THREE MEN FOUND IN QUARTERS OF HOSPITAL STAFF

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 40, 5 May 1950, Page 5

THREE MEN FOUND IN QUARTERS OF HOSPITAL STAFF

Found on the premises of the Whakatane District Hospital without lawful excuse in the early hours of Wednesday morning three young men were sentenced in the Whakatane Police Court on Wednesday by Messrs C. S. ' Armstrong and S. S. Shapley, J.’s P. Two were convicted and fined and the third sent to gaol. Haua Ngamanu, aged 19, labourer of Poroporo, was convicted and sentenced to three weeks’ imprisonment. Bennie Mokai, aged 22, tile worker, and James Mati, labourer, both of Paroa, were each convicted and fined £lO, costs 10s. Seniot-Sergeant Fuller said that the police had received a complaint of prowlers in the hospital grounds at about 12.30 on Wednesday morning. Ngamanu was fo'und in bed ,in one of the huts attached to the domestic quarters. He had consumed some liquor but was not drunk. He had wandered into the hut and frightened the female occupants. "The occupant of the bed he had was found crouched against she adjoining bed in the hut. The other two, Mokai and Mati, "were also found in the staff quarters.

Many complaints had been received about prowlers in the hospital grounds the senior-sergeant said. It had been very difficult to catch them and he asked that the court should fix a penalty as a deterrent.