A MAORI ABDUCTION

Southland Times, Issue 18826, 20 May 1920, Page 7

A MAORI ABDUCTION

7UDGES WARNING TO NATIVES

(Per United Press Association.)

AUCKLAND. May ID. A warning to Maori# was issued by Judge Chapman in the Supreme Court to-day, when a young Maori named Iwi Hohcuea entered a plea of guilty to a charge of abducting from her home a Maori girl under the age of sixteen year#. Counsel for the accused stated that the girl's departure from home was an ordinary ca-c of a Maori hoy running away wuh a M.. ri giri. Liven the police were in some doubt as to the girl's age at the time, and it was agreed that she was over ttie age „••*' sixteen, at which it was not urn:, uni for Maori girls to be married. Addressing the prisoner. His Honour said: “'I am going !o rn ' consideration to your good character and to the fact that you have served your country, but I cannot allow this offence pass without punishment, and you will receive a short sentence of imprisoning. The object of this is to let ail Maoris ’-now that this thing cannot tic done. I,' a man comes before the Court for doing what you have done, taking ,a young girl away from her parents, he comes for punishment, and the next man who (iocs so will g. t more severe puni-h----ment than you. Vim; will he sentenced to three mouths’ 1:11; riso.iment with hard labour.’’