Supreme Court Sittings.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7741, 17 February 1905, Page 2

Supreme Court Sittings.

E.VI'KKT EVIDENCE ON MAOM* JUAltlilAU 10 CUSTOMS. (l'er I'rcs» Association.) j AUCKLAND, 1-Vb, Hi. At dm Supreme Court the I'uhi case, in which u young iii.in named Krnest Msirtin pUvuli'il u> a charge of abducting u .Maori girl under the age of 13 years, wus mentioned by! Air -Mahonev, prisoner's counsel. Tile Uev. dittos said thnt he hud hud 40 years' experience uinongst the Maoris, and il would he thought toy them |-ro|>er for a man to marry u .Maori girl of 11 yours of age. so long us he got I lie cot»sent of the 's parents. Childroi hud been, und were still, betrothed in infancy.

I I lis Honour : As 1 understand It, cohabitation with tile parentis conj sent is murriage I Witness : Yes.

I His Honour : Would it foe wrong for a young Native /nun to tuko away a young native maiden ami cohabit with her without the consent of her parents ? Decidedly so, Your Honour. | Would it be looked upon as a serious ofTence according to native custom 1 Yes. Continuing, witness said that before the parties could redeem themselves they imist 1h- punished. If the young mun were to blame he would have to pay so much to the girl's parents, and vice versa. His Honour : If they do not pay, what then ? Witness : The young woman would most probably be taken away. Witness added that in this'enso he believed that as the young man I cou.d not pay the "girl's parents the necessary £2i>, he was working it off with his father-in-law. His Honour : They are married then when they pay the penalty '? Yes, your Honour.