THE EXECUTION OF TAHI KAKA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 27 June 1911, Page 1

THE EXECUTION OF TAHI KAKA.

THE PUHIPUHI MURODER, ''.,,' THE RECENT PROTEST, i • (United Pbess' Association.} ' . . n TIMAB.U,. iMonday.-. At a Unitarian service .Cost night- a resolution was carnied unandmouisly ;ifti protest against, the executkin,' of Raka. The minister, the Rev. J. Gv Chappie, Siid cap'iliiiil punishment too deterrent, and -in this •case allowance ishoiyicf have bean made fox inherited .tendencies, . the accused heing & memlber of a, raca ; which had lately 'been salvage, Tha 'mover of the. resolution, dlwelt io(n itha Qafter point, and isaid the execution was more horrible than the murder. ' . WELLINGTON, Mondayi •Mr. Jellicoe, barrister, 'who represent-, ed petitioners for the reprieve of Kaka, received' the folllowing letter from his •Excellency tJhe Giovermor, to which lie forwarded the repJly appended:— . . . "23rd Jwie, 1911. "Sir, —I beg t;a inform-, you tlhat I have to-day [received a telegram from his Majesty's Secretary of 'State for the ■Colon ies requesting me to inform- youi that his. Majesty received, your petitiorii •for tiie comm/uta'tion of tlh-o death.' sentence passed' on Tahi Ka'ka, and! that his 'Majesty commands that you 'should 'bo (referred- to my "Govermmient, to wlvich has been, delegated the prerogative of mercy.;—l have the, honour focMbo, sir, ■ your obedient Govarnor." •. i • "June 26th, 1911. "Sir, —I havetihe honoiir to acflonowledge receipt of letter 'bearing to-day's 'Woliingtoai past, mark, but dated: by you from 'Government House, WeHLi.ngtioin,-Oia ' 23' rd inst., wherein you informed' me that you had l that day receivied from .the Secretary of State for the Colondesi Siis , Majesty is comma-nds t.hat I isfhould be referred to your Government df I' desired to invoke the prerogative of mercy • for the Maori ilad Tahi ~Kalka. I assufmo from this cominuniibatioai—(l) That hit* Majesty couild traot (have '■tw'eii aware when lie communicated', hi* .gracious command to you that your on t/hie very d;mv it became known* ,tha|t I had cabled petitioning for nhe" ■ cotmam---. --, tabion of the .death setratence actually fix- J cd the executik'n to taike pCiaiee at eight o'clock on'the following moauidin'g, or that ' inimediatetly the execution ..was .so fixed I informed you of the petition' and asked you to delay the execution, for:a. few hours to enaiblie itJhe King's -pleasure to "be . known, or that you ignored my request, aind despatched' tlhe hoy tand never -so m'ueh as acknowledge tne.a-ecedpt of my communicatii'cn and (2) t'hat hia Majesj ty's comnnandis lovidleiotlliy contemplate I that your Government, as 'delegate© of the prerogative of mieu-cy land, sole airbiters of iLife and death, would affc|r.'a> me the opportunity of applying for the exercise or that pueirogative, a.nd -.would l consider any proper grounds I might desire tc) urge. How can your 'Government 1 now allow this to be done, isecdinjg. that' with sudh very •nn-saemlly hast© tthe life" j of the 'boy has "been' taken, and.', what' j use i.ni 'the~c.ii-cumstaiices ds youa- leltitier of ■ to-<daiy commuiiiicatiinig to ane hi® (Majesty's commainds? -I liave the ilucinour to • request that you wiHl comimunJoiiido llhis, mry to "the. Secretan.'y of >St;;lle for tliie Coloniies for submissionj to his Majesty in order tliat Hs MajeMn- may to hiaide aware elf the treatmient my petition, has received, and the manner 'dm which his delegates of 'the pa-erogaitiv« of mercj* exercise that prerogative in rtSio cos© of a defenioaless chdild of seventeen! yeans of age, who atos cintly n:ine degi-ee removed fromt a savage, a.nd whom t'lito jn-Tiy. o,a the evidienee had, in fact, aiecommended to mercy.—l have the honouir to be, yew obedjieint servant— E. Q. J-qflllicoej"-