Evening Post. FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1889. BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 75, 29 March 1889, Page 2

Evening Post. FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1889. BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

It it highly satisfactory to find that tho murderer of the Pook family at Waipiro has beon brought to justice. At first tore seemed very little prospect of Win. The crime was committed 'n fc remote district, and ample time had boon allowed the perpetrator to mako good his eßcape. Tho trail wan, however, woll followed up, and a chain of circumstances, each link email in itself, has been wonnd round the murdorer in coils which it haß proved impossible for him to break. The whole oaß ,o is. in fact, a very strong ontt, and the ovidenco will satisfy every sensible man, as it has Ratisficd a Gisborne jury and Mr. Justice Richmond, that the wretched Maori who was yesterday sentenced to de&'th is the real murderer of Mr and Mrs. Pook and their child. The triple ratrdor waa committed, apparently, partly from a sordid motive, to cover a robbery, and partly for mere lust of blood. Tho poor little boy could aoarcely have interfered to prevent tho robbery, and he must have been killod from pure wantonness. The police deserve great orodit for the way ia whioh. they got together the evidence which brought the orime home to its author, but it would be wrong to pass over in silence the admirable assistance given by tho natives of tho district. Without their hearty cooperation it would have been impossible to have obtained a conviction It will be remembered that the principal chief of tho distriot was in Wellington when the crime was committed, that his suspicion at once fell on the man now proved guilty, and that he immediately returned to the district, promising to givo the authorities every assistance in finding the murderer This pledge he and his people have nobly fulfilled, the murderer's own immediate relatives even showing their detestation of the crime, and their respect for the law, by giving evidence of the most damning oharaoter where an attempt to shield him might almost have been excusable. A few years ago in this district, Kaera Pebe would probably have passed amongst the natives as a kind of hero, instead of their assisting to hnnt him down and hand him over to tho doom of tho law, for the crimo he committed. The change which has taken place is a most remarkable ono, and extremely satisfactory. Wo trußt the Government will take care to suitably express their opinion of the excellent manner in which the natives have acted in this matter. Their conduct, indeed, demands substantial recognition. No European community could have behaved better.