SINGULAR EXECUTION AND EXECUTIONERS.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 140, 12 August 1876, Page 3

SINGULAR EXECUTION AND EXECUTIONERS.

The “ Southern Cross has been supplied with some details of the execution of certain rebellious natives in Fiji, which no doubt reflect creditably upon the hnmanify- of the Government officials. 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, us 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 inode 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 \vith 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 roof-tree. One of the prisoners was ordered to mount- up beside him, and the noose being adjusted, told to jump off. 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 straggled dreadfully. Seeing this, the Fijian Bitting on the beam above him ended life*misery by knocking him on the head with a heavy clnb, with which he was provided. Five of the unhappy wretches Were dispatched in this way, three of them being both hanged and clubbed, when it was decided to shoot the remaining ten. .These were ranged in a row, and their arms pinioned behind, and told to kneel. A detachment of Fijian soldiers at a few paces distance were ordered to fire on them. Five or Bix only were killed, and the “ coup de grace” was given to the wonnded 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 white 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 onr notions of justice, and the appointment of such yonng men as'the two Commissioners of the Interior to a position giving them power of life and death ‘was generally disapproved, of, , y ..^q, ; .curreut rumour .in Levnka after the return of the expedition was that some of the condemned had been tomahawked, and this led to further enquiry, which resulted in the exposition of the facts as narrated.