The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 210, 3 June 1848, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not: Let all the ends thon ainis't at, be thy Country's, '1 hy God's, aud Truth's.

SATURDAY, JUNE 3^ B J^__ Our Criminal Court opened its Session on Thursday morning, with the all important trial of Joseph Burns, charged with the execrable murder of Lieutenant Snow, his wife, and daughter. From the infamous attempt of the assassin to fasten Chis massacre upon the aboriginal race. From the atrocious endeavour to inculpate two guiltless and respectable persons, after Burns had been convicted and sentenced to transportation for life, for cutting and maiming his wielched paramour. From the subsequent attempt at suicide by the miserable felon, — an interest of no ordinary description had been created •, and, in consequence, at an early hour, the floor of the Court was thronged by an anxious crowd eager to elicit the proceedings of the day. The jury having been exnpannelled, the Attorney General in a concise and careful speech, opened the proceedings, the prisoner having previously pleaded Not Guilty. We shall not here dwell upon the evidence adduced, having given a copious report elsewhere. Our purpose is simply to call attention to the leading facts, and the corroborating circumstances which guided an upiight and intelligent juiy, involved in a maze of doubtful yet decisive evidence, to the just conclusion at which they eventually arrived. As in most horrors of a like character no eye beheld the assassin accomplish his detestable work. The chief evidence of his crime was the revelations made by himself to his concubine of its intended enactment and after accomplishment, and from the fact of this de- ; graded woman having made no effort by warning the neighbouts, to aveit the catastrophe T from h er having received the murderer to her bed ; and from her having aflei lus being convicted of an assault upon her own

life, conspiicd with him to criminate two innocent individuals; from all these adverse circumstances, her testimony was environed with doubt and difficulty. Its main features, novel theless, were wonderfully sustained by the declarations of otheis, — nay, clenched, in no inconsiderable dcgiee, by the fabulous confession of the felon himself. He told me, says the female, that he got twelve pounds at Lieutenant Snow's. The imaginary assassin of Burns' confession, said he had not obtained so much money as he expected — there was onhj twelve pounds, &c. A marvelously coincident exactitude this of the plundered amount. .A <iain, the woman states that Bi t rns left homo, taking with him a tomahawk and bayonet, to work his bloody -will. The confession asseils that with a tomahawk and bayonet the giossly calumniated Dudor armed himself. That tomahawk is found in Buiins's tool chest, it is proved to be his : it is minutely examined by skilful medical research, — subjected to approved scientific tests, and the result established that blood had distained its edge. It were needless to go faither ; the eloquent yet temperate address of the prosecutor ; the anxious yet conclusive charge of the judge ; arid the entire circumstantial details of the case, thiew a light around the dark transaction, as if in convincing proof that

" Murder, though it hath no tongue, Will speak with most miraculous orga-i." The jury could return no other verdict than that they did . — a verdict to whose justice every one responds, — one which we hope will cai ry conviction to the native mind, that there exists no under current in the impartial stream of British justice, and that if for a moment betrayed hy strong appearances into a suspicion of some of their race, we are now not less anxious to exonerate them from all participation in the inhuman act. There is a clear manifestation of the interposition of Providence in the detection of the guilty. He flies the scene of his crime, but a power he cannot controul conducts him hack. We trust that God will, at the eleventh hour, subdue his heait, and prompt him by an unreserved confession, and deep contrition, to seek forgiveness of his great and manifold crimes, fle is the first European convicted of murder among us, and his sentence will this morning he pronounced.

We beg to call the attention of our readers to an advertisement in this day's paper, inviting the attendance, of all parties interested in the establishing of Steam Communication, to a Meeting to be held, at the Exchange Hotel, on Tuesday next, at 1 2 o'clock. To dwell upon the importance of Steam were a piece of supererogation. We need only point to Europe and America in illustration of its maivels. Nay, without going so far, we may cite what it has accomplished for the neighbouring Colonies of Australia. To those who have visited Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Moreton Bay, Newcastle, Launceston, &c, and have witnessed the extraordinary impulse given in development of every industrial energy, comment were superfluous. But, we, it may be alleged, are too young to embark in such attempts. The same objection was urged when Mr. Boyd laid on so costly a ship as the Juno in the Adelaide trade. Failure was predicated but fortune has been ensured. Let us then be bold — and may a numerous assemblage respond to Tuesday's call.