A MANAKAU MATTER.

NZ Truth, Issue 12, 16 November 1907, Page 5

A MANAKAU MATTER.

THE MAORI AND THE MAIDEN.

Sarah Southey's Sensational Story.

To be Tried at the Supreme Court.

Waka Wafca Heperi, the Maori young man whose dark mop of hairwas mistaken for a cap m Wellington Magistrate's Court recently, pleaded not guilty m the Otaki Court last week to a charge of criminal assault Oh a fifteen-year-old girl named Sarah Southey. On October 24th, according to the outraged damsel, she left home for Vivian's store, half a mile away, at 10 a.m., and, returning with goods, took a short cut across 1 the paddock of Tom Sevan, the brown-skinned Poo Bah of Manakau. She met Waka, whom she didn't know, and he made improperproposals to her, to which she made no answer. It might he said that silence means consent, but when the Othello-skinned ravisher threw her on the ground and proceeded to efiect his immoral purpose*, the girl says she cried but shrilly, and that Waka put his hand over her mouth to prevent further , noise. When he let the girl go, she went home and told her father and mother, and they returned with her to look for the beast. They were unsuccessful m their hunt, and the girl was taken to see a doctor. In reply to Mr Jackson, for the accused, the girl said she screamed as soon as she saw Waka coming, and started to run away. She had only proceeded a few paces when he overtook her and offered to carry her basket. She declined the offer, and he suggested sitting down, but she appeared to have no time for the dago, who threw her, but not violently, and ACCOMPLISHED HIS EVIL PURPOSE. She struggled to get away, but Was overpowered. She had three sisters and three brothers, but tlve girls and boys occupied separate rooms. She didn't know if her brothers were younger or older than she was, and she didn't know her own age or birthday until her mother told her recently. Dr. Hathwaite, who examined the girl after the occurrence, said there were no marks of ; violence, and had the girl fought' and struggled he would have expected to have found such. In his opinion, there had been an attempt at intercourse, but complete penetration had not resulted. Had the girl been weakened by influenza she would, of course, have been more easily overcome, but he hadn't examined her for traces of that com- • plaint. Emma Southey, mother of the girl, said her daughter came home crying between 11.30 and 12 o'clock, and, upon. being questioned, said she had been assaulted by a Maori. Mrs Southey took the girl into her bedroom and examined her. She could see that an . assault had been committed, although there were no signs of bruises. Her husband, George, a laborer,' was present at the examination, and he picked up his hat m an infuriated way, and rushed off to find the bestial nig. The girl, who informed her mother that she had strug/rled and called out, was quite exhausted when she reached home. Detective Broberg stated that the site of the alleged assault was pointed out to himself and Constable McAnerin by the girl. It was a spot 600 to 700 . yards from Southey's house, and ih the middle of a large paddock, which contained many stumps. The girl was taken to the sandhills, two miles from Manakau, and she was shown four young natives planting flax. WAKA HUNG HIS HEAD and endeavored to escape observation but after being there a few minutes the girl recognised him as her alleg!ed ravisher. When his identification had 'taken place, Waka made a statement, which he duly signed after it had been read over to him. It Was to the effect that the brown person had been working at Tom Bevan's for a year and a-half. On the Thursday m question he was not Working, and seeing the girl goinghoftie from Manakau he followed her across the paddock. When he got up to her she certainly did cry out, but when he suggested sitting down she cohsented. He pushed his wooing further, and she submitted without protest to the immorality, already mentioned. In fact, she was a consenting party. In reply to Mr Jackson, the 'tec. said the statement was made voluntarily. The police officer didn't tell accused that if he told the truth he Would get out of it all right. The boy was remarkably cool m the circumstances. Waka. reserved his defence, and was committed to stand his trial at the sittings of the Supreme Court on the 18th inst. Bail m the sum of £100, and two sureties of £100 each was* allowed, and tWo affluent Maori persons, offered themselves as bondsmen.