HOANI MAAKA WAS NOT BORN YESTERDAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 160, 27 September 1927, Page 14

HOANI MAAKA WAS NOT BORN YESTERDAY

WILY MAORI BUYS A CAR TALE DISCOUNTED BY S.M. (Special to THE SUNJ CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. COME strange things happened to Hoani Maaka, who has seen 71 summers, and hails from Kaiapoi, at the working men’s club on Saturday—that is, if the old man’s tale is to be believed. Mr. H. A. Young, S.M., expressed the opinion this morning that Hoani apparently suffered from delusions. The old man was charged with unlawfully converting to his own use a motor-car belonging to Harry Stoneman, without being guilty of theft. Hoani was very deaf, and the court was filled with reverberations as policemen in the role of amplifiers, bellowed in his ear the evidence given by witnesses. The business was very involved, but certain doings with a cheque would indicate that Hoani was not born yesterday. The aged Maori had consumed quite a few beers at the club, of which he was a member, during the day, and late in the afternoon he met a man who wanted to sell him a car. The man followed Hoani into the bar, into the card-room and into the billiard-room, expatiating the while on the unrivalled attractions of the car. Finally he lured Hoani outside and showed him the car. told him it was a jolly fine car and offered him the vehicJie for £175. Hoani finally agreed to buy it and wrote a cheque for the amount. He went out to have a look at his new property, and found that he could not start it, as the key was missing. Subsequent investigation showed that the alleged ex-owner was not what he had said in writing out a receipt, and had vanished. But that did not spoil Hoani’s sleep. As he naively explained to the magistrate, he had signed the cheque “J. Maaka,” knowing that it woulfd not be cashed. About 11.30 p.m. a passing mechanic started the car by using a penknife in place of the key, and, with two onlookers who joined the party, drove the old man off to a garage, where three gallons of benzine were taken aboard. They returned to the club, where they were seen by the real owner, Mr. Stoneman. Subsequent proceedings took place at the police station. “Why,” inquired the magistrate, “did you put the wrong name on the cheque ?” Hoani chuckled. “I put the wrong name to stop ‘urn.’ I did it so he’ll have to come back at me again. 1 wasn’t too clear in the head at the time arid 1 wanted to see him again.’’ The sub-inspector told the magistrate that the police in Kaiapoi did not give Hoani a good name at all. They said he was a liar. The magistrate remarked that the man apparently suffered from delusions. He would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within 12 months, on condition that he abstained from liquor during that time.