LATER FROM OPOTIKI. TRIAL OF THE WHAKATANE MURDERER SIXTEEN FOUND GUILTY AND SENTENCED TO DEATH.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXI, Issue 2609, 28 November 1865, Page 4

LATER FROM OPOTIKI. TRIAL OF THE WHAKATANE MURDERER SIXTEEN FOUND GUILTY AND SENTENCED TO DEATH.

By ' the arrival hat evening of the lohooner 'Tauranga 1 we have later news from' Opotiki, rid Tauranga, from which we learn that sixteen- of the , prisoners captured »t Matat* have been' put upon their tiial before a court-martial, at, vrhioh Mr, Commissioner Smifcli, aad Mr. Clarke, ,1 Resident Magistrate of Tauranga, were present,, and .the prisoners fonud guilty of the murders on board the cutter ' Kate,' at Whakatane/ The half caste lad Wh'te was pretenfc at the trial,' and identified the actual murderers amongst the sixteen/ the others being participators in the crimes. 'Eighteen others were about to be put on their trial for, the Volknor tragedy, at the time the above information .was sent to Tauranga. In the meantime, the Governor has been written to respecting the result of the- trial, and it'wai expected that orders for the execution of the whole sixteen would be received in ft few "days. We shall doubtless receive fuller information in a day or two. t .-

From another source we have been supplied with the following particulars :— ! " , p'« .- ' A messenger' arrived' at' Tauriwiga from Makehr immediately before the departure of the 'Tauranga' schooner, and was the bearer of intelligence to the effect that twenty-four natives had been placed upon their trial at , Whakatane before a military court-martial, on a charge of 'Complicity in the murders of the Rev. Carl Sylviui Volkner, Mr. James Fulloon, and the crew of the cutter i i 1 Kate. 1 Sixteen of the accmed were found guilty, and seatenced to death, but owing to a proviso having been, strangely enough, introduced by his Excel. I lency the Governor into the proclamation of martial law at Opotiki and the East Coast, that all sentences should be confirmed by the Government at Wellington before being carried iuto execution, thereportof the trial and sentence were forwarded to the " Empire City " to be ratified by his Excellency and responsible ad< viseri. Under these circumstances, it is coniequently difficult to say whether the sentence will be carried so fully into effect as intended by the court-martial, The messenger who arrived at Tauranga also conveyed information that another batch of prisoners, about 22 iu number, remainecTto be tried by court-martial, 'and which was to adjudicate in 1 a few days On the 1 ' charges brought against the prisoner!. Mr.' Cornmi*sioner Smith, of Maketu, and Mr. Commisiioner Clarke, of Tauranga, were present at the trial of the prisoners, in order to see that full justice was done to their case. • ' ' ■' ' • '

The official declaration of the poll taken on Wednesday last; at the various polling-places, for the election of members of 'Provincial Council to repretent the coustituency of the Northern Division, was made yesterday,' at noon, by Colonel - Balneavis, Returning Officer, at the old Supreme Court-house. The day was rather unfavourable owing to iheavy and incessant shower* of rain, so that the constituency was represented by less than' half-a-dozen voters Assembled iu front of the hiutings. < No doubt the wet weather had also its effect in curtailing the speeches of the successful candidates. The follow* ing was declared to be the state of the poll :— Messrs. <David Sheeban, 693 ; John McLcod, 608 ; Thomas Henderson, 553 ; Isaac Rhodes Cooper, 429 ; Jerokie CadmaD, 423 ; Allan O'Neill, 335; -Hugh Morrow, 323 ; and John Anderson, 130. ! 'J'he five first-men-kioiieJ gentlemen were declared duly elected representatives, and they severally returned thanks for the support accorded to them. A vote oi> thanks to the Returning Officer terminated the proceedings, I which occupied but a few minutes. The body of Captain Stanton, of the, brig 'Emma Prescott,' whose sudden di«»ppearadde and Supposed death by drowning we announced last week, was found; floating in. the harbour, yesterday, near, the man-of-war, offing, and was brought to the dead? , house in Official Bay for identification. Sereral,captains of vessels in harbour, hoisjed their flags half- \ mast high during tho afternoon out of respect for the deceased. A coroner's inquest will be held on' the body to-day, at the Railway Terminus Hotel, Official Bay. - i* ' The programme of tho performance! this evening afcj the locial re union of the members of the Auckland Mechanic* 1 Institute 'will be found advertised in another column, and contains a choice selection of glees, recitations, songs, duets, &o., to be executed by some of our leading amateurs. Mr. Joseph Brown will conduct^ and the' chair, will be occupied by Major ; Heaphy. We anticipate those of our readers who may find it convenient' to be ■ present have * rioh treat in store for them. I The usual Wednesday evening service in the - Albert-street Congregational Chapel will notr be, held to-morrow evening, in consequence'of the bi-monthly uriiou -prayer-meeting being, held at seven o'olook in theWelleriey-streetChapeL '" ' ' '" f It is desirable that the! policemen ,of "Ohehunga khould be provided with a police-cart or stretcher, for the removal to the 'look-up of intoxioated per* sons, who occasionally prove very troublesome in the public thoroughfares. Yesterday, two women, who had indulged rather freely in ardent spirit*, caused {be, policemen a great, deal of trouble, .owing to their being obliged either to 1 drag them' along the road or take them up and carry them, which, in, the , .case'offemale«,'bughtriot'to l bet61erated.' l{ v ,'■ ff he return matchi off the:two; elevens,; Married; v. Single, will be played on the Albert Barrack green ; th'is morning, if tlje v weathor permit; T but, from the ? soaking rain whioh fell all yesterday, vr« fear the t grpuud will be pronounced* unfit for play, and the mjitch,postpoued. , 0 , * .. , > t . » r, ■>;./ jWe, have been, informed that the .mat ?h t bet ween. s the Garrison and Civilians,' whioh was to have'taken r plk<fs : to-dayrWill 'riot' be played as announced. I The? mjktch between the Uuitedi Club, and. West-end Olub. i will be played on the Domain ground, on Wednesday 3iekt,.wicketa to be pitohed at ten a m., sharp. • . < {Aft the!.PdUoe, Court -xesterday,. iudgm^nt^fwpre tgiyen against several parties for non-payment of oity rates^^'TnSmas^Muir'Triw 'fined' iCS'forfan assault on William Bruoe.V( m, ,i'. ' ■ ■

, - ibi continuation of *ale of offioert* effects, at tlie Alb»rtB»rmok»,' < :\ririib6re»lirned hy ftfr. S.'Goohrane,'atllo'olook to-day; and at 1 o'clock fie will offer for sale two horses, the property of Captain Clarke; 40th 'Regiment. \ ".4 .» S' ' i" '«. ft} 1 The remaining portion of the Balmain E»tate, North Shore, i« announced to be offered for sale to-day, on liberal terms; by Messrs. E. and H. Isaacs. Flam of the eatate can be procured at the office of the auctioneers. Meisrs. Jones and Co. will hold <v trade sale to-day of wine*, 1 beer*, and' spirits,' at the stores of Messrs. GilfilUn Mid Co., commencing at 12 o'clook. An exiensire and oli'oice asiortment of pictures, eic • Id* Zeigler,' will be offered for sale to-day by Mr. David Nathan, at his stores; Shortland-street ; alto, at the same place, on account ef whom it may concern, ' 40 dozen rib spades, 1 hhd. holloware, assorted. Messrs. Hidings and Dowden announce the reoeint of instructions to lell to-day, at Otahnhu, three Held officer*' quarters, soren officers' quarters, aud 38 soldiers' huti ; the buildings to be removed within 21 day* from the day of «alo. ' The drama of " Robert Maoaire" wa« re-produced at the Prinoe of Wales Theatre, last evening, followed by the popular burlesque of " Eumtifoozle," whioh was again much appreciated by the audience. The evening s entertainment oonoluded with the drawing ia the gift enterprise. To-night "Paul Pry" is announced for performance, and the popular burlesque of " Aladdin, or the Wonderfut Scamp," is in preparation by the company.