MAORI BEER PARTY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 44, 15 February 1946, Page 5

MAORI BEER PARTY

FOUR PROSECUTIONS FALLOW

INCIDENT IN WHAIvATANE

An abrupt end of a Maori beer jparty on the side of Clifton Road, Whakatane, had its sequel in the Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday ■when Ivopa Haewai pleaded- guilty to charges involving the supplying of liquor to three other Maoris including a woman on September 22nd last., The three other were prosecuted as accessories. Constable Thomassen stated that the police had happened upon the party in tlie trees on the roadside and were in time to catch the woman defendant in the act of consuming liquor. There were several bottles on the ground to which Haewai admitted ownership. He added that there had been many complaints ret-

arding the Maori drinking parties in that vicinity and the police were endeavouring to -put them down. Accused declared that he had been invited to the group, and had merely opened the bottles. ,He did not iknow who ha brought the beer to thte spot. On three different counts accused was fined a t tal of £9 plus costs amounting to £2 13s. On the. charges of assisting Martha Nepia was fined E2 and costs 255; Pita Uatuku £2 and 15s costs and Kopa Tangahau £2 and :15s costs.