barbarous murders have been committed in this and sister provinces of the North Island of late y ears; neither can they plead ignorance of the persons accused of many of these crimes. The supposed murderers are not only known, but they are suffered to go about wherever they please, us if they were free from suspicion of guilt. They may shed more blood, for anything the Executive Government care, 80 long only as they abstain from making afoimalsurrenderofthemselvesfor trial. Then it would be the painful duty of the authorities to put the simple-minded creatures on trial for their lives, and to carry out the sentence of the law (more painful still), if found guilty. But no one in authority ever dreams of employing officers of the Jaw to arrest persons of the native race, suspected of capital offences, wherever they may he found ; and it would be altogether too much to expect that any means would bo employed to detect the secret authors of crime if there was a reasonable supposition that they were of the chosen race.” We are led to make these remarks, in consequence of the details in our Kawhia correspondent’s letter, regarding the late Air James Armituge. Our readers will remember that in 18G3, when the natives attacked the Cameron Pa on the Waikato, which was deserted by the “ friendly *’ natives, and by them given up to pillage, Mr Armitage, the resident Magistrate, who had charge of the transport service, was brutally murdered and robbed, and his body thrown into the river. The intelligence # of the murder of Air Armitage excited no surprise in the minds of those ■ who knew and understood the Alaori character; but among the phiio-Alaori party, to which the deceased belonged, there was a great outcry and numerous explanations were made, ail more or less exculpatory of the Alaons. As Mr Fitz Gerald says in his letter. “ What we cull murder, the Alaoris call killing,” and it was urged that the homicide of ti e Resident Alagls rate was only an act of “killing,” by the Alaoris, not so very heinous or unnatural after all, to happen amongst a people who hold “ killing no murder,” as a maxim of common law. But Air Fitz Gerald stopped short in his explanation “ to all the tribes’ of the difference between murder” and killing.” as received by Europeans and natives. He ought to have said. “ What the natives call killing the Europeans call murder, and hang nmi Jur it too .” That wouldihave conveyed the right notion to the natjaraaind, which has not been done. And it is $o this distinction we would earnestly direct the attention of the Executive Government. The Maories say they “ killed’’ Air James Armitage; the Europeans say, they “murdered’’ lam; and the Law provides that a person accused of murder shall be apprehended, and if found guilty of the offence laid to his charge, he shall be hanged. At Kawhia, the other day, a Alaori woman sold a European a diamond ring belonging to the murdered Resident Alagistr-ate of the Lower Waikato, for She told him to whom it hid belonged, which induced him to buy it. Her brother, Tipene, claimed the ring. He had the case submitted to the Maori court, orrunanga, and established his claim to the ring by proving that he was the man who kiiled its owner. The Alaori court recognised the justice of the claim, and awarded Tipene w£iO additional as payment for what he had so conclusively established a right to ; but the ring, being of less value in the estimation of the European, it was handed hack to Tipene, who still retains possession of it for anything we know t« the contrary. All this took place in open day, within a few yarns of the beach in an excellent harbor, where a ship of war could ride in the utmost safety. If we had a Government deterring the name, an effort would have been

made to arrest Tipene long ago, and bring him and his associates to justice; and still more so, now that he openly boasts of taking Air Armitage’s life, when engaged on public service, and stripping his person of his valuables. Tipene boasts of “ killing” Air Armitage in a Maori court; and that court sees nothing in the act to entitle the guilty person to reproof, much less punishment. On the contrary, the act, of “ killing,” according to Maori common law, is a meritorious act, conferring many advantages on its perpetrators and not a few risks. Is Air Fitz Gerald prepared to recognise the jurisdiction of these courts in criminal causes, after the precedent set in the case of Tipene and Armitage ? And if so, do the Government of the colony go along with him in this ? According to our notion, the Government is bound to do one of two things; either to arrest Tipene, and put him on i.is trial for murder; or at once recognise the law of force. To do the first, would be likely to renew the war; to do the second would put the Alaori andEuropeanon an even footing. There would be an end of war, as it has been conducted hitherto in the colony; and the Supreme Court would not be needed for several years yet to come. The law of reprisals would come into play ; and much as we would deprecate this, it would be preferable to the present anomalous and unprecedented state of things. The native would know what he had to expect when injuring a European ; and the European would perfectly understand that on his own hand he depended for a redress of grievances. But now, the European is called upon to respect the law, and the Alaori is permitted to murder and plunder with impuuity. Let us hope that the Government will come to see things in their right light, and, tardily though it be, take the necessary steps to bring the murderers of AH Armitage, Air Vuikner, and many other victims, to .trial. The sooner the nativ. s are taught will be hanged for “ killing” peaceable men, and robbing their persons, the better will it to for them. On other baud, if this be not done, the sooner the Europeans are called upon to defend themselves the more speedily shall we have peace restored to this island. The Government, halting between two opinions, prolong the war and dishearten the settlers without weakening the rebels.