MEAN THEFT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 167, 8 March 1932, Page 4

MEAN THEFT

: YOUNG MAORI ROBBED ,1 GRANDPARENTS OF £26 f TRUST FUNDS OF TRIBE J When left in charge of the hoi by his aged grandparents, who \ been supporting him, a fyoung Ro! iti Maori, Timi Piti, abused tli trust by breaking open a box in wiri his grandmother kept the trust fui of her tribe, and stealing therefn the sum of £26. Piti was brought 1 foi*e Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., int Rotorua Magistrate's Court yesterri and sentenced to a year's hard labc to be followed by not less than thi years reformative detention. 1 police stated that he had a "sho: ing" Iist of previous convietions, a the Magistrate remarked that pro! tion was quite out of the question. Senior-Sergeant Carroll told.j Court that Piti had been living v his grandparents at Rotoiti for soj time, and had done no work. 1 grandmother had hecome ill and l had to enter hospital, leaving thei cused in charge of the house. Piti t found a box in which the trust fui of his tribe were kept and had u: keys beionging to his grandmotl to open the box. He had abstract £7 on one occasion and had gone U a second time and helped himself £19. The aceused had been obsen spending a lot of money on taxis s drink and as a result of inquiries 1 been arrested. The theft was of a particula mean nature, as the grandparents 1 been keeping the accused since 0 ober. There appeared to he no cuse for Piti, who was a native y criminal tendencies. He had a rati shocking list of previous convictij] embracing forgery and false pi tences. 1 Mr. Pottei', who appeared for t accused, suggested that his Worsl might see his way to admit Piti ti term of probation. The- Magisti'i however, remarked that that x quite impossible as the accused 1 a list of 14 previous convietions.Mr. Potter: I was not aware that, sir. ' The Magistrate: Yes, his ticket leave from prison only expired 1 month. I will have to send him gaol for as Iong a term as I can. Acqused was sentenced to • months' hard labour, to be follcfl hy a term of not less than tli years' reformative detention.