WELLINGTON EXTRACTS. (From the Spectator, April 21.)

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 309, 16 May 1849, Page 3

WELLINGTON EXTRACTS. (From the Spectator, April 21.)

Execution — On Thursday morning Maroro, convicifcd of the murder of John Branks, underwent the extreme penal'y of the law. Tne prisoner, who since his convic'ion has been attended by M >ns. Le Comte, the Roman Catholic clergyman, in some letters written to his relatives at his dictation, and at his express request on the day previous to his execu'ion, and alsi in a letter addressed to his Exceile icy the Lieutenant Governor, fully confessed his Rtult, and declared that he alone was concerned in th se murders, the chief motive wh'ch iniluced him to commit §o dreadful a crime beine; the desire of revenging himself, or of obtaining uiu or satisfaction for his previous impiisonnient. Hi il^o execu ed some rude drawings, four in number, of the murders, which, from their accuracy in describing the locality, and the relative position of his victims nfter the commission of the crime, c >ul<l leave no d >übt of his guilt. The fatal scaffold had been erected on Wednesday afternoon, immediately outside the wall of the gaol, ard looking towards Lambton Harbour. Soon after seven o'clock on Thursday mo>ni'»g groups of persons began to assemble m front of the scaffold, and the numbers increased until, as the fatal hour approached, there were about five hundred ICisons present, a considerable portion of whom w r Maoriea, and of these the greater number were women : we 1 egret to be obliged to add that several white women weie also among the spectators. A company of the 65'h Regiment were on duty, and a s rong party of the Armed Police were also on the ground. At eight o'clock the priioner was led out in custody of the p >l,ce, having hU arms pinioned, and habited in a pair of trovTsers, and a white ihirt which he wore over his otliT clothes ; he was attended or the Rev. M. Le Comte, U. St. Hill, Esq , the Sher ff, and the Rev. R Cole, Colonial Chaplain, were al*o present. On reaching the scuffold Mon«. Le Comte and prisoner knelt down together in earnest pra)er, after which the exeeutionar adjusted the fatal noose, and d.ew the cap over the prisoner's face : the Rev. R. Cole then read to the a sembied muliitude the following statement.: — " Tne crimin-il now about to undergo the sentence of the law fo' the crime of murder, not being able to (xpress himself in E iglish, I say for him that ha confessse to the o-uilt of the charge for which he has been condemned to die ; that he alone is guilty of the deed ; that he in> cu'patei no other peism whatever; that he acknowledges the justice of the sentence ; and dies at peace wth all men." Everything being in readiness, the drop then fell, and the wretched criminal was launched into eternity. At first he struggled violently, but afcer a short internal his struggles ceised, and lite appeared to be extinct. After haugmg the usual time tha bod/ was taken down, and a f terwards buiied m the cemetery, that part of his sentence, •* thut his body shou'd be buried wuhin the precincts of the gaol," having been remitted by the Lieutenant-Governor, the gaol having been destroyed by the earthquakes.

Translation or his Confession. Tl*s is my contess'on to you all : — 1. I alone killed the white man; no one was with me; no Maori knew that I whs going to kill white men, nor did any European know. 2. The cause of my committing the murder was on | account of my confinement in gaol ; also, on account of the monfy, the watch, the draweis, and the cup. 3. I never saw him, or spoke to him before ; I had uo ill will towards him. 4. It was not from having seen him before that I decided on killing him (on the contrary). 5. On the third day (Wednesday) I derided upon killing a white man ; oh that same day I went from Wellington to the Porirua Road at five o'clock in the evening; the white people had finished their work ; I was in the bush a little on this side Mr Cole's church ; I slept there ; in the morning Iw, nfc to the Kenepuru. At the TokeiU Ko Mania saw me, and we went on together ; it was tlien I found the ate at the lOnepuiu. I Then returned alone wit'i the axe, and came to the house of the « hiteman that was killed b tween seven and eight o'clock; it had been dark some time; I killed the whteman; no Maori knew of what 1 had done. 6. After I h<d killed the whiteman I returned to Wellington. I met one whiteman near Kaiwarawaia who arked me where I was going ; I said I was g( i>g to Petoui, to the pa of Te Puni ; this was all we^suid. I came on, and finally slept at the rone building a little above Raunma (or Tiakiwai ) I slept there alone. In the morning, at eight o'clock, Icaneto Te Aro. I mrt one pol.cenaaii, an European. I did not tell -either Maori or European of what I h d don . All that J said wt« with ref-rence to the watch, which I said brlonged to my brother. Alter I left the gaol I mrtTauteka, who gave me some loaves (bread), and we ate together, and tore up an old banket. 1 never said th.it I would commit suicide. I shall write no more beyond what I have addressed t) the Governor. Tins is all. Entertainment to Native Chiffs —On Tv sday evening last on entertainment was given by Dr Fitzgerald to the native chiefs in this and the neighbouring districts, lor the puipose of d.>ing honou< to the portrait ot the Queen, winch had been picented bj E»rl Grey to the Colonial Hospiml at Wellington. Tins has perhaps been the occasion nf the mo'-t important and mfl ienti.il gathering of natives in this settle ment, embiacing the principal chiefs of the different tribes along the coat as far ai Manawatu, many oi whom cime a distance of sixty miles to be present ai this entertainment. The room was ta«tefully decorated with fljwers and the froi-ds of the tree firn ; at the end of the room was su>pended the poi trait of her Mnje.ty, b.itig a proof impiession from the celebrated mezzot m

engraving: of Cousins after Hayter's picture representing the Queen in her rolie* of state, and ca'culnled, from the accessories introduced into the picture, to impress the naiives with some idea of the pomp nnd circumitance attendant on Majesty. The portimtwas surmounted by a crown of dahlias, and on eitlicr side were suspended meres aud other native weapons. The following chiefs Were present:— Te Puni, Henere. of Pifone ; Matahiwi, Te Krpa of Waiwetu ; E. Tako, Manihera, Te Watrne, of Ngaurangn; II nure Te Keha, of Queen Cha lotte's Sound ; E. Kuri, of Kaiwnrawam; Moturoa, Poruln, Ihaia E Ing', of Pipitea; Mohi, Te Retimona, Ilemi, of To Aro ; Kaparateliau, of the Ilutt ; Kirikaramu, of Ohariu; Watarauhi, Rawiri Pua'ia, Mohi, Porirua; Ropotn, of Wainui; A ram a Karakn, of Whareroa ; Toheroa, of Uruht; Tuainae, Fi*ai Te Ahu, of Waikanae; Te Mutiu, Te Puke, Te Rauparaha, Te Aliu, flakaraia, Tamehana, Matene, of Otaki ; Watanui, of Ohau ; Taiatoa. of Manawatu, &c , and m«ny Europeans, in« eluding the Rev. Archdeacon Hadfield, H. St. Hill, Esq., Resident Magistrate, who acted as V.cc Chairman, G. J Thomas, E*q.. H. TacyKemp E.q , Native Secretary, Dr. Mouteith, T. Ifrzgeral I, W. Mantel!, J. Dei-rhton, Esq^s., &c, were abi among the invited, gucs'°. At ha 1 /- pint six the gucsfs sat down to a verysubstantial and excellent dinner, which had been laid, oat ill every respect as if t 1 r European guests only. The chiefs were all well dressed in European costume, with the exception of two, who ins'end of coats wore very handsome kaitaka mats; and they behaved with, (rreat decorum and gravity, observing the usual courtesies of the dinner table, including the custom of taking wine with the pakeha and with each other. After d.nmr the health of the Qu en was drunk with great enthusiasm, the Maories cheering in true English, fashion. To thia toast succeeded the heaths of Prince Albert and the Royal family, of Earl Grey, of Six George G-ey 'he Governor-in-Chief and of Mr. Eyre tiie Lieutenant-Go vci nor of Naw Zealvnd, which were also very cordially received, particularly the heallbj.of the Cover or-in-Chief. In pioposing Earl Grey's health, Dr. Fitz2erald renvnled tin nafves that th<;y owed to his lordship's regard for th m and solicitude for their we'fare, the portrwit of the Qusen wliich they now saw before them, and that nothing would be more pleasing to him than to know they were adopting those customs of their Wnite neighbours which would increase their comfort and happiness, and promote their advancement in civiliz aion. Dr. Fiizjjerald then propos'd the following toast, "The Pakeha and the Maoii, ii ay they continue to live together p?ace,ibly, that they mwy have but one mind and one desire for the good of th s country." Tuis sentiment was enthusiastically received, and appeared to call forth the warmest sympathies ot the assembled chiefs, who vied wi'h each other in expreßßing their satiifaction at the friendly rela'i>ns which existed between the iw ) races, and their earnest desire that mutual goodwill should continue to prevail between them. They said that the enteitamment given them by Dr. Fitzgerald was not only a proof of the good feeling of the pakeha towards them, hut had the further good effect of bunging together in social contact tribes that had formeily been hostile to eich other, but who were niw anim ted solely witb the desire of joining together with the Pakeha* in their allegiance to the Queen, and of living pe,veably under the protection of the laws. Alluding to the recent murders, they exprested, in the most emphatic manner, their deep abhoirence of the crime, and their conviction that the murderer lud been fairly tried, and justly deserved to de. Other toasts were also drank, including the hea'tli of their Host and Doctor, and success to th.Colonial Hospital, which was projosed by E Tako, and the health of their friend and benefactor the Hey. O. Hadfi^ld, who they welcomed once more among them with every demomtration of respectful hff'Ction. The guests rose to depart a little after ten o'clock, highly gratified; and we have every re.ison to congratulate Dr. Fitzgerald in having d ne a good wmls, the effect of winch cannot fail to be hi«hly beneficial in strengthening the kindly foe'ings which exist between the two races. The last instalment on ace-'U.it of tha Porirua district, and the third instalment on account of the Wairau, weie p'lid by the Locil G)vernment to the natives on Thursday last. There are two yearly instalments sti 1 due on account of Ihe Wairau. The usual half yeaqy inspection of troops took place on Thorndon flat on Wednesday, wh°n tbe 65 h Regiment was reviewed by Lieut. -Col. M'Cleverty, the Officer command ng the Tio ps in the Southern Province. The troops went through ths nsual evolutions, a id at the conclusion of the review the Commanding OTicer expressed to Lieut. -Co 1 . Gold ard the OHicers t>e satisfaction he felt at the high state of discipline a id sold erly appeamnc? of the n gimen I.1 '.