CHARGES AGAINST MAORI

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 582, 7 February 1929, Page 1

CHARGES AGAINST MAORI

GIRL’S EVIDENCE QUERIED

“UNSATISFACTORY WITNESS”

“To put it mildly the girl was an unsatisfactory witness,” • said Mr. Justice Blair, in the Supreme Court yesterday, in the course of the trial of Hira ErUera, a Maori, aged 29, who stood, in. the dock on four counts of carnal knowledge at Portland, near Whangarer,- late last year. His HoiioUr’S remark was in answer to accused’s counsel, Mr. R. A. Singer, who had .suggested that it might be in the minds of the jury that they might be disinclined to convict on the girl’s evidence. The judge, however, said he could hot do otherwise than let the case proceed, as the Crown liad not linished offering evidence. Mr. V. N. Hubble, for the Crown, then called a police constable, who read a statement signed by accused admitting misconduct. In evidence accused denied misconduct. Pie had made an admission of misconduct in the statement to the constable because he was told:—“Admit it. It will make it easier for you.” Accused said the. allegations were discussed at a meeting of about 25 natives, at which he was present. Evidence for the defence was heard this morning and after addresses by defending and prosecuting counsel and summing up by the Judge, the jury retired at 11.45. After twenty minutes’ absence the jury returned with the request that it be furnished with specimens of the girl’s handwriting and that of a woman witness. It also sought enlightenment as to who had laid the information against accused. To this last Mr. V. R. Meredith, Crown prosecutor, said it was a matter of policy that an informant’s name be not disclosed.