A MAORI'S LAPSE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 458, 18 March 1919, Page 2

A MAORI'S LAPSE.

Robs His Niece. At the Pukekohe Magistrate's Court last Thursday a Maori, hailing from Pukekawa, named Motu Tara was charged before Mr P. K. Hunt S.M., with having on March 4th stolen the sum of £l2, the property of Ruby Pah, his niece. The accused, who was represented by Mr H.G R Mason, elected to be dealt with summarily and pleaded not guilty. After Sergeant Cowan had briefly outlined the facts of the case Kuby Pah stepped into the witness-box and told the Court that she was the owner of the twelve notes which accused had " lifted " from her cash box. She explained that she acquired five of the notes as a result of digging " rawhines" (potatoes), the balance of £7 being a gift to her from her mother, who had disposed of four pigs. She added that she deposited the notes in one end of a cash box, two compartments therein being uaed by accused and her mother Her mother's compartment in the cash box held five notes but the accused's space was empty Accused, she said, kept the key of the cash box for fear witness might lose it. In consequence of the accused disappearing and taking away the cash box key and all the clothes in the house, she broke open the cash box and found that her money was no longer in it. Constable Taylor related how he traced Motu to Mercer, and with Constable Horan apprehended him and charged him with the theft of Ruby's money. At first, said Constable Taylor, he denied his guilt, but afterwards he admitted relieving the box of some of its contents. He handed up ten of the stolen notes and the key of the cashbox, and said he had spent the balance of £2. Accused informed him that he took the money in order to pay it into the Court at Mercer in respect of arrears of an order for the maintenance of his wife

The accused profes&ed not to be able to speak English, and the Rev. Poihipi, Native Missionary at Mercer, acted as interpreter . •/ '' Accused, giving evidence, stated that the cash-b )x held £ls, but he only took £lO, of which he regarded himself as the owner, until, as "boss" of the potato-digging gang, he divided it up It transpired that the accused had deserted his wife, and had been living with Ruby's mother for two years On the day that he was arrested he had agreed to go back to his wife.

In reply to His Worship, Constable Taylor said accused was not a bad fellow.

The Magistrate said he would give accused a chance. He ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon, and also to refund to Ruby the £2 he had spent.