MAORI IN TROUBLE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4910, 2 December 1925, Page 2

MAORI IN TROUBLE.

JUDGMENT SUMMONS UPHELD. MONEY IN RAT ANA’S BANK. At the Magistrate’s Court, Paeroa, , before Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M., yesterday, Wani Epiha proceeded against Rikirangi Tuinga. otherwise known as Dick Paul, on a judgment summons , claiming .the sum of £59 9s. Mr R. S. Carden appeared for the judgment creditor. On examination by Mr Carden the debtor admitted that he owed the money. He was married and had two children, but did not have to pay rent. < Since April last he had been labouring for the Railway Department, receiving 14g a day. He had accompanied Ratana and his party to England in April, 1924, and had enjoyed an extensive tour of the world, being ’ absent from New Zealand for over nine Ratana had paid - all the expenses. Judgment had been obtained in 1923. Although earning 14s a day his time was very broken bn account of wet weather. Under pressure debtor produced papers showing . the amount it cost him to live, and’ stated that his household expenses averaged about £3 a week. To the Bench the debtor admitted that Wani Epiha had paid .two of; his accounts and saved him from imprisonment for debt. His patent had been sold to the Japanese Government dur- ' frig the tour, but’Ratana had kept the - proceeds as an offset to debtor’s expenses. To .Mr Carden the debtor denied that he had any money in Ratana’s bank, but later corrected his statement and said he held a coupon for £2O. The money had been paid into Ratana’s banking scheme. A coupon had been issued, but that could not be dished until ten years had elapsed. He believed an order could be made against the coupon. The Magistrate : This is a new System of financing, apparently. Continuing, ,His Worship pointed out to' Tuinga that Epiha had befriended him in his trouble, and it was only right that the. debtor should make an effort to repay the money. Ah order for payment forthwith was made for the full amount, plus costs £1 Is-, in default 59 days’ imprisonment in Auckland Gaol; warrant to be suspended, so long as the debtor paid £2 a month, first payment to be made by January 1, 1926.