TRIAL OF NATIVE MURDERERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1614, 15 February 1866, Page 3

TRIAL OF NATIVE MURDERERS.

The Southern Cross of Feb. 7 says :— " The natives sentenced to death at a courtmartial at Opotiki for the murder of Mr. Fulloon and the crew of the cutter Kate, have been brought to Auckland for trial. They were taken before the Resident Magistrate on the 6th instant, and remanded until Wednesday, the 14th. Thirty-one prisoners were brought up, the like number of native witnesses, several Europeans, and a strong guard of the Ist VVaikato regiment. "It • will thus be seen that our practice with regard to prisoners and murderers is somewhat changeable. The Kawau gentry we allowed to escape; two natives found guilty in the Supreme Court of an atrocious murder are pardoned by the Governor: thirty-one found guilty by court-martial are sent to the Supreme Court to be tried afresh; the prisoners on board the late prison-ship at Wellington, make their escape; and a number of others are from time to time pardoned to be met with again in arms against us. And this is the way we impress upon the minds of the Maori a due sense of the vast importance and value and dignity of law and order. Of course the Maoris laugh at Sir George Grey, and use very, impolite expressions respecting him. But is it any wonder that they do this ? SUBMISSION OF A HAU-HAU PROPHET. The Southern Cross of the 6th of February says :—" We learn from a private letter received from Taranaki that Te Ua, the prophet of Hau-hauism, has lately shown symptoms of gettiDg into his right mind. He has expressed several times to Mr. Parris his wish to come in and live quietly in some of the settlements. Bat he seems alone in this determination, and the-more zealous Hau-haus of the district, disgusted at the apathy of their former leader, have put forward a Ngatiruanui chief as the new head of the religion."