KILLING NO MURDER.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1083, 24 June 1873, Page 3

KILLING NO MURDER.

The following letter from Piirukutu, 'the principal native concerned in the murder of Sullivan, has appeared in the Auckland Herald. There is a 'novelty in the murderer, whom the law is unable to reach, justifying his 'crime in the public press : " Oh, friends, I have seen your Writing's where you have condemned me without hearing my defence. Now hearken. I will tell you my side of the story. A piece of land belongs to me near where I am writing this letter, which has been taken by the pakeha, and occupied by him without my permission. I have during years past continually warned the pakeha to desist from meddling with my land, but they have shut their ears to my warnings, and taken no notice. I then adopted other measures. I killed 'cattle and sheep on my land, and I burned a whare used by a pakeha living on my laud. But this was not enough. Then I forcibly drove off the the ditchers, but still my land was occupied and claimed by the pakeha. The pakeha did noc attempt to punish me for my deeds. My last resource was to kill any pakeha I found on my laud. You know 1 did so. I did what was right in Maori custom and law. The law of the pakeha does not extend beyond the confiscated boundary, and is not known on this iside. Mackay is preparing a force to catch mo. Let him come. lam ready to be taken at any time. Do not listen to those who say that Tavvhiao will give me up to the Government. The King natives will all fight for me and with me ; and if lam beaten you will get inv land, which is not worth lighting for. Eewi, with some other chiefs, and the old men will become Queenitcs, to save the land, and the young men will join me to fight the pakeha. I see the Europeans building pahs, and I see their scouts and patrols going about night and day. I see the pakehas assembled in your villages, watching for my coming to kill another European. But I will not go off my own land to fight. Tell tho Europeans hot to leave their homes on account of ine. Perhaps you will say that this word of mine is not a true word ; but remember what I did five years ago. Then some property w r as stolen from a European, at Orakau. I caused all the stolen, property to bo returned, and a horse to be given in payment for the wrong doing. I was then 'called Mahi. Enough, from your friend, Puiujkutu."