TAHI KAKA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9540, 17 June 1911, Page 5

TAHI KAKA.

HIS FATE TO BE DECIDED TO-DAY.

(Feb Pbess absooiation.i

.WELLINGTON, June 16. A deputation from tho Trades Council waited on tho Acting-Primo Minister. *r ol m ?'• arro "> an( l l|l- g ec l tho reprieve of Tain Kaka, the Maori youth sen-' tenced to death for the murder of Freeman at Puhipuhi. . Mr Carroll said tho Executive, in setting aside, tho jury's recommendation to, mercy, -had evidence before them, together with the judge's report, and arrived at tho decision after careful deliberation that the strongest argument' in favour of a. ropriove was Kaka's youth, for the evidence disclosed that the murder was deliberate. Mr Carroll said he had received telegrams and petitions from all parte of the Dominion, and the Executive wouid carefully consider the question this evening. He.could assure them this was a painful position for anyone to be put in, but they had a responsibility to.discharge and had to seo the law properly administered and not deflected from it's course unless for very' strong reasons. He could assure them his mind : was freo from bias arising from tho.fact that he belonged to the race from which Kakasprang. ■■ Later in the day the Governor' presided over a mooting of the executive'to coneider the petitions, but a''decision'was postponed. So many .petitions; anil letters and telegrams have been received from all over tho Dominion, but particularly from Auckland, that it was impos- ■ siblo to have them listed and counted. .'- ' * Tho : Executive will sit at 10 o'clock tomorrow. ' , _ The Hon. D. Butldo brought .'a largely'igned petition to .'Wellington from Auckland. Alb the members' of the Cabinet,, with tho exception of the Hon. D.-Buddo, ■' w !j?', '©Vcning ■ for G'hristchurch, : ;wdl bo ..in" Wellington to-morrow. DEATH.PENALTY.' ' ■"'; MASTERT.ON; June 16, At a .largely-attended public nieeiing '.hold lioi'D.to-night to;hear ari "address ■■ bvProfessor Mills, of tho United Slates, tho following resolution ."'..was. .this..Maslcrton, ofcitizens 'enters'. its protest against-;;, giving effect io the sentence of death paM^l.;!on:^tlio^young.iMaoriCT((hi^ Kaka, of::tho";Aiiclclaiiclclisfcricti:.ahci ;consiclers that the time has longsince arrived when this so-called punishment should, be : abolished. ■S.7 % KAIvA'S CONDITION. . ' :Tahi Kaka is said ■ to' be .terribly . de--]o€ted. His counsel paid him a visit in tho; condemned cell, the pitchy darkness of which was only relieved .■by'lii giittering candle. His brother, who 'lias booh , ill' in the' hospital, ' had a painful interview : .with .the condemned youth,. who scarcely sleeps, often being awakc>ofe:,tha^;haif; the night, ■ Ho does not emoko, and scarccly touches .his food. Ho constantly pores , over his Biblo and prayer-book by tho dim light of his solitary candle. According. ■to the gaol officials, tho unfortunate yontir |s in the depths of despair, suffering mcst , -.terribly and'far from callous in . view, of the fate' before him. ■'