NEW ZEALAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3360, 15 January 1879, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

WELLINGTON, [special to the stab.] Jan. 15. The JS'ew Zealander has a long leader justifying the conduct of the Ministry in coni' muting Welsh's sentence. It says—" It appears that Ministers are not satislied that the prisoner was in a reasonable state of mind when he committed his fatal crirue. Of com-se, when doubt once invaded the Cabinet it might safely be inferred that the culprit would nob be consigned to the scaffold. From what we know of the case, we should say that most men would be likely to decide that, if the capital punishment is to be retained at all, few cases could present stronger reasons for the sentence to be earned out ; but, after all, that is only saying that the unhappy wretch woiM have met with a sterner measure of the vengeance of the law if he had happened to fall into other hands than the existing Cabinet. The humane sympathies of the Premier will be the target at which reproaches will be hurled by those whoso temper disposes them to be adverse to the judgment of the Cabinet. It is not the first time that Sir Geo. Grey has been content to encounter a storm of dissatisfaction for preserving a fellow creature from the ignominious doom of a murderer. The case of Tricker, whom a subsequent Governor of the Colony restored to the liberty which he now enjoys, is not yet excised from his memory." The Governor and suite leave per Arawata on Feb. 21. They will probably go overland from Christchurch to the Bluff.