FURTHER PARTICULARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 421, 20 March 1865, Page 4

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

When the Kevds. Mr. Yolkner and Grace were taken on their landing from the schooner Eclipse, they were confined together for the night, their captors consulting which of the two should be executed. The discussion ended in the choice ot Mr. "V olkuer as a victim. It has been stated that the life of Mr. Yolkncr was taken as utu for that of Te Aparama, and when we find these natives discussing which of two men they should kill, we are led to believe that this possibly may be the case. It was evidently not trom any ill-will borne towards Mr. \ olkner personally that- he was sacrificed, else tliero would have been no discussion- .11.1. It will be remembered that at the tight at Maketu between the Arawas and the rebel natives on the 11th of June last, if we remember rightly, the loyal native chief ' ham was killed. His wife had taken the body into a hut, and shortly afterwards some rebel prisoners were brought in, an the wife took up a gun and bleu- out tne brains of one of them, Te Aparama. us man was the brother ot Te Kareopa, v, 10,1 is said, was the executioner of the Kev. - r. Yolkner. We are at a loss, however, to understand why Mr. Yolkner should a. been selected as utu. ~ The lot, as' we have said, fell upon ALr. Yolkner. and Te Ivareopa was his tioner. Te Patera, the chief of the fanati a, was not present at the murder, and 011 n arrival shortly afterwards at Opotiki ei was, or affected to be, very angry that suca a deed should have been perpetrated. « 0 are dad to learn that Mr. .\° lku "' ' decently buried by the crew ot the Eclipse, tho burial service of the chu being read over him by the Eev. M r -I ' A pakeba-maori named tbe doctor, ou those loose characters .who become one tribe, dug his grave. . , Ifl It is doubtful whether Mr. Yolkner - bea was carried to Turanga, as it wa» ° n '. deputation from the Pai Marire par } went there, aud they must have tia\e <. short road by the Kaohai, lor they reat Turanga on the same day as did the st . E The C following are thepartieularsot' the escape of Mr. Grace. The deputation of chiefs from M.S. Eclipse created a great excitement M Opotiki, where Mr. Grace then u. seems that the main party ot fanatics^ moved from there. The natives retu.d to Hold a runanga to consider what .hou done, and during tins times 1 r. left in tho charge ot'iuoa Tjpvv tbe master ot the . communicate with Mr. Grace at thisj^me and secretly indicated to nun a point wher

lie should meet the boat of the schooner. Mr. Levy then went away and pulled up to "his store where he collected a number of sacks and plaecd them in "the boat. Meantime Mr. Grace turning the matter ovor in his mind, came to the conclusion that tho point indicated by Mr. Levy was not a safe rendezvous, and that if he made for it, he would run a great risk of being retaken. He therefore went down to another point, and there .fortunately, Levy picked him up, and having got him into the boat, laid him under tho sacks and steered for H.M.S.S. Eclipse. On board tho man-of-war, they were much surprised at seeing the boat returning with only the same number in it that it left with, for they had expected to see not only Mr. Grace, but also the two Turanga chiefs, who formed the deputation to Opotiki. When the boat however, was within some two hundred yards of the steamer, Mr. Levy called out "All right, I've got him'' —and Mr. Grace threw aside tlio sacks and stood up in the boat once more a free man. Mr. Grace says, that during his captivity, he was not on the whole illtreate>l. He had plenty of potatoes so cat. We cannot pass by the conduct of the master of the schooner Eclipse, without a due tribute of praise. Mr. Grace owes his life to the energy and gallantry displayed by Mr. Levy, and if ever a. man deserved the thanks of the community and the substantial reward of the Government, it is he. We trust that such services as ho has rendered will not be overlooked.

Wo learn that the Turanga natives were askeel to eapturc the P;ii Msirire party. They said that before they went so far as this, or mixed themselves up in 'he quarrel, they must- talk the matter over. They were there, they said, to defend the Bishop, but if Cap hi iji Freeman tie wodd send a force on shore (.>ir George Grey will, we trust, send one) at Opotiki they wo.ihl act as guides and render any assistance short of fighting. The Pai Marires may be jone from Opot iki. but the Opotiki tribes arc equally murderers -with them, and nothing less than a signal vengeance on this tribe will prevent the recurrence of such acts as tie murder of Mr. Tolkner. Of their guilt there can be 110 doubt.

The only prisoner nov in the hands of the Maoris is a deserter from the />7tli. He belonged to a Wangauui chief, and has been made over to Te Karoopi. They will keep him as a slave. He is represented as being shoeless and nearly inked, and in great misery, and when asked if lie would not escape. replied " No, 1 ' their, lie was between two fires. He "was certain of punishment- if he returned, and preferrtd to take his chance with the Maoris.