CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE FIJIS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 119, 7 September 1876, Page 2

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE FIJIS.

Some details of the execution of certain rebellious natives in Fiji, which no doubt reflect creditably upon the humanity of the Government oflicials, have been supplied to the Southern Cross. Our contemporary says :—" An eye-witness of the proceedings stated to our informant that fifteen of the prominent rebels were tried by Mr. Arthur Gordon, nephew of the Governor, who is also a Commissioner of the Interior, as well as leader of the expedition, and were by him condemned to death. The Governor, being on the spot, assented -to the sentence, and the prisoners were ordered for execution next morning. The mode of death was hanging, and the gallows, if such a term can be applied, was the ridge-pole of a Fijian house. These houses are constructed with two tie-beams running from end to end, and placed about eight inches apart. On these the Fijian executioner was seated, holding the rope in his hand, the other end being tied to the rooftree. One of the prisoners was ordered to mount up beside him, and the noose being adjusted, told to jump oft". This he did, and was killed at once. Another prisoner was sent up, and the same performance took place, except that this one was being strangled, and struggled dreadfully. .Seeing this the Fijian sitting on the beam above him ended his misery by knocking him on the head with a heavy club, with which he was provided. Five of the unhappy wretches were dispatched in this way, three of them being hanged and clubbed, when it was decided to shoot the remaining ten. These were ranged. in a row, with their arms pinioned behind them, and told to kneel. A detachment of Fijian soldiers at a few paces distance were ordered to fire on them. Five 01* six only were killed, and the coup da grace was given to the wounded by Mr. Gordon himself, who used his revolver for the purpose, doubtless a humane one, to put the wretches out of pain. The only white people present at these proceedings were the Governor, Mr. Gordon, and a man named Dick. Though much satisfaction was felt by the wnite population at the prompt punishment which was dealt out to the mountain cannibals, still the manner of executing the prisoners was loudly condemned. It was felt that such summary proceedings, even to savages, was not in accordance with our notions of i justice, and the appointment of such young men as the two Commissioners of | the interior to a posi'ion giving them j power of life and death, was generally disapproved of. The current rumor in Levuka after the return of the expedition was that some of the condemned had been tomahawked, and this led to further inquiry, which resulted in the exposition of the facts as narrated.