THEFT OF PISTOL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 62, 4 August 1947, Page 5

THEFT OF PISTOL

YOUNG MAORI’S ACTION INCIDENT AT PUKEHINA Charged with wilfully damaging a suitcase, and also with the theft of a German mauser pistol therefrom, Peti Motutahu, a young Maori of Pukehina appeared before Messrs. C. H. Christensen and I. Hubbard, -J.P.S in the Whakatane Police Court last Friday morning. He pleaded guilty to the first charge and not guilty to the Second.

Sergeant Farrell stated that accused had been working for the Whakatane Paper Mills at Pukehina but had been put off with one or two others on July 23. He had not left the camp that day and had broken into the bach occupied by another worker named Reeves who was absent, prised open' a suitcase he had found under the bed and helped himself to the mauser. He had been arested at Ngongotaha by the Rotorua police.

William Reeves owner of' the weapon said he was absent from •camp on the day in question and on his return ’ had found his suitcase broken into and the contents rifled. Stanley Robert Ritchie, one of the men put off, said he was a mate to accused, and had seen him enter Reeves bach, break open the suitcase and show him (witness) the pistol. Witness had told him to put it back but instead Motutahi had put under his coat and asked him (witness) to try and make a sale *of it for him 'and he would share the money. Witness had never handled the pistol, though he ad.mitted having- endeavoured to find • a purchaser for accused at Te Teko.

Stewart Anderson, Logging Superintendent, deposed as to having found the pistol under a piece of ; paper in hut 21. Constable Mills, of Hamilton, who had interviewed accused at Ngongotaha read a statement made by Motutahu in which he admitted breaking into the bach but denied taking the pistol. The Bench intimating that it considered ..both charges proved Sergeant Farrell then stated that accused was only 20 years old but had -apparently embarked on a life of ■crime. He had recently been released from Borstal, but had done ■no work just loafed around Rotorua. He had made no effort to pull himself together.

Accused was, sentenced to two months’ imprisonment on the first charge, and one month one the second terms to be concurrent.

On a charge of aiding and abetting the theft, Stanley Robert Ritchie was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon .within six months.