The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1865-07-11 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

MISSIONART.—We have had to wait for a long while I'r the details of the murder of the Rev. Carl Sylirus Volkner, the missionary in New Zealand, of which intimation cam, by the telegraph two or three months-ago. They are given with horrible minuteness in the latest letters from New Zealand. Mr. Volkner was a really good and pious man, who bad laboured for the natives with heart and hand for m t air  years, and who, it was supposed, kid secured tha... fullest confidence ard esteem. He not only attended to their spiritual wants, but he alleviated their distresses during the raging of a recent epidemic which carried off many of the tribe. He established, with the assistance of Mrs. Volkner, • school for their children, and, in fact, he acted towards them all as a kind father would have done to his own offspring. Another clergyman of the Church of England, the Rev. Mr. Grace, was also taken prisoner by these natives, and, but for the fortunate circumstance of his having been subsequently rescued by Captain Levy the master of the trading schooner Eclipse, he would most undoubtedly have shared • like fate to poor Volkner. Captain Levy has since published • narrative of the sad event, from which the following is eitracted:—"About 800 natives had now assembled, and Mr. Volkner was marched under the tree. The natives took off hie coat, vest, and shirt. which the principal chief put on, being quite pleased with the watch and chain. This chief was Kereope, of Meketn, who was travelling with the Taranakis, and a main cause of all the evil. Poor Volkner had only his flannel and trousers left to cover his nakedness. He manifested the greatest calmness throughout, and shook hands with many of the natives whilet they were tying his handkerchief over his eyes and hauling him up to the fatal branch. The natives marvelled greatly at the team running from Mr. Vollcner's eyes. They did not pinion either anus or legs, but left him to dangle for nearly an hour in the air, whilst corns of the natives were hauling at his legs to get off his boots and trousers, sharing what was in his pockets whilst he hung over them. One of the natives also put on the trousers in the dying man's presence. After letting the body hang about half an hour, it was lowered and taken to the chuich, near which they fenced i.e a place, spread the body out in the form of a cross, and proceeded to cut off he head, the body being still warm, and symptoms of life being yet apparent. The inhuman fellows next carefully cut the fle,h round the chest and back, and chopped off the neck with an old axe. The natives then formed themselves into a line, and prepared to taste the blood as it ran out of the head and body. Amongst the woolen there was a fearful scramble as to who should have the most. What blood dropped on the ground they painted their faces with. The chief Kerenpe took out the eyes with his fingers, and ate them before the crowd, in order to show them an example. The flesh of the neck was then stripped off and given to the dogs, a large number of whom *ere around the place. A fight arose amongst the dogs, and the natives threw the body to them. After it had been gnawed some time by the dogs, the natives took it up and threw it dnwn • water. closet close at hand." Were the event above described, sad as it is, a solitary one, we might fain to believe that, by destroying the actors of it, we should at the same time get rid of the evil; but such would not be the case: for Pal Merireism pervades nearly all the tribes. The troops seem to be little or no protection; and the settlers are weary of the present system of warfare, which they think only encourage* the natives to believe in our weakness. To sum up the whole of the evidence now before us, and give a correct verdict relative to the relationship of the Maori population with the European settlers' it is this—that the war for the establishment of the Qiieen's authority amongst them will 10,W have to he begun in earnest; and that what we have hitherto done has been nothing bat child's play to what we mast resort to if we wish to see her Majesty's authority in this colony fully and firmly established.