BEDROOM RAID

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 239, 27 September 1939, Page 3

BEDROOM RAID

YOUNG MAORI’S CRIME ENTRY THROUGH WINDOW CAPTURE AFTER STRUGGLE CO ALU l-TTED *EOR, SENTEN CE s' , • A policeman's life..-may nob be a happy one, but the life of a European lady school teacher can be even more unhappy when she is isolated in a dis tiict where lew c,f her own people are at band. The greiit majority of Maori, people ‘treat white girls with respect and courtesy, but the experience ot one. young woman, revealed in evidence given before the court at Ruutoria last Saturilay, indicates that a 1 school-teaching job in* an isolated aiea is net one of unalloyed pleasure. The ease was one in. which Hoaui Raroa. alias Johnny Raroa, appeared before Messrs. 1. S. C. Dalgrains and R. H. Wickstoed. J.B.’s. ebargeil with breaking and entering, a house by niglii with intent to commit a crime. Ah*. A. A. AA'bitehcad appeared for the accused!, and Constable Tuck, conducted the prosecution. The Host witness was an as.si.slam*. master at a native school on the Fast Coast, -.who stated that lie lived at a native residence where also two I any assistants lived. He said that at about* 3.3-0 a.m. on September !!.!.* ho had l-.emi aroused by one of the assistants. wlm burst into Ids room crying

that someone had entered her bed room. Witness ran into the girl’s room., and then* grappled with a man who struggled- out of the open window. and dragged the witness wit!*, him. They continued to struggle on the ground outside, and Witness succeeded in getting a good grip, and holding the intruder until assistance

ea me. Tim witness stated that be had km wn the young woman whose room bad been entered for some time, and bail never seen accused in her company at any time. ‘Her ihaiactci* and tepuiatioit was excellent. EyicLize of Chief WBness. (tiling evidence, the voting woman stated that the district in which she worked was exclusively Alaoii. and the only other white woman in tin neighbourhood was the headmaster s wife. On the night of September JS. witness rutiled about ”.33 p.ui., and an hour or two later heard someone

~,ppi on tin 1 window ol the r<""'' 1 She <alled “"Go away. and the' ta|piug stepped. About- A..‘ld o’clock ’the following morning, however, she was awaxonod again h\ sonieom- who leatie | through the window and grasped nor legs, 'i lie witness described hew this intrude; came throng!) the window, despite her piolests. and pinioned her arm, saving that he was coming into her lad. She struggled. but could not free herself until she resorted to biting. when the man relaxed his hold and she managed to get clear. She ran to another room and called the previous witness, who captured the? int rin ler. Witness did not know the accused previously, even by sight. Fvidenee was given also by another woman teacher living in the house, indicating that oil the night ol the commotion she had hoard! tapping on her own bedroom window, but- Imd ignored it. Site stated that she had never seen tin* accused at the house as a visitor, iwr had she ever seen him in company with the girl whose room lie had entered. Accused’s Statement Refuted The owner of the dwelling, a Aiaori, stated that lie had known the accused', but bad never known him to be at the house previously, aiuli hail not invited him there. The accused had.no 1 right to he there under any circumstances. J)r. id. (*. Grant gave evidence rehutting cei tain-statements alleged to have been made by tJic accused, concerning Idm latter’s association with the principal witness. and Constable Tuck detailed a statement ofi’eredi by the aeeii.-cd in explanation of his preselite at Liu* house. At the (inclusion of the evidence. Ilm accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to tlm Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. Me stated that he wished to retract unreservedly an\thing lie had said which might alIVet the reputation of the chief witness.—'Gisborne Herald.