The CONDEMNED MURDERER, WINIATA.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1571, 29 July 1882, Page 2

The CONDEMNED MURDERER, WINIATA.

The following letter has been sent by the native, Winiata, now under sentence of death for the murder of Edwin Packer, to his relatives and friends in the king country :—

Maunga Irena. Xi oku matua ki aku tamariki ki te iwi. E hoa ma tena ra koutou, ka nui toku arolia atu ki a koutou katoa i ahau c noho atu nei i tenei wahi, ka tahi ano ka kai kino te aroha i a an ki a kotou, c taea hoki te aha. He oi ra me mihi kau atu koutou i tenei wahi o te whenua ka aroha tonu ahau kia koutou otira c lioa ma i tuhi atu ai au kia koutou me tuhi mai hoki c koutou kia au kia ora ake ai taku ngakau, te Iwi teua koutou i raro i te atawhai a to tatou Ariki heoi ra me mihi katoa atu koutou i au i konei. Tena koutou kia niau tonu ki te atawhai hei kainga tuturu mo tatou ki te oranga touutanga. Te Iwi tena koutou kanui rawa toku aroha atu kia koutou i ahau c noho atu nei tena koutou katoa. He w ai ata aroha E pu liau.nirii c pupuhi Ka wai roto k.ii hau m.ii Kia t.mg-ihi.i c hau kei maruatata ana Pukohua kd. tairni te tere kia koutou Mca mahue au i te hoki to tcic c K.iramu Hci kawe i alniu ki tawhiti Ko te au poun kei raro c A rum.ikino ilio ki te pua Kj. hiuga ka tn.itc. He oi ano N.i Wimaiv. [THANSLATION.]

Mount Eden. To my parents, to my children, and to the tribe. — Friends, greeting. Great is my love for you all, while I am here at this place. My love for you now consumes me. But how can it be helped ? I can only greet you from this part of the land, but I shall continue to love you. My friends I have written to you, if my letter reaches you, you must write to me so that my heart may be satisfied. 0 the tribe, under the kindness of our Lord, I greet you. This is all. I must greet you all from here. Salutations to you. Be firm in kindness, so that it may lead to an eternal dwelling-place for us all in the life everlasting. 0 the tribe, salutations to you. Very great is my love for you now, that I am separated from you. Salutations to you.

A Song c^ Love. 0, west winds blow and surround me. So that I might lament to you, While to the mist that hangs above, And floats to jou [i.e. his people) I yet am near ; For I am one deserted by The returning company ot 3 fc K.iramu, Which should have borne me to The darjc current that below does lie. I stooped down to the +Pua, I fell, and I must die. This» is all, "Winiai'A. *Here Winiata is supposed to refer to his defunct relath cs +The Pua is a sort of bait, sometimes used by the natives snaring birds, being the blossoms or fruits of one tree, which are taken to another and fixed in the snarcb for the purpose of attracting the birds.