The Miner. — 1863-05-30 (London, England)

NEW ZEALAND.  The Wellington Independent reports a terrible tragedy in the Canterbury provinces :—" On Friday last some rumours of a, series of murders at Amuri, near Kai Boras, were bruited abroad, but we were unable to obtain full and reliable particulars until Saturday morning, when Captain Davidson, of the schooner Randolph, who had recently arrived from the Kai Boras, furnished us with full details of the horrible occurrence. The following are the particulars, as prepared from the captain's statement. The schooner Randolph left Kai Koras about ten days ago, and just before her departure the tragedy took place. About seventy persons in all were collected at Amuri, in expectation of the arrival of a steamer from Lyttelton, which was to take away 500 bales of wool. Some of the party were Europ2ans, and the rest were mainly Maories belonging to the neighbourhood. The first news of the event was brought to Mr. Fyff's station on Friday morning, the 27th of February, by a chief named Saul, who had galloped from Amuri, a distance of 18 miles, without drawing bridle. From his statement, it would appear that seven of the natives slept in a hut together, and on that morning, about two o'clock, when all were hushed in sleep, a Maori, named Duff, arose softly from beside his companions, and, creeping stealthily in the darkness, emerged from the hut, reached the cook's fire-place, and possessed himself of a spade. Armed with this weapon, which was worn sharp at the edges by use, he crept cautiously back to where his unconscious countrymen lay, and, fearful to relate, contrived, before they could defend themselves, to kill two of them. It is almost incredible, but nevertheless perfectly true, that he literally severed the heads from the bodies of his victims. The spade was sharp —the objects of his attack lay prostrate—and the foul deed was accomplished in a style which would have done credit to an English headsman of the olden time, or a modern Chinese executioner in constant practice. The next victim was partially awake are attacked, and instinctively, blanket in hand, uplifted his arms to ward off the blow. Crash! it came down on his temple, inflicting a fearful cut, and driving the blanket deep into the wound. Stunned and bleeding, the unfortunate man fell, so seriously injured, that he is not expected to recover. This triple immolation seemed but to add fresh fury to the human butcher. Like a Malay runninc, a•muck, the blood of his victims only seemed to whet his appetite for more. The previous events had occurred amidst perfect silence. The murderer never spoke—the night was pitch dark, and, beyond the dull crunching sound of the blows, each of which may almost be said, sent a human being into eternity, nought had occurred to break the stillness of the night or arouse the sleepers to a sense of their impending danger. But as he attacked a fourth of their number the noise roused the others ; but, ere the assassin was secured, he had inflicted some ghastly wounds on the man's shoulder and thigh. A hasty council of war was held; Duff was lashed to a tree, and the chief, Kai Kora, decided to inflict summary punishment, by spearing him at once. This decision would have been carried into effect but for the Europeans, who by this time had assembled, and insisted that the prisoner should be given up to the nearest magistrate. A message was accordingly despatched for G. Keane, Esq., J.P., who shortly afterwards arrived, and the latest intelligence at the time of the Randolph's departure was, that Duff was kept in custody.  SOUTH PAM'S MINING COMPANY (LIMITED).—Gooq