ASSAULT CHARGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 16, 20 October 1942, Page 5

ASSAULT CHARGE

TWO MAORIS FINED

OFFENDERS LONG JJ ST

Walter John Biddle (Mr B. S. Barry) appeared in the Whakatane Court before Messrs G. A. Brabant and J. King, J.P's, yesterday morning pleading guilty to a charge of assault involving a young Maori girl Polly Ilape of Te Teko. Sergeant Farrell in evidence stated that the girl concerned was employed by a farmer at Te Teko with whom she had come into town for the purpose of being outfitted. Riddle had met her and had refused, to let her return, saying that she was his adopted sister and that he was responsible for her. The girl herself had been willing to return. Her employer had finally grown tired of the argument and left her in town. With Biddle she had wandered about finally going to Hillcrest where the alleged assault took place. The defence was that the girl's account was not to be relied upon, in that she had given several different versions, and had actual!}' been largely, to blame for the circumstances. Biddle w r as fined £5 in default two weeks in gaol. The same set of circumstances surrounded the charge against Tai Taylor who was also charged and whose list of previous convictions has probably earned for him the Court championship for Whakatane. Accused pleaded guilty and was fined a similar figure or alternatively two weeks imprisonment. Conlmenting on his previous record, the Justices said it was "something awful."