A Murder Unpunished.

Patea Mail, 17 July 1882, Page 4

A Murder Unpunished.

APPEAL TO THE GOVERNMENT.

The following letter has been addressed to the Mail from the locality where the crime was committed : Sir, —I wish to point out a glaring failnre of justice. To do so 1 crave a small space in your valuable columns. No doubt many of your readers will be acquainted with the particulars, and I ask them to supplement by publishing what I may omit, as the murder was commited sixteen years ago, and I am writing from memory. During a cessation of hostilities in the latter end of 1866, a great number of people travelled overland from Taranaki to Patea without molestation, except in one instance, that of Mr Brady, who was murdered near Harriet’s Beach (Parihaka Block), At the time he was accompanied by a half-caste lad. Brady was on horseback, the half-caste on foot. .They were waylaid by two Maoris. One of them fired and wounded Brady, upon which the poor man jumped from his horse and ran to the sea, thinking to shelter himself behind the rocks, where the other monster followed, shot, and tomahawked him. Not satisfied, he dragged the body to the sand-hill, partly stripped him, looted the horse and swag of the old man. It appears they did not injure the half-caste, but merely took him prisoner. The same lad, who is now a man, is living with William King (so I am told) at Opua near Opunaki, and the murderers are pretty generally known. The authorities, if they only stir in the matter, can arrest, as one of the alleged men is living close to the Constabulary barracks, presuming that the whole affair is forgotten, but I hope in a Christian country such a thing will not take place. I ask this pertinent question : How is it the Government have not stirred in the matter for 16 years. This poor old man’s blood has been crying for vengeance, and no attempt made to avenge him. I trust it is not because he was simply an old 65th soldier, and had no friends nor no reward offered for the apprehension of his murderers (as was the case with others), that he is to go unavenged. Shame upon his old comrades that they have not agitated in the matter ! In this colony there are a great number of old 65th men. For their own honor—that is to say for the honor of the old regiment—they should raise a subscription in the different centres of the colony, and found a fund to offer as a reward ; and I feel assured, as in the case of Winiata, somebody will earn it. I will not trespass further at present, but wait to see if this letter bears fruit.—l am, &c., Nemesis.