THE NATIVE MINISTER AND TUKUKINO.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 1079, 17 January 1879, Page 7

THE NATIVE MINISTER AND TUKUKINO.

[Bt Telegraph.] Gbahamstown, January 13. The Hon. Mr Sheehan interviewed Tukukino &t Tekouaiti morning. He was accompanied by the County Chairman and the gentlemen who have been with him through the Waikato river. The steamer Tearoba went as far as Tepuke, arriving there »t 130 this morning. At about six o'clock Mr Sheehan started to meet Tukukino at Kaikoa, which is about two miles distant, to see the old chief about the obstruction offered by him to the Thames and Ohinemufu road passing through his latd — that being the only difficulty now existing to the making of a good road between the two places. On his arxival at Koinatao the Native Minister was not received with the usual welcome — Tukukino beinp evidently very dark. After a while food was offered to tbe visitors, and when sufficient time had been spent in silence to aatiefy the native idea of propriety, Mr Sheehan opened the meeting by informing Tukukino the business upon which he had come, and that as he had only a short time to stay he would bring the matter forward at once, to hear what Tukukino had to say. Tuku-

benign influence of the spirit of Christianity. It is probably the opinion of some people, that there ia Divine authority for this punishment to be found in the Old Testament. The o'd Jewish law of retaliation, however, is decidedly opposed to that spirit of the New Testament, of which mercy and charity are the main characteristics. It is absurd to suppose that our penal code is based ostensibly to any extent on Divine authority. We punish rather in obedience to the behests of an unhappy necessity, than, because we believe as the Jews did, that we are carrying out an ordinance of the Almighty. Our penal laws are made merely for the protection of men's lives, liberty, and prd perty, and in punishing evil. doers, we do not consider, or ought not in any case to consider, that we are acting as God's vicegerants on earth, Christianity having taught us, that no man can be a competent judge of human iniquity — that the judgment only of the great Being who sees and knows all, can be free from the possibility of error. It does not become weak, erring, and ignorant human beings, the wretched slaves of fate and destiny, to thrust themselves with insolent assurance into the judgment seat of the Almighty God, or to encroach upon the prerogative of the Most High. Necessity or expediency are the only grounds on wh'eh the punishment of individuals by the Government of a State can be justi* fied. Jt seems to bo quite questionable whether capital punishment is an absolute necessity. It is not probable, that if the punishment of death was abolished, we should forthwith fall to work and cut each others' throats. Ido not think it is probable that the crime of murder would be more frequent among us if capital punishment was abolished. The crime of cold-blooded murder ia naturally abhorrent to the disposition of even savages, and more is it antagonistic to the generous impulses of the civilized and christianised man, and especially to the brave and open nature of British men. ]f human beings were tempted to murder each other to the same extent as they are tempted to com* mifc some lesser offences, murder would be