CAR CONVERSION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 19, 24 October 1944, Page 5

CAR CONVERSION

MAORI YOUTHS CHARGED

FINE AND PROBATION

When three Maori youths appear* ed in the. Rotorut Police Court, charged Avitk the conversion of a car, the property of the State Forest each Avere. placed on probation for two years and fined £10 and costs by Messrs O. H. Coleman and W. C. E. JiKt&ces of the Peace. [ Accused Avere Tauiwi Pouwhare, aged 20 years Tahi Iki Pomvhare aged 17 and Hepeta Te aged 20. They Avere employees of the State Forest Department and all pleaded guilty to the. charge brought against them. The case was presented by Ser-« geant J. H. McLeod, Avho stated that on the night of Saturday t Octr ober 14 Constable. L. Bidois" Disi » trict Constable at. Te Whaiti rcceived a complaint from a State Forest ranger at Kaingaroa that one of the Department's garages had allegedly been broken into and a motor car unlaAvfully remoA r ed. Consable Bidois subsequently in-* terviewed the three accused and another boy AA'ho AA r as charged in the Juvenile Court. All had admitted forcing the garage door and driving the car aAvay. It Avas stated by accused that they Avent to Murupara where a dance Avas being held and Avhen their own car became stuck in a sandy stretch of, the road they decided to obtain one of the Department's vehicles. The speedometer indicated that a distance of 54 miles, had been travelled and four gallons of petrol used. After the; dance the car Avas driven back ta the, garage. TauiAvi PouAvhare, it. •was. had been the driA r er of the A'eliicle. In ansAA r er to a question from the Bench s Sergeant McLeod said that no damage, had been done. In pressing for a heavy penalty j Sergeant McLcod said that the. coiv Aversion of cars Avas still preA 7 alent in the district, and every effort was being made to stamp it out. No defence Avas offered by the ac-< cused Avho indicated that the facts Avere as presented by the police.

Mr Coleman Avarned the youths that their crime was punishable with three months imprisonment or a fine of £50. The unlaAvful convexsion of cars was a serious he said. The Bench did not Avant to make criminals of the. and it Avas decided not to impose too a penalty. "Let this be a les<son to you," he warned accused.