MAORI’S ESCAPADE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4926, 15 January 1926, Page 4

MAORI’S ESCAPADE.

THEFTS OF MONEY AND GOODS.

ARREST AT WAIHI.

Commencing with the theft of a sum of money from his employer at Wairpa, Taur.anga, last week a, Maori lad, 15 years of age, named Peter Woods, alias Jack Harry Pearson, set about spending his jllgotten gains without the least 'regard to economy, and in the process committed a, series of thefts from tradespeople at Paeroa and Thames.

The culprit had been in the employ of Mr Josephs, a resident of Wairoa, from whom he parted company early on the Wednesday morning. After the lad had left his employer found that two £5 notes were missing. The police were immediately notified, and the lad was traced to Waihi, whither he had travelled by .motor-car, with .the apparent intention of going on to Weir lington. Meanwhile ,the Waihi police were on the alert, and after the noon train had arrived Constable Rimmer, who was on the spot, had his suspicions aroused by the awkwa,rd manner in which a native -youth was handling a bicycle. It was quite obvious that the boy knew little about the use of the machine, and on being questioned by the constable he ultimately admitted having stolen it at Paeroa, from whence he had brought it on the traim “MET THE ABSCONDER.” Asked if he knew anything about the Maori lad from Tauranga the boy siaid, “Yes, I met him at Paeroa, and he was going on to Wellington.” In compliance with the constable’s request he then proceeded to give a detailed description of the absconder which, curiously enough, tallied with a. description of himself, even to his height and clothes,. He went on to say, “AH the same .the Maori boy,” and added that the Maori boy’s apparel was in keeping with .that of a schoolboy, explaining that the absconder had been attending a high school. He had left the school and his people wanted him to go back, but he wanted to work on a farm. I.fl was not until after he had. been locked up in the police cell, and had drawn still further on his imagination, that the truth came out). Then, under cross-examination, he admitted .to Senior-Sergeant McLean that he had stollen the £lO from his; la,te employer, and that he had journeyed by car to Waihi and thence to Thames. At the latter town he had hired a taxi at a ccs,t of £2 15s to take him to Paeroa. Both at Thames and Paeroa he ha : d made several, purchases from different tradespeople, and at the same "time had stolen several small articles-. He then appropriated a bicycle at Paeroa, which he took with him on the train to W.aihi.

Woods was brought before Mr W. H Bus,ch, J.P., at the Waihi Police Court on Friday forenoon and charged with the theft of a bicycle valued at £7, the property of George Pringle. On the application of the police a- remand for seven days was granted. — Waihi “Telegraph.”