EVIDENCE IN NEW ZEALAND. AN EYE-WITNESS'S ACCOUNT OF A BRUTAL DEED.

IOVn OWN CORRKSr,QNPPNT. 1 DUNEDIN, This Day. The Ciulha Leader says editorially I that it received a full report of the crimos charged against the Bush Veldt Carbineers four months ago from an eyewitness; but the correspondent asked that the communication should be kept private till tho conclusion of the wax, | and the paper felt in honour bound to comply with the request. Tnis • eye-witnesa was one of those I who laid the informations against the now executed officers, and was a prinI cipal witness at their trial. After saying that he and others refused to ' shoot a wounded Boer when ordered to do so, the writer proceeds — "Then, seeing tho feeling of the men, one of the lieutenants sang out, 'If you're so — — chicken hearted I'll shoot him myself.' It is a pity for all of us he was not allowed to do it. A lad named Botha, a Boer, fighting for us, was told off too. He told me, 'I know him good. I went to school with him. I don't like to. do it, but they will shoot me if I don't.' "The wind-up was that a firing-party was called. One shootist had belonged to the Essex volunteers, and was always ready to 'blow any Boer's lights out.' "I only thought of going away from tho sickening sight, but instead I .deliberately walked over to the cart wherein the youth sat, ■ intending to muster up what Dutch courage he had and speak to him. He took from his pocket a piece of paper and wrote a note. A slight twitching of the face was all the concern he displayed. Some Kaffirs lifted him out of the Cape cart in a blanket and set him down some twenty yards away with his back to the firing Earty. He spoke no word, but clasped is hands, and as the volley rang out ho fell from his sitting position backwards. Then a lieutenant stepped over to him and put a revolver shot through his head, and all was over. "Just prior to tho shooting Lieut. Morant addressed the flring»party, but what he said I could not exactly catch, except something about Captain Hunt'B death. Morant also came to me and said, 'I know it's hard lines for him, but it'B got to be done. See how tho Boers knocked Captain Hunt about' I said that Captain Huut had died a soldier's death — that ho was killed in a 'fair go,' and beyond being stripped there was no maltreatment of Trim ; and how the Kaflirs might have stripped him. He stud no; that Captain Hunt's tunic and trousers had been found in the Cape cavt. 'But/ I aoid, 'the boy vr&« nob

wearing them.' 'Auybow,' ho suid, 'it's got to ho done. It's uuiurtuuate he should bo the first to huifer.' 1 still hold that it was not right to shoot him after currying him bo far. But as up to this time Moraut and I had betm good friendn I said no more, but tore off my "li.V.G." badges and cursed sucli a form of soldiering. Then we saddled up and trekked for home."