MURDER OF COMMODORE GOODENOUGH. ATTACK BY NATIVES OF SANTA CRUZ. TWO SEAMEN OF H.M.S. 'PEARL' FATALLY WOUNDED. THE OLD SUPREME COURT.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5602, 31 August 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

M UR D ER OF COMMODORE GOODENOUGH. ATTACK BY NATIVES OF SANTA CRUZ. TWO SEAMEN OF H.M.S. 'PEARL' FATALLY WOUNDED.

THE OLD SU PREME COURT.

I r is with much sorrow that we announce the death of this distinguished Naval officer, who was mortally wounded ou the 12th instant, at the Ibland of Santa Cruz, one of a group of islands north of the New Hebrides, by a few of the treacherous natives of that place. The lowering of the Hags on the ships in port, and at various Consular and commercial establishments in the city, and at the flagstaff, was the means of very quickly conveying the sad intelligence after the arrival of the • Pearl ' in the harbour yesterday morning. The 'Pearl' was commissioned to the Australian station in May, 1873, ami arrived hero about three months afterwards. And during the time .that has elapsed since then, the gallant but now lamented officer, whose fate we have to deplore, endeared himself to the people by the geniality and charitableness of his disposition, and his unostentatious and benerolent character. Although ho had achieved no brillant triumphs in war ; his labours in connection with the cession of the Fiji Islands, which was consumated in so peaceful a manner, was not less impoitant than if the event had been brought about by the sacrifice of human life. His triumphs had boon in fact the triumphs of a noble life. At the time the fat.vl wound was given he was engaged in endeavours to conciliate a savage and treacherous people ; and their motives for committing the deed arc hard to divine. The nobleness of the Lite Commodore's character, perhaps, never so forcibly displayed itsoh as after the attack upon himsolt and those who were on whore with him. When it became necessary to take measures to impress upon the islanders a sense of their wrong-doing, he gave orders that iij life was to be sacrificed — that .the villages alone were to be destroyed ; and to this end, blank cartridges were in the first instance fired to score the natives away, before the destruction of the huts commenced. His life was Christiaulike to the cud. As he lay in hit cabin, and the last Bad hours were passing, no murmur was heard to pass his lips. The only regret heexpressed", when he knew that his end was approaching, was that he had not strength enough to praise God sufficiently for all His mercies. And he apologised to his officers for giving them so much trouble in watching beside his dying bed. He remained conscious to the last, giving to his officers his last fond messages to his now bereaved widow and children, in a calm clear voice. At his own request lie was carried on to the quarter* deck, where ho uttered a few utfectiouate words of farewell to his officers and men, and soon afterwards life had ebbed away. Commodore Goodcnough was several times in the China seas. He first went there as lieutenant in the frigate ' Raleigh,' in 1857. He next went in command ot the 'Calcutta/ which vessel he took home and paid off in 1859. He was afterwards commissioned to the 'Renard,' a dispatch vessel, in the China seas, ami was subsequently appointed commander of the ' .Revenge,' the flagship of the Channel Fleet, and also commanded the ' Victoria,' the flagship in the Mediterranean. When the ' Minotaur' was commissioned as flagship % of the Channel Fleet, iu 18G7, he was appoiuted flag captain ; and he served as naval attache to several European courts. On the 22nd May, 1873, the ' Pearl' was commissioned to the Australian station, with the deceased as commander. The following is an official report of the circumstances connected with the melancholy event : On the 12th August the 'Pearl' was off Carlisle Bay, Santa Cruz Maud. Leaving the ship in the offing the Commodore landed, accompanied by some officers and men, in hopes of conciliating the natives and opening a friendly intercourse with them. The latter, assembled in goodly numbers on the beach, accepted presents iu an apparently friendly spirit, and were willing to barter. The Commodore and others entcied the village, and for some time mixed freely with the natives, who showed uo signs of hostility until preparation was being made to embark. While the Commodore and one or two others remained near the village, a native .standing near him fired an arrow, which struck the Commodore in the side. Before any arms, all of which were in the boats, could be reached, several nights of arrows were discharged on the party, wounding five uien.and the Commodore again slightly— this second time in the head. A few revolvers and rifles were fired to stop the attack, which was entirely unprovoked, and one native fell. The Commodore determined, after returning to the ship, that he would show hi* disapproval of this treachery by simply binning the houses of the village near which the attack was made, and gave most explicit orders that no life should bo taken, directing blank cartridges to be fired to warn the native away previous to the men landing. It is impossible to assign any certain cause for this sudden attack, though it may perhaps be accounted for by supposing a constaut hostility to the visits of strangers to exist in the minds of these particular inlanders ; who have shown almost the same spirit to vessels visiting them from the time of Memlana to this day — a hostility probably provoked by some previous outrage committed by white men ; and this opinion being held by the Commodoie induced him to punish them in tho slight manner iu which he did. The greater surprise was felt at this hostility of the inhabitants of Santa Cruz, as the natives of the islands of Ambrym, Malhcollo, St. Bartholomew, Espiritu Santo, and Vanikoro had received the visits of the Commodore and his officers in a friendly manner ; and although the natives of a few villages showed, in some cases signs of shyness and timidity, nevertheless, mutual confidence hod been quickly established in most of them. The ' Pearl' at ouce proceeded southward, as a cooler climate would be more favourable to tho wounded, of whom there were five in addition to the Commodore. Having touched at Mota, in Banks Group, to leave directions for H.M.S. 'Nymph,' ihould she call there, the • Pearl' proceeded towards Sydney. For the first few days the wounded were all doing well, and great hopes were entertained that they would recover, but, after five days, symptoms of tetanus appeared in three of the cases, and gradually increased. On Thursday night one of the seamen, named Edward Rayner, who had received an arrow wound in the shoulder, died ; on the next evening, Friday, August 20, at 5.30 p.m., Commodore Goodenough died; aiul early on tho following morning tho third, a seaman named Frederick Smale, followed— he hail received a severe wound in tho head. The other three wounded are doing well. A Gazette extraordinary was issued yostorday as follows : — "Colonial Secretary's Offices, Sydney, 23rd August, 1875. " His Excellency the Governor, with feelings of deep regret for the public loss sustained, announces to the colony the death, on Friday, August 20, from wounds received at Santa Cruz, on the 12th of tho same month, of James G. Goodenough, C.B., C.M.G., Captain and Commodore Commanding Australian Station. "The funeral procession will move from Milson's Point, North Shore, at 2 o'clock p m. f to morrow, 24th of August ; and his Excellency, with a desire to show every possible respect to tho memory of the deceased, directs that the public offices be closed, and invites the attendance of all officers of the Government." "By his Excellency's command, "John Robertson, Colonial Sec." It will bo seen from the above that tho funeral will take place this (Tuesday) afternoon. The Civil Service, members of tho Naval Brigade, and Volunteer force generally, and all desirous of showing a mark of respect to the deceased, are invited to attend. — Sydney Morning Herald, August 24,

Aiuii tiOMNUS'iS and skatemakers alike may be considered ont of their element in Auckland. But e\ en in so young a community, where changes are rapid and where old landmarks are fast vanishing, some matter of interest may occasionally be found for the first, though, unless our climate alters, no inducement whatever can be held out for the advent of the second. One of the most noticeable changes whioh have taken place of late years has just been completed, by the removal of that old land-mark, the rir&t Supreme Court House of Auckland, indeed of New Zealand, the site of which in to bo sold to-morrow by Messrs. B. Tonka and Co. The present Supremo Court is far removed from the gaol; but the Supreme Court of early days was not so. Side by side the buildings were erected, each the complement of the other, nay, some of the prison cells were under the Court. They stood outside tho then city boundaries ; for the last houso in Queen-street stood where the Greyhound is now. Then, too, it waa a public-house; but its name was the Rising Sun. Mr. T. Russell, who afterwards left for Sydney, kept it. Nearly opposite to this lay the block of land about to be sold. A few weeks ago it was difficult to believe that in 18-40 a creek ran through the centre of the reserve ; and when the whole is covered with buildings, as no doubt it shortly will be, it will be impossible to convince the sceptical that such was the fact. The creek will be as utterly lost as is the Old Fleet in London, the existence of which had been long forgotten, until it was re-discovered some years ago. Now that the place is laid bare, tho course of tho creek is visible enough, though all traces of the fern ami titreo scrub, ranpo and tupakhi bushes, with which its banks were densely covered, have vanished. Along the sido of the creek r.m a pig track. This creek discharged its waters, which flowed m a clear stream oven in summer deep enough to cover boot-tops, into a swamp, extending from about where Vulcan Lane ii to the spot now occupied by the National Bank. Canoes came up and unloaded their cargoes of peaches, melons, kumcriu, &c., at the bottom of Wyndhamstreet. Near to this creek stood tho group of buildings dedicated as the Temple of Justice iu Auckland, which may be thus briefly described : — A rectangular main building of rather greater length than breadth lighted and ventilated by umall windows near the roof, and with a single largo round-headed window at one end ; this, however, was almost blockod up by the judge's seat, and its furnishings. On J either side, doors opened into various small rooms used as offices, police court, jury room, judge's room, &c., which were formed in " lean to " wings. Under the Court-house proper were cells used for confining prisoners — one of them was the condemned cell. At the rear w»s the yard for debtors, and behind this a row of cells used as additional lock-up accommodation. Behind these again was the pound. The guard-house occupied the spot where Mr. Loggic's shop lately stood at the corner of Victoria and Queenstreets ; access to this was by a flight of steps from the gaol-yard. The entrance to the gaol precincts was through a large gate fronting what is now Victoria-street. The gallows for the later executions was erected just inside this gate. Between the guard-house and the court-house, just under the fence, was a row of graves, each marked by a species of tally. In these mouldered the remains of the victims of the law until they wore removed. On the other side of the court was the dog-kennel, where unowned dogs were confined previous to being hanged or poisoned. The lock-up was kuown at one period by the name of Leary's parlour. An iron pump soood in the centre of the yard. Near where the fountain is now, were erected the stocks. In these drunkards, whether male or female, found a temporary resting-place. Tho stocks were removed at the instance, so it was said at the time, of Governor Fitzroy's lady. "G.T.C'is mistaken if this be true, when he attributes their removal to the old City Board. The Court house was 'built in 1841-42. The contractor and builder was Mr. Cochrane, now of Wairoa. The foundations were built by Donald McNaughton and Patrick Sharkey. The architect was Mr. Holuiau, now of Wangarei, who was at the time Superintendent or Inspector of Public Works. The shingling was probably done by Tommy Pagan, who when "doing" the term of hard labour, to which he was occasionally sentenced, used to shingle all the Government buildings. One of the men employed in erectiug the structure was Mr. Alexander Harris. Ho was a sawyer by trade. Some years later ho was at the Island of tho Kawau, of which he was reputed king, before Sir George Grey purchased it. Harris is yet residing in Auckland. The timber used in the construction of the Court-house was cut on land a few miles up the Waitemata, which had been purchased iu 1840 by a colonist from an American gentleman, at 10s. an acre. There were some 320 acres of fine forest land. The paternal Government of the day sent a boat's crew, with orders to number and measure the kauri trees, and put the broad arrow upon them. The superintendent of the work carried ont his instructions to the letter ; the timber near tho river side was cut down and brought to Auckland, and duly used for the purpose intended. The owner of the land, some time afterwards, had a Crown grant issued to him, but received no payment lor the timber which had thus been cut and taken from his land. The Supreme Court was completed in the beginning of 1842, being opened on the 28th February, in that year. The following were some of the law officials at tho time : — Chief Justice, Sir William Martin ; Attorney-general, Mr. William Swainson ; registrar, Mr. Thomas Outhwaite; High Sheriff, Mr. Jaines Coates ; Clerk of the Court. Mr. Alexander Martin ; crier, — Russell. Chief Justice Arney succeeded Chief Justice Martin. Mr. Percival Berry succeeded Mr. Coates. The gaoler was — Mcllwayn. To Mr. Russell succeeded Mr. Culpan as Crier of the Couit The first criminal sessions wero held in March of the same year 1842. Among the first trials was that of a Maori ohief, named Muketu. He waa tried for the murder of Thomas Bull, Mrs. Robertson, and two of her children, and a daughter of Contain Brend ; her mother was daughter of the friendly chief, Waka Neno. The murders were committed near tho Bay of Islands. Maketu was found guilty, condemned, and executed. The scaffold was erected in front of the Ccurt-house. It consisted of a few planks, nailed together something like a door. It was supported on one sido by hinges, on the other by a bolt. The execution took place ot 12 noon, when the ]>nsoner was pushed through a dormer window on to tho platform of the scaffold. Ho had nu other covering on than a blue banket, which slipped off as he fell. Tho rope— one end being attached to a beam over his head— wot placed round his neck, and the bolt was drawn. Slowly tho platform allowed liia body to slide down, till it was stayed by the suspending cord, and so he Was strangled. It was a horrid sight. An eye-witness, whe had previously been prosent at executions in Hobart Town, speaking of this says :— " ] never witnessed such a shocking sight before. It was the first execution I wit nesscd here, and the last— but he deserved it." A few pakehas wore present. Maketu'! father begged his remains from Governoi Mobion. They had been interred in the gaol yard, just at tho spot where lately stoo(3 Bloom's crockery shop. The Governoi granted the request, and Maketu's friend! one night removed them, and afterward! convoyed thorn to the Hay of Islands The other murderers buiied in the gaol yaw number five. Tho first *«s Burns, wlu killed the Snow family at the North Shore This mau, though buried here, was executed on the «ite of his crime, about the year 1840. William Bowden, who stabbed a blacksmitl named Dickson, formerly a soldier in th< 58th regiment. Tho crime was committee in ShorMand-stroet. He was consigned t< gaol on the 24th February, 1852, and prob ably executed shortly after waids. Charlei Marsden was the next. He killed a Maor woman somewhere near Henderson's mill, bj chopping off her bead, and was hanged 01

the 12th February, 183(5. It ia saiil \)ut when cut down there was 10 much life in him that the doctor declared he could restore him if he chose. John, popularly known ns " Tinker," White was the next He murdered a woman named Anne Fay, in Maxwell's hush, in the Kaipara district, and was executed on the 8th July, 1856. John Kieley was the last man executed here. His crime was murdering a man named Butler, an old soldier, of the 58th regiment, at Wangarei. The Court-house was used as a church by the Rev. Mr. Churton, who obtained permission to preach there until St. Paul's Cathedral was erected. The same informant who witnessed Maketu's execution tells how he remembers that a chair used to be carried into the Court-house for the accommodation of the lady of one of the officials. A native, each Sunday, brought it all the way from Freeman's Bay, her ladyship following him close, stick in hand, picking her way through the scrub, &c. "Thosewero primitive times!" he exclaims, "Oh, how changed!" The first bricks mode in Auckland were from clay dug from between tha old Supreme Court site and that of the Union Bank. A few men belonging to the 89th Regiment, under Major Bunbury, manufactured them. Across tho creek already mentioned, there was a plunk, a foot wide, thrown as a bridge for pedestrians, where Victoria-street is now. A man, who is still here doing duty, had, on one occasion, been imbibing somewhat freoly, and found himself unable to "walk the plank ;" he fell in, Hud it being, fortunately, dayligltt, escaped with- no more serious damage than a thorough ducking ; had he been in the dark, he would not improbably have lost his life. In 18(>4 the site was purchased by the Provincial (iovernnient tor the sum of £2.1,000 ; but, though purchased by the province, through some mistake in tlfo Crown Lauds department, the Crown grant was made out in favour of the city of Auckland, instead of the province of Auckland. This sum was taken from the £30,000 allotted to the City Board of Commissioners from the £500,030. In 18U5 it was handed over to them for a temporary market by Superintendent F. WJutaker, Esq., and thon the City Commissioners hail the remains of the murderers that had been buried in the yard, except those of Maketu, which had previously been removed, as already stated, to the Bay of Islands, exhumed, and re-buried within the precincts of the present gaol at Mount Eden. A gentleman, who was on the Committee of the Provincial Council at the time the purchase was lnaile, states that the Council insisted upon the then Superintendent— Mr. R. Graham — purchasing the site, as they considered it the best one for the Post Office and Government Buildings. Evidence to that effect was given, as may be seen by the Blue Book of that date. A deputation, some time afterwards, waited on Superintendent Gillies respecting this and other Crown giants— one of thorn the washing, or bleaching, green at the entrance to the Domain. The washing green endowment was given to the old City Council, as long ago as 1855 ; the grant of it is now in the hands of the present City Council. Mr. Gillies informed the deputation that it was very hard to upset a Crown grant when once made. This did not prevent him, however, from bringing in a bill to alienate the Supreme Court-house site for the benefit of the province instead of the city. It is now vested in trustees, as an endowment for education, and will, at the expiration of the leases to be sold on Wed nesday, be a permanent source of considerable income, not likely to become less as the city progresses.