POLICE COURT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5432, 5 June 1929, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

MAORI BEFORE THE BENCH. DRUNK AND OFFENSIVE. Paru Pahuna appeared before Messrs W. Forrest and H. J. Hare, J’s.P., at the Paeroa Police Court yesterday charged with being drunk in a public place and with using obscene language in a public place.

Police evidence showed that accused was very quarrelsome and obnoxious when in drink, and caused unhappiness to his wife thereby. On the evening of Tuesday, 14th,.he had gone into a fruitshop, where only a woman was present, and behaved in an abusive manner and used vile language. The woman sent for her husband, who persuaded accused to leave. Parhuna then went into another fruitshop further up the street, where, as it happened, a woman was the only one in attendance, and be carried on as he had done in the previous place. Assistance was called from the next door shop, and Pahuna was ejected. Police warning being of no avail, he was arrested. Accused admitted that the evidence against him was correct, and asked for a prohibition order to be taken out against himself.

The Bench warned Pahuna that he had committed a very grave offence, for which the law could impose a sentence of a year’s imprisonment or a fine of £2O. If he had not shown his good intentions by asking for a prohibition order the sentence would have been severe. Taking into consideration that accused was taking out a prohibition order, the Bench convicted and discharged him on the first charge and fined him £5 or one month’s imprisonment with hard labour on the second, a week being allowed in which to find the money. The Bench added that should accused appear before the Court again he would be sternly dealt with. '