MAORI GANG

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1930, Page 2

MAORI GANG

WHOLESALE, THIEVING.

\By Telegraph, Per Press Association..

DARGAVILLE, May' 1.

,’At the Dargaville Police Court today, after a two-days’ trial, . four Maoris named Peter (Stewart, John l’ewaaki, James Toko, and Rebecca Stewart, wife of the first mentioned, ail pleaded guilty, and were remanded to appear at Auckland Supreme Court for sentence on a number of charges, including arson, theft, breaking and entering, and sheep stealing. The total value of the goods stolen and destroyed, including a house burnt valued at four hundred pounds, ran into several hundreds of pounds.

The natives lived at a settlement known as Wairere, on the west coast beach, and, according to their own evidence, and that of the police, their activities carried them. over a wide range of sparsely populated country. The majority of the goods stoien were taken to the home of Peter Stewart, who appears to have been the ringleader, and to have had the others under his rule; and these were buried in a cave near the House, and in holes round about it, where they were discovered after a diligent search by the police; and were exhibited in Court, which resembled a large general store, so varied were the articles on view. The crimes have extended over a long period, and the settlers are relieved and thankful that the police have been able to shoot the charges nome to the perpetrators. The house destroyed was a fourromed one, just furnished and about to be occupied by a married couple, whose loss was a particularly heavy one, as the place was not insured. A younger Maori, Sam Dick, will be charged at the Juvenile Court on May 12th. with being concerned in several of the charges, and also with ’the theft of goods valued at £2O.