RATANA FINED £60

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1933, Page 5

RATANA FINED £6O

DRUNK IN CAR “EXTREMELY BAD EXAMPLE.” (Per Press Association, Copyright). NEW PLYMOUTH, September 12. Ay S a. sequel to the arrival ,at Pa-tea of 60 Maoris on August 31 to establish a model pa in memory of Turi, the early Maori navigator, Tabu Wiiremu Ratana, leade r of the party, appeared in the Patea Police Court yesterday, charged with being intoxicated while -in charge of a motor-car. He was fined £SO, with costs 12s, in default three months’ imprisonment, and on a second count of driving without a license, a fine- of £lO, with costs, 10s, was imposed.

Constable Kelly stated that on August 31 at 3.15 p.m. he was driving to Wai-o.turi. He passed a stationary .car and saw Ilatana. at the wheel. He slopped, and Ratana, who wa s very drunk, got out of the car. Ratana had been very abusive, calling witness and his companions names, and saying he was Ratana, and that all the policemen would not be able ti> shift him. Parana twice previously had been convicted of being djunk while in charge of a pair. '

Ratana did not appear in Court, but wrote explaining that., his licenseddriver, Peter Paul, had been driving the car that day, When lie was returning from Patea to the camjp at. Wai-o-turi the car had refused to take the hill near the pilot station. The driver had gone to a camp to get some men to push the car up the hill, and while the car’was being pushed Ratana had taken the wheel foi a short time. The magistrate, Mr J. H. Salinond, said in view of Ratana’s position as a leader of the men lie could not treat the offences lightly. Had it not been for the mitigating circumstances of Ratana having had control of the car only for a brief period 'and the car being on the side of the road, lie would have imposed a term of imprisonment. Ratana was setting the natives art extremely bad example. One week was ■allowed in which to pay ..the fines..