The Evening Post. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1871.

Evening Post, Volume VII, Issue 249, 25 November 1871, Page 2

The Evening Post. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1871.

This news of the capture of Kereopa by Major Ropata.is without doubt one of the most .welcome bits of intelligence in conuecfcion with native matters that has been received for some time, and our gallant native ally deserves the most sincere ihanks of all New Zealand. There can be too no doubt of the correctness of the telegram, coming from the source it does, and it is, therefore., all the more satisfactory. Now that the villain has been caught, the next thing to be considered is what will be done with him. The policy of conJiliatipn has beenso peisistently exercised by , the present Ministry, that it is by ho means impossible they will seek to save this savage's .life, and after a. few years of incarceration, turn him adrift again;' 'It 'has been stated in such a manner as to; leave little doubt of the truth of the announcement that the whole of the native prisoners now undergoing sentence in the Du,nedin gaol are to be released at Christmas. Among these,' are many seriously implicated in some, of the most brutal nmrders that took place during the last outbreak, and also some who, though it was not proved, unquestionably committed, or aided

in committing, actual assassination. Still, we hear that they are to ba discharged, their only punishment—a year or two's imprisonment. If we may judge from this it is extremely improbable, as far as the Ministry c?h help it, that Kereopti's vile life will be in danger, though if there ever was gallo svs-f v uit ripe for plucking he is a fine sample. Only two days ago we republished a brief account of the horrible murder of the Rev. Mr. Volkner, with its 'fiendish accompaniments. This Kereopa was the guiding spirit on that occasion, and he it was who organised the hell's sacrament that followed on the. murder. We need not sicken our readers again with its details : no doubt they are fresh in every one's memory. Our late reference to them was only to show that Te Wepiha, one-of the principal actors in the tragedy in question, has since been gazetted for a IsTew Zealand Wai.* Medal; if such decorations are to be bestowed on a subordinate, what extra honor may not the principal look for 1 The public of the Colony will watch with no small interest for the result, but. we should hardly think that even Mr. M 'Lean will dare to interfere" on this occasion between the law and its legitimate prey. There is not in Kereopa one redeeming trait; there has scarcely been a more hideous and unprovoked murder committed, even amongst the horrors that have been enacted by the natives of New Zealand, and ; unless justice, swift, stern, and inflexible, overtakes this man, the feeling already existing as to the light manner in which the Government regard the lives of colonists, when sacrificed by native assassins, will be greatly strengthened. The murderers of poor Todd, whose, only offence was obeying the orders of the Government, are still at large,and though promises without number have been made that justice would be done, it certainly has halted on the way,and it is not at all probable that it will ever reach the guilty as long as the present Ministers are in office. If any weakness of'the kind is shown on this occasion, it will disgrace New Zealand in the eyes -of,the world. The revolting details of Mr. Volkner's murder are known wherever the.English language is spoken;- Kereopa is known to have been the arch-fiend on the occasion; his guilt can very easily be proved beyond the shadow of doubt, and there cannot be the slightest plea for mercy set up on his behalf. It is to be hoped that in disposing of him the greatest promptitude will be shown. If necessary, a special commission might be held, for, the speedier the retribution, the greater the effect on the native mind. We would suggest, providing the prisoner gets his deserts^ that he should be hanged in DunedinGaol, and that his countrymen should be invited to witness the ceremony. Amongst them are many sympathisers and disciples, very probably participators in the crime for which he would in that case suffer. If the. Christmas release takes place,, as alleged, probably the time would be too short to enable such an arrangement to be carried out, but if not if would be a most desirable and wholesome one. There is a bound to even the extreme patience of humanity. The guilt of this man is notorious, and though, in order to do strict justice, the formality of a trial is indispensable, enough is known to render it unnecessary to have any delicacy in speaking of the case prior to that-trial taking place. We shoujdf think that even Ministers must think Kereopa,, deserving of .his probable fate; and that even an Exeter Hall philanthropist of the most ultra school could not raise his voice to save such a thousand times dyed scoundrel, bufc after past experience we shall be surprised at nothing that our present rulers do. It is a.pity that Te Kooti was not captured at the same time, so that the two villains could be disposed of together, and their villanous careers be closed simultane-. ously; Let;us hope that the latter will not much longer elude his pursu'erSj'and that he will not for a further period be the hero of so many narrow escapes as have been already reported. In the meantime one 'of the .pair is secure, and the Colony will be relieved by such instalment. ' -