EXECUTION OF THE CONDEMNED MAORI MURDERERS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 383, 7 June 1866, Page 1

EXECUTION OF THE CONDEMNED MAORI MURDERERS.

(From the Hawke’s Bay Times, 24th May.)

His Excellency, in the disposal of the condemned criminals of the native race found guilty of the barbarous murders some months siuce at Opotiki and Whakatane, has steered a medium course; and while permitting the law to take its course with respect to some of the most guilty, has extended Her Majesty’s clemency to others, by commuting their sentences to various terms of penal servitude. We believe that there will be scarcely a dissentient voice raised as to the course he has in this instance thought it best to pursue, It may be that many, if not all, of those reprieved were deserving of the sentence passed upon them perhaps equally with those who have been executed. It may be that the commuted sentence of penal servitude for life which remains upon some of

those who are spared, is a punishment of equal severity with that of death, or but slightly to be preferred by the criminals; but as their lives are spared, there does remain some hope of ultimate pardon and freedom. It may be also that the lighter punishments awarded to the more favored prisoners is an inadequate one to the magnitude of their crimes ; but we believe, as we have said, that as a whole the action taken by his Excellency will meet the approval of the Colony. It is with satisfaction that we are able to record this instance of unswerving rectitude on his part, especially as a feeling had become pretty general over the Colony that the usual course of temporising with the rebels would be followed, and the prisoners pardoned, in the vain hope of exciting gratitude in the breasts of the savage race, and securing a period yf truce, which might falsely pass under the name of peace, thereby. It is pretty well known that overtures to this effect were made to the Governor by leading men amongst the rebels during his recent journey into their country, and the natives had reported that he had consented to their wish; but we believe that no colonist had faith in these reports, as there was evidently no intention of a genuine submission on the part of the rebels. The execution of the five criminals which we now record may be considered as the first instance of the practical application of the native policy of the Colonial Government propounded by Mr Weld and adopted by Mr Stafford, and which may be brielly defined to be the establishing of the supremacy of the law in native districts. We hope that it will be vigorously followed up by prompt action in all cases of need ; and if such is the case, we may rejoice in the fact of the war being at its end.