RUATOKI GANGS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 50, 18 February 1944, Page 5

RUATOKI GANGS

MAORI YOUTH INFLUENCED

SHADES OF NED KELLY

YAIllHl) LIST OF OFFENCES

The obvious influence of wild west pictures, radio play thiillei's and cheap literature has been responsible for the organising of youthful 'gangs' of Maoris in the Native Scheme settlement at Ruatoki. The gang movement has become so brazen and so persistent that subsfequent police enquiries in the settlement following a series of thefts and' the leaving of badly spelt threatening message's, met with the willing cooperation of the adult section cjf the) community in an »*- te'mipt to break them up and put an end to a nuisance which was rapidly becoming serious. Owing to most of tlie. culprits being under 18 years they Avere dealt with by the children's court, but two of the older members -appeared before Messrs G. Brabant and T. J. Cummings, J.P.'s, in the Whakatane Court last Wednesday. Police investigation uncovered theexistence of four separate gangs known as the 'liawhide,' tlie 'Midnight,' the 'Kelly' and the 'Green Hornet' gang. Systemiscd degradations were carried, out by the youths of each in defiance of all authority and inter-gang warfare Avas carried on in approved underworld fashion, if on a somewhat milder scale.

Teku Te Ata Avas. charged Avitli the theft of a pair of blankets and .sheets from the Anglican Mission on January 30 valued at £ 1 1.5s and also Avith a further theft of clothing" anil cigarettes to the value of £3 from the store at liuatdki eonducted by G. I. Middlemas. He pleaded guilty to both. Sergeant Parrel 1 said that accused had broken into the Mission in the absence of the Sisters. The other members of the gang Avith him had appeared in the- children's court. The same escapade by \oung larrikans had, led up to the second offence Avhen the gang had helped themselves, after breaking in';o the store. The gangs had apparently been operating for some time and had been the cause of growing consternation in the settlement. The accused Avas A*ery fortunate, that he did not face a more serious charge.

Imposing a .sentence ol' three months' imprisonment the bench observed the 'gang' element in the youth of to-day was showing a growing tendency in common with general delinquency and the court would be following the example of the attitude of other courts in dealing with it firmly. UNLAWFUL TRESPASS SECOND YOUTH' PUNISHED A second youth. Manui Whakahou Tamohana, was charged with unlawful trespass on the properly of Ngalutu Ata of Ruatoki, on the night of February "This was probably an act of reprisal,'' .said Sergeant Farrell when outlining the case, "as Mr Ata had been very active in irying to have Ihe gangs suppressed." He we:it on to say that accused had entered a bedroom and disturbed two young girls. He had borne ;i good character hitherto but was also ;i mcm-j ber of a gang (the Green Hornet). Accused was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.