MASQUERADING AS WOMAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 654, 4 May 1929, Page 1

MASQUERADING AS WOMAN

YOUTH AS HOUSEMAID

Amazing Deception Revealed

YOUNG MAORI’S STRANGE BEHAVIOUR

MASQUERADING as a woman, Nicholas Haora, a Maori youth, has succeeded in deceiving a Takapuna household where he has been employed as a housemaid for the past three months. Rivalling the famous “Captain” Barker and the notorious Amy Bock, Haora was driven to the impersonation to keep himself from starving.

■FOLLOWING on careful investigaA tions a Sun man crossed to Takapuna and called at the house where Haora is employed as a housemaid. The door was opened by a Maori girl who, in response to The Sun man’s inquiry, gave he/ name as Miss June Hara. She looked the c Uousemaict Her features w. j pronounced Maori type. E. curly ringlets of half-grown hair adorned her head and were held back by a band of black ribbon. She was dressed in a black jazz overall and black skirt. Her neck appeared to be rather thicker than the average woman's. Her legs were encased in bright yellow stockings. On her left arm was a gold bangle and she wore a gold ring set with red stones on her right hand. She was about five feet six in height, and as slim as the average girl. Her large btown eyes searched The Sun man inquiringly as he requested a few minutes’ conversation. She said the family was out, invited him in, and asked his business. Her voice was very feminine. On being confronted with the evidence gathered by The Sun, she admitted she was not June Hara, but Nicholas Haora, a Maori, 27 years of age, and that she had been posing as a woman for the past three months, Haora —who will now be called “he” —had secured a position as housemaid at this house, he said, because he was driven to desperation by lack of money and the inability to get a job. He told The Sun the exclusive story of his amazing impersonation—certainly a most extraordinary one. PAYING FOR PIANO “I did it to pay off a piano I bought on the instalment plan,” said Haora. 1 have paid between £25 and £3O already, but fell behind with my payments, and as the piano people pressed lor payment I had to get money somewhere. I still owe nearly £SO on the piano. He was unable to get work and was almost starving when he decided to impersonate a woman and get a position as a housemaid. "I came across to this place in reply to an advertisement,” he said, “and after a brief interview secured the position. My employers told me I would be given a week’s trial, and that if I was satisfactory I could stay on. They did not suspect I was a man.” He commenced work immediately and exerted his greatest efforts to please his new employers. In addition to Haora a governess was employed in the family to look after the younger children. The family consisted of the employer, his wife, a boy of 17 and three young girls. "I cook and sweep, and dust and make the beds,” said Haora proudly. They seem to like my cooking. At least, no one has died so far. Also, I look after the children. My employers were so pleased with me that they discharged the governess, who w as here before, and now I do everything in the house.” “What made you take the name of June Hara?” the Sun man wanted to know. “That Is my correct Christian name,” said Haora, “though I am usually

known as Nicholas. My real name is Hune Nikora Haora.” AN UNHAPPY LIFE In reply to another question he briefly outlined the incidents of what he described as “a most unhappy life.” He was born in Whangarei, and as his father died when he was fairly young, he was kept at home, where he worked round the house doing all sorts of domestic work. “Sometimes I used to wear my sister’s clothes,” he said. “My mother knew but she did not mind. I looked after mother until she died in August, 1924.” Then he went to live with his sister at Whangarei for some time, but did no manual work. Always a good singer, luck came his way when he secured a position to tour with a concert party. At the end of six months’ tour of the North the company disbanded and Haora was again thrown out of work. “About 1926 I came to Auckland and stayed with my married brother,” said Haora. “I was out of work for weeks until I got a job at a restaurant washing dishes and doing general kitchen work. I was earning £2 7s 6d a week. With the exception of a four-months spell X stayed at this job for two years.” DRESSING UP AS GIRL While residing with his brother, Haora used to amuse himself by dressing up in girl's clothes and sometimes walking round the streets attired as a female. His brother and sister-in-law used to warn him of the possible consequences of such actions and looked with disapproval on his peculiar ideas. “Girls were always fond of me,” Haora went on. “All my friends were girls and all my tastes were feminine. X did not want to be a man. I hated it!” ■While still employed at the restaurant he left his brother’s house and went to live at a boardinghouse, though he was still on good terms with his brother and sister-in-law, and visited them on several occasions. The boardinghouse and boarders shifted two or three times and Haora moved with them. “When I came home at night I used to change into girl’s clothes and help with the housework,” Haora continued. “The boarders took no notice. Sometimes I used to get a job singing at one of the smaller picture shows at night. They paid me 10s for this, and it helped me struggle along.” The first time a collector called for dues on the piano Haora was out, but on the second occasion, which was in the evening, he was dressed as a housemaid and attending to his domestic duties. He -went to the door and interviewed the collector, giving his name as “Miss” Haora, and stating that his “brother” was away. Later, he told the Sun man, he paid the overdue instalments, only to fall behind again. “In self-defence I was compelled to find new lodgings,” he explained. “I left and went across to live in Ponsonby, where I boarded for 22s 6d a week and tried to catch up with my piano instalments.” He stayed at Ponsonby until, about three months ago, illness forced him to leave his position at the restaurant. He tried to get a job of any sort —anywhere, but was unsuccessful. HAPPY AS A WOMAN

• Wherever I went I was told that If I wore skirts I would stand a better chance of a job/* said Haora. ‘‘That is always the way. When I am dressed up as a man people laugh at me. Can you wonder I wanted to be a woman! “I determined to be a woman altogether then,” he continued. "I like housework and I knew that if I could get a position as a housemaid I would be successful, and give satisfaction. And if nobody knew they would no longer laugh at me as a man. They would accept me as a woman and I would be happy!” In response to an inquiry as to whether the fuzzy hair he was wearing was a wig, Haora said: ‘‘No; it’s my own hair. It was fairly short when I came over here, but I am letting it grow.” Questioned whether he had etei done any manual work in Auckland, Haora laconically replied: “Yes. Loading ships on the waterfronts. But the doctors told me to avoid straining myself. I'm not fit for heavy work. “My employers here have been wonderfully good to me,” he continued. “People used to insult me when I was a man, but now I have no insults to contend with and I am quite happy. I was penniless and hungry when I came across here. I even had to borrow my ferry fare from the city. ’ A WONDERFUL COOK EMPLOYERS HAD NO SUSPICION “I never had the slightest suspicion that June was anything but the gn-I she posed to be.” said Haora's employer when interviewed by a Sun man and informed of the actual state of affairs th ;.s"Ls e an excellent worker, in every way, and a wonderful cook he “'-The meals she prepared would bt a credit to any woman. We were

quite satisfied with her in every respect. “The children were very much attached to June. She would play with them and amuse them with music on the ukulele, violin and piano. She was a wonderful housemaid.”

“She was so gentle in her ways that I can scarcely believe it yet,” said Haora’s employer, who referred to him as a female throughout the conversation. A fi-iend of the family who was present said that she had had an opinion that “June” was not all she prefessed to be. “Her legs were rather muscular foia girl,” she said. “Though I didn’t have any suspicion of her real character; she was always so capable and obliging. Nothing was too much trouble for her.” The wife of “June’s” employer had often remarked upon the unusual amount of powder on “June’s” face “It is easy to understand now,” observed her husband. “When one has a blue chin to cover, powder is very necessary. However, she was so efficient that I never doubted her sex. When I came home —I would say. ‘Well, how are you?’ and she would answer me in the usual feminine manner.” “WOMAN DRESSED AS MAN” PREVIOUS EMPLOYER’S OPINION “It seemed to me that Haora was a woman dressed up as a man. when he worked here, said the manageress of the dining-rooms where Haora was

formerly employed. “He was essentially feminine in all his actions and his manner. He worked here until he became ill and had to be put off/* “WAS A MAN” . HAORA’S BROTHER IS SURE NEVER VERY STRONG Haora’s brother, when interviewed by a Sun man stated definitely that Haora was a man. “He has always been fond of women’s company, though,” he said. “The girls he has known have always encouraged him to dress in women’s clothes. I did not .think that was a good thing for him and I told him so on several occasions. “While he was staying here he was very well behaved, but I have not seen him for the past three months. I know his features are somewhat feminine. One night, a long time ago, he dressed up as a girl and went down to Luna Park. White people spoil him. They tell him he looks like a girl.” He continued that he had since heard that Haora had been going round dressed as a girl, but he had not seen him himself.

“He was never strong,” lie said. “Always he has h?Ld a girl’s way with him. His voice is fairly high-pitched and he would pass for a woman anywhere.”

“He often had girl friends in to see him,” said Haora’s sister-in-law. “They would lend him clothes so that he could dress up as a woman. I didn’t like it, and told him so. There has been no bad feeling between us. We have always been the best of friends.”