NEW CALEDONIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1305, 21 January 1868, Page 3

NEW CALEDONIA.

We hnvo to band copies of the Moniteur de Iα Noitrcttc CaJedonie, which contain detailed accounts of the murders and outrages committed by the natives in October last. The culprits were brought before the Tribunal Criminal on the 12th of December, and formally arraigned upon charges of having committed various crimes against the lives and properties of the Kuropean residents. The number of persons implicated in these crimes was about thirty. After a technical discussion as to tho manner in which tho answers to tlic arraignment, whether from each prisoner singly, or from one representing particular groups, the trial proceeded. The account given by the Moniteur of this outburst of native fury is interesting, which we reproduce lor the benefit of our renders in an abridged form. On the night of the sixth of October last, and the following night, threes daring crimes were committed: the first being the murder of two constables named Bailey and "Venturini; the second was the robbery of a house and storo at a place calledjplarsance, the assassination of two children ; a murderous assault on n woman named Demcrc, and two other children ; the murder of several Kanaeks and Sandwich Islanders; and a murderous attack upon the house of a Mr. Henry, jtinr., nud live or six servants of the house, ending with robbery, and ultimately burning the house. This last occurred at a place called Oubiitclic. In about fortyeight hours, the infuriated natives carried destruction far and wide, the number of the assailants wero about 300 persons all told. The main features of these outrages are the same as one would expect to proceed from savages. of those natives were eiiher employed as domestic servants, or were suffered to come about the house of their victims, who paid liberally for odd services. First calling for admission at the dend of night, upon various pretexts the windows or doors were opened, to them unsuspectingly, and the work of blood the wretches had projected was easily accomplished. The value of the articles taken away was too small to account for the motive to the atrocities committed, and the whole business would appear to have been previously concerted to destroy the white population on the island. It did not appear upon the inquest which followed that the 1" uropeaus had done anything to arouse the resentment of the natives. Bailey the oilleer in command of Boivou is said to have been personally well liked by the black people. He had, however, made certain reprisals upon a set oi' thieves, but that enterprise is described as a just punishment of a set of wretches who were a terror to the whites by their thievish propensities and indecencies. It is said that the more probable cause of these murders and robberies was the fear that further concessions of land would be made to luiropeans other than those already settled in the island. The natives had previously presented a petition to the Governor which aflbrdsground for the inference that such was the motive of those crimes. It is, however, due to a large section of the natives to say that they disapproved and reprobated the acts of their fellow countrymen. The ringleaders appear to be a native named Pierre and a black j named " Napoleon,"* chief of tho tribe of Pucbo, who were heard to repeat that Bailey, I'emere, and Henry and their families should be got rid of. The witnesses at the trial appeared to agree that the raid was projected and promoted by these two ruffians. Seven of them have confessed to the murder of Bailey, the commandant of the station. But most of the accused did not attempt to deny their complicity in the acts of murder and robbery with which they wore charged. But the slaughter of the children of the IJemere family appears to have been the most savage and relentless deed thntcven savages could commit. The following are the formal accusations made by the criminal tribunal.

Benjamin Keela, David Pouindi, Calendi T)cChaurboine,Lanil>oine,and Gienue, were charged with having murdered by means of hatchets and bludgeons the commandant Bailey, and constable Venturini attached to the station at Puebo which being proved makes them amenable to death by the guillotine. Pierre, De Bouhalate, Poninde, were charged with the murder of the Demene family. Gienue vnis charged with the murder of the Kanaka woman at Galarie. Harry and ('ubafcche were charged with the murder of the Sandwich Islanders, which being proved they are punishable with death. A native named Yarnnete was proved to have been guilty of the death of Mr. Jimcor The other offences arc of less jiagnitude, bnt had the prisoners been tried by the Knglish lanall would have been held to have been guilty of murder. Under the French penal code the qualification " with aggravating circumstances, and premeditation," is very comprehensive and greatly influences the determination of the tribunals. The natives are described in the arraignments as having beenanned withhatchets, bludgeons, and weapons of various kinds. But though v/eliave very minute details of thenature of the crimes charged, and the facts connected with them, it does not appear that the trials have restilted in any positive finding. It is said that there are many more natives charged with complicity who have not been arrested, and that the interests of justice require that there should be some delay. Upwards of one hundred natives are known to have been mixed up with these transactions. But there are some darker features connected with these tragic occurrences. We hear from a reliable source that a priest has incurred the suspicion of the Government as either having an interest in the land matter 3 which have caused the disturbance, or for some other purpose taking sides with some of the parties. It is also rumoured that one of the witnesses had been poisoned, and the ntatement lias been made with such importunity that the Government have determined to exhume the body. The whole thing is involved in mystery. It is a mistake, the statement that has been published in Auckland, that the accused persons had been guillotined. _ On the contrary the Government have determined to postpone the trials for three months, in order to procure further evidence. There are one hundred natives in prison, but it is said that prison life has a most destructive effect upon them, and that they are dying very fast. At present the case has assumed a most serious aspect, and if it should appear that the suspicions of the Government have been well founded, we may expect to hear more interesting news shortly.