YOUTHS IN TROUBLE.

Otaki Mail, 7 December 1923, Page 4

YOUTHS IN TROUBLE.

VISIT HOUSE AT MIDNIGHT. GO ON, THEN, SHOOT M£!” At the Otaki S.AI. Court yesterday, --'fir Air. <j. Hogan Stout, t0.A1., three . v-r-Kiiown local youths—u'uuuiu liiki- -.<■ a, Wcra. J.-’oiuo, and Albert Aina, •>« e charged with being togues anti >u ;abonds within the meaning of tlie .-o-.ce Offences Act, ItttjS, in teat-they • >e.-e found by night, to wit I Lett, v. tUittii lawful excuse in an enclosed garden rmpin Road, Otalvi, the property or one, Annie Hobbs. uiuiwts appeared for Poltio, and Alt. McGrath for Kikihana and Aiita. -j.lt pleaded not guilty, and elected vo be tried .summarily. Detective Holmes stated that at ah nit 10 p..n. on the hth November, Mrs. Hobbs went to bed; her husband was tie ay. At JIAO she heard knocking and someone called “Is your husbaiiu home.’’ She replied no. Someone then astced to be admitted, and she refused and someone tried to open the beetunit window, site called out that she ltd a gun. Auiue llobbs stated: I am a married loinun and live on Lupin Road. i .etnember November dth. 1 went to aid at 10.10. Aly daughter was there, v 11,-30 I was disturbed by a knockng at the door, .1 asked who was there and someone said “Is Air, Hobbs at aime. ” I said no and asked could they wave u message. One replied that if I opened (lie door they would give me .i,,: message. They gave me no mesa ge, neither did .1 open the door. 1 .(ad them to get off the place. I heard ambling on the verandah as if someone was going to the window. I then .naked for my gun, a pea-rifle. I got J.e gun and went back to the window, tie window was pulled right down v, am the top by someone. .1 got my laughter to hold a lighted candle and •iv its aid 1 saw a man who 1 afterwards recognised as Poltio. I asked non his name and lie said Pohio; lie was drunk and said “go on, then, shoot n lie also used obscene language' (written down). I’ohio, or any of the other accused, had never been invited ie the house by me. My daughter is ti e only other one who could have invited them. The boys had no authority to be there its far as I am aware of. To Mr. Dunkley: it is possible that tie boys were invited there by someone in the house. 1 was asleep when t! e knock came; I was startled and nervous and wondered what was going to happen. I should say there were half; a-do/.en boys there by the noise. Ptaliio vas the only one I saw, but I heard voices, say “go on get in through the window, open the door.’’ This seemed to be a European voice. If I had seen any of the others I would have sent them away. I was afraid of I’ohio because he was drunk. He was straight in giving me his name. I asked for no explanation as to his presence. I had Ihe gun, being determined to keep them out. I would have used the gun had they come inside. I told my daughter to get bullets for life. Pohio. 1 suppose, was scared. He apologised after the occur fence. To Air. McGrath: 1 heard several voices, and those that called out seemed to lie European voices. The knock may have been on the house. The knocking was not on the window but probably on the door. The floundering on the verandah was prooably caused lay Pohio. My house is only a few feet fiom the road and if there were voices from the road J would he ar them distinctly. The evening of the occurrence Webby took my daughter to the pictures and brought her home again. I believe the night, was Wallace D’A tit’s birthday. Webby may have .-aid to my daughter that he would bring his mates round. to Detective Holmes: Pohio, through flsr-. .D’Ath, made an apology. When mt daughter came home after the pic-

I tute. she went .-I might to bed. She! j vans asleep when they came and did ] not. appeal to bo waiting for anyone. I I Ruby llobbs. daughter of lHe previ- I j on.-, witness, stated: I am Hi years of, | :,ge. and • remember the occurrence. 1 j was at the pictures till I. went, home to [ bed. I went home with Webby, who left me at my gate. After I went in I went to bed. Lat'er my mother woke , me up because of the disturbance. She I told me to look for bullets for the peaI rifle, and I looked till she called m'o to I hold the light. I saw I’ohio. 1 did not j know him previous to the trouble. I I heard nothing about a party at our * house for that night. | To Air. McGrath: I know Webby. S Wallace D’Ath had told someone he s was coming to our place. Webby might have mentioned that he was coming ! round: lie may have jokingly said somek thing to that effect, but I remember : nothing of it. Thomas Webby stated: On the night, j in question i took Aliss llobbs home, J ami then returned to the pictures and j mef Wallace D’Ath. We walked to 4 the Family Hotel corner and met Wera Pohio. Albert Atita. and William Rikihana. We walked as far as the Central Howl and then went round to Lupin Road. We went round to have a drink from a bottle of whisky supplied by AVallace D’Ath. It was 10 or 15 yards from Hobbs’ place where we stopped to drink the whisky. I saw ATitn and Rikihana, followed by Pohio. | go on to Hobbs' verandah. I cannot if say why thev went. I heard someone j knock at the door. I did not know who it was. We saw a light appear nr the window and D’Ath and I left the locality. I never arranged to return to the house after seeing Aliss Hobbs home, i did not invite any of the accused to go round to the house. I was not on the j premises, neither was D’Ath on the , premises. No arrangements wore made '■ for the five of us to go to Hobbs. ? To Air. AlcGrath: lam telling you the 1 truth and not lying to save my skin. Pohio was drunk. T cannot say if he

got drunk cr. the whisky. I had two drinks out of the bottle. I cannot say how many the others had, but ail had some. Wo did not have whisky elsewhere. We were in no private house or hotel. D’Ath, I think, got the whiskv from home. I am almost pertain he never got it from thv hotel. AVe went to Lupin Hoad to have a drink. I did not know Mr. Hobbs was not home. All the accused komv< Miss Hobbs. It was the tirsf night r -had taken her out or home. We .could not have had a drink on the road as the .policeman was about. I never united ' Mita and Rikihana to go to Hobbs: I remember going to Rikihana’s house. 1 j but never said I invited the accused to Igo round to Hobbs’. F never took tlie * girl to the pictures—-this was the first, [ night I had met her. I had met her pre-j viously at a private place. I met D ’Ath j after 1 took the girl home. D’Ath> t took another young lady home. I got a shock when I read the newspaper report and saw where a gun had been presented. If Mrs. Hobbs heard European voice-, it was not mine or D’Ath’s. T) ’Ath and I went, away as. soon as the light appeared, and Mita followed , rlfcrtly afterwards. I ran away because 1 I thought there might be trouble. ll never took the accused round. I knew ■ Pohio was drunk. I never thought, it nee-.nary to protect a woman from a* drunken” man. Rikihana may have j arm-- back to protect the womau J apologised rr Mrs. Hobbs because we '■-tv-re- all asked to apologise. I do not know if Mira ryfused to apologise. | Tr Detective Holme:-: It was about a. > fortnight ago that we apologised. We

f did so at Mrs. D’Atfi's request. This’ j was about ten days after the occurI rence. | Wallace D’Ath stated: Oil the night in question 1 went to the pictures, and later met Webby. We started to walk home when we met Poliio, and later Mita and Rikihana. We walked to the Central Hotel corner and then started to walk round the back road. We went to the corner hear Mrs. Hobbs ’ house. Rikihana and Mita Went to the house and Poliio followed. Webby and I were on the road. When the trouble started Webby and I. followeu by Mita. loft. Mita was only about the premis- | os three or four minutes. 1 do not know \ wiiv the accused went to Hobbs. | to Mr. Dunk ley: Poliio had had a 1 few drinks. I never told a lady 1 ) was’golng round to Hobbs to have some j fun. i remember apologising to Mrs. » Hobbs; I did not invito the boys to go 1 round. I did not say [ gave them an • invitation to go lound, but something \va. said about Webby inviting them round. To Mr: McGrath: Rikihana asked me lo apologise t«» Hr-. Hobbs. I do no: know her at all. 1 cannot say why lie asked, me t'> apologise. Mila. Webby and I ran straight away as soon as the noise started. I was not near Hobbs* gate. I did not remember Webby admit inviting us to llobhs ? . Webby may haw* suggested to go round the corner, but we had no intention to annoy anyone. It was Mita and Rikihana that led the way to Lupin Road. 1 had no appointment with Webby to go to Hobbs’ house. To Detective Holmes: It was due to my mother that we apologised; she was , anxious to set Ih* t lie matter, f Detective Holmes said he proposed i to call evidence to show accused called 1 at another place. I Mr. McGrath <»l»j* »•* I*-d In I lie wit lies.-, j being railed but tin* S..M. said the evi | deuce was admissible. The S.M. agreed to hear the evidence Rita Flvger stated: i am Id years o! agv and remember November iMh. i was employed at the Family Hotel as housemaid-wait less. 1 know the three accused, aud saw them at the hotel . They came up the fire-escape and Mil: 1 spoke, to me. and tried to kiss me. Thi. was on the upstairs portion of the ho tel. Poliio and another were present a the time. L did not know the third one 1 went to my room and secured tin door. When the accused were leavin' they pushed the door open. I shout e< out when they pushed the door open To Mr. McGrath: 1 did not look upon tin* offence as serious, but 1 tol l my -father, who told tin* police. Constable Cole stated: On tin* loti: 1 reeeived a eomplaint from Mrs. Hobbit.at some persons had vi.-ile 1 her residence the night previous. 1 made enquir ies and on tin.* 11th I interviewed 11n accused. Two admitt.ed being at Hobbs flit the tliird refused to give a state- | meut at all. They guv-.* no ’\planatioi | for going round. Pohio and Rikihana made ;i statement to the efl'ec* that the accused, with Webby and D’Ath. went routid to Hobbs. Later 1 saw Mita and lie made a statement stating lie went to Hobbs. Mr. Dunklcy submitted there had been a criminal overcharge and that one of trespass would have been sufficient. Poliio appeared to be the “mug,” ami an attempt seems to have, J been made to put the blame on him. ! j Tin* S.M. said it was usual in Otaki to do this sort of thing, it was always “tin* other chap-" who was to blame. Pohio, it seemed to him, was a hardworking young man. and was invited to go to some place. It was admitted that he was drunk, but there was no reason to think In* went to the house for an unlawful purpose. Mr. McGrath, said it was a pity the men had been charged with such a serious offem-e. and he submitted that the case should be dismissed. Then: was no evidence to show his clients | were (in the premises. The S.M. said it. was evident that j Pohiu was drunk but was polite enough I to raise his hat; and give his name. J* j was evident the bevs had been out ! for fun. but such affairs Acre getting j too common in Otaki, but he believed j : t was more the fault "f the parent- | than the boys. The S. M. then issued j The informations wen* tlmn di-mi--- * cd. !