Maori Convicted On Anniversary Of Theft Of Cheque For £3/8/-

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 19, 6 February 1948, Page 5

Maori Convicted On Anniversary Of Theft Of Cheque For £3/8/-

On the anniversary of his theft of a cheque for £3 8s belonging to Sarah Brown, niece of his employer, Tui Ihaia pleaded guilty to the offence before Messrs S. Shapley and I. B. Hubbard J’s. P. at the Police Court on Wednesday. He was convicted and admitted to probation for six months on condition that he repays the money. Sergeant A. B. Collinge prosecuting, said Miss Brown had sold some calves early last year and, when an outstanding balance of £3 8s failed to come to hand, made inquiries from the buyer, only to find that the cheque had been sent. She went to the police, who found Ihaia had taken the cheque from a letter he had collected with the mail for the farm where he worked on February 4 last year. Ihaia admitted cashing the cheque, having endorsed it with Miss Brown’s name, and spending the money. Sergeant Collinge said he did not think the defendant, who seemed a bit weak mentally, had realised the serious nature of the offence. Ihaia had had a head injury some years ago when a horse had kicked him, and had not been in normal health since.