THE MURDER OF MR VOLKNER.

West Coast Times, Issue 172, 7 April 1866, Page 3

THE MURDER OF MR VOLKNER.

In the Supreme Court at Auckland, oil the 27th ult , before the Chief Justice Sir George Arney, Mokomoko, Heremita Rahupaia,Hakaroia te lluhim, Paioa Taia, and Ponetito, aboriginal nativVs. were indicted for the murder, on the 2nd March". 1*65, of the 1 Rev Carl Sylvius Votkilef j at Opotiki. , ' Mr Brookfield and Mi' Wy'nn prosecuted, and Mr Carnell defended the prisoner*.

The prisoners in this case comprise, two persons, Paioa and Benetito, who are boys ; liereinita and Ilukaraia are natives of the most savage type of power and physical proportions, but apparently of the smallest intellectual calibre ; Mokomoko is a littto man, of intelligent expression, but with eyes of restless cunning* which betray a latent treachery of disposition ; although the upper face is exceedingly' good, there is the usual heavy and sensuai iriotlth. Mr H. T. Clark, R.M. and Civil Commissioner, proved on oath certain plans that had been" made by him of the Opotiki district. The Rev. Mr Grace was examined, and his statement was precisely the saitfe as that given on two previous occasions'. The witness accompanied the late Mr Volkner to Opotiki, in the schooner Eclipse, on the last day of February, 1865, arriving at Opotiki on the Ist of March. Several nntiyes boarded the schooner, who were followed by a second band of natives, who ordered all on board to, go ashore. The Europeans were taken to the Roman Catholic chapel, subsequently to a house where there was evidently a meeting going on, and where they were told to remain outside. A man named Robert appeared to bo a leader amongst the Maoris. Mr Volkner and the witness were placed in close confinement, in a house. On the 2nd of March Mr Volkner was taken out and hanged. Witness saw Mokomoko in the procession of natives who led Mr Volkner out. w itness afterwards took the body of Mr Volkner out of a water-closet, aud assisted to bury it. The witness do posed to seeing Heremita, but he would not swear to him positively. Joseph Jacns, a Portuguese (who was examined in Maori because ho said no understood that language better than English and quite as well as his own), stated that he saw the murder of Mr Volkner. Mokomoko carried the rope. Hakaraia and Heremita were also in the procession. A native named Kuihura put the rope round Mr Volkner's neck. This native was not in custody. Penotito was in tho procession. Tho witness saw the body hanging, and afterwards taken down. It was quite dead.

Waipea, one of the Ngatiawas, residing in Whakatane, said he was at Opotiki „ when Mr Volkner arrived there. Remembered seeing Mr

Volfcnef hi confinement. His hands iiVe're not confined Uerniitu took Mr Volknei' out of the prison-house, and delivered liiixi «Van armed- party. Heremiia met the prisoner Hafteruia While leading Mr Volkner. Both ifiei! led' him in front of an armed party of which Mokomoko had the command Meremita was on the light hand of Mr Volkner', Hnkaraia on the Jeft, Mokomoko initnediately behind with the rope, and then an dVmed party marched behind. The witness did not hee Paora or Peftetfto ih the 1 tprocesß(on.t procesB(on. The armed party tool* $TV Volkuer r to a willow tree in an enclosure, and hung him. Witness did not see the head cut off, but saw the body afterwards without a head. Paoi was repeating the orders of Kereopa, and conducting some services.

The witness was cross-exanvned at considerable length by Mr Carnell, tfitti a' v&vty to elicit his own part in these transactions, but he denied per« sistently that he waft <m£ of tho armed party, and said he was riot' prudent when Kereopa gave the order that Mr Volkner should be killed.

Wiremu Te Paki deposed that Mr Volkner was confined in hit) house, lie corfobofated the preceding witnesses iv their account of the tragical occurrence, and *lii& that the inuider was committed in obedience to orders of Kercopa," who' commanded that Mr Volkner ahoulii b 6 murdered as a sacrifice to tho god. the Witness described the conduct of the priaotiar'y W itii ss. saw To Ika and Wihura cut the head/ off in the church.

The witness described the manner in which tho body of the unfortunate gentleman was put into the privy. The murderers dug a space outside the house and then shoved the body in. The witness, in cross-examination, said that Waipea who had given evidence 1 for the prosecution came to that part of the country witfr Kereopa ; that Waipea wn^, as it were; second in command to Kereopa. Witness, however, did not see Waipea fulfil all Kereopa's | orders. Waipea used to sing the fol- ; lowing song :—: — Ka mato, ka inatd ; Ka ova, ka ora. (Ropoateu 1 .) Which, interpreted, is — It inuy 'jo killed, it may ba saved j It may be killed, it may be saved. Tenei Wngatrt puburu nana i tiki, Mai wliuka white te ra opane, upane, Kau pane whaka white te rn, [tfnANSLATION ] He wilt tHe, he will die ; lie will live, he will Jive. (Rdpelnv.) This is tho hairy toua that caused' the sun to ttbine ; Save him, savo him, save him, and let the' sun shine on, Waipea sang the song in the church j just before orders were given to bring Mr Volkuer into Zion (tho church). Kereopa and Waipea arrived iv that part of the country a low days before Mr. Volkner arrived. / Tn'e' case f'6r the prosecution had not concluded when' the Court rose — at a quarter past seven" o'clofek.-

A Birmingham papor announces that tho wire antl principal material for tho now Atlantic cable aro being manufactured iv that town. Tho cable will bo laid down iv tho couvao of tho ensuing summer. The Huuao of Lords having dooided that ho Liverpool docks woro liable to bo rated for tho support of tho poor, tho board have paid over to tho select vestry the sum of £20,580, as well as £186 for law expenses incurrod by tho vestry iv connection with the question of tbo board's liability since 1858. A considerable reduction is expeoted to take shortly at tho royal arsenal, Woolwich — more especially in tho carnage department. An order has been issued, directing that a number of foremen aud loading hands aro to be reduced to a lower grade, with, a correspond* ing docreaso of pay, A now screw steam vos'sel, to bo constructed on the principlo of Mr Reed, chief constructor of tho royal navy, and to bo named the Plover, is about to bo laid down at Deptford dockyard, The council of tho Printers' Pension corporation has decided on electing ton out of j thirty-Uireo candidates for tho Printers' Pension fund of tho abovo corporation — tho ! election taking place at tho London Tavern, on Monday, tho sth March noxt.