ROBBING A CHURCH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 299, 21 January 1911, Page 8

ROBBING A CHURCH

SETTLER AND HIS WIFE CHARGED. At the Whangarei Police Court last week, Charles MeTnman and Emily Mclirmau (his wife) were charged, under the Crimes Act, the former with breaking and entering the Maori Church at .Pelieawari between the dates of November 5 and December 18, 11)10, and stealing a silver-plated cup and tray, six church lamps 1 , two table-cloths, a quantity of oil-cloth and cocoanut matting, of the estimated value of £4 10s. The female prisoner was charged with receiving the stolen goods. Mr. J. M. Killcn appeared for the defence. In outlining the case, Sergeant Moore stated that on November 5 the Maori pastor, Hoani Matenga l'aerat.i, had visited the church, which was seldom used, and found 'everything apparently in ordor. On December 18 the churchwarden, l'arata Minarapa, discovered the glass of one of the .windows removed, and the article* enumerated missing. The police were communicated with, and some of the lamps were found in an auction mart |at Whangarei. The rest of the stolen goods \vc» found at the prisoners' house, the oilcloth being nailed to the Hoor, and one of tne tablecloths being turned into a skirt. All the articles had been recovered, the male prisoner stating that he had been given permission by Lady Douglas to use the church as a barn, and take charge of all the property. The female prisoner (who had a baby in her ttrms) having pleaded guilty to the charge of receiving stolen goods, the •Bench took a lenient view, and ordered a eonviction to be recorded against her, and to come up for sentence if called upon. Evidence on the foregoing lines was given by the Maori pastor, lloani Matenga Pacrata, the sole surviving minister of the church, Eru Nehua, and the churchwarden, Pa rata Minorapa, it being elicited that considerable doubt existed as to who owned the church land. In answer to a question, the pastor stated that, while a pakeha would be bold enough to enter the church at night-time, no Maori would dare to do so, for fear of the ghosts. The prisoner pleaded guilty, on the condition that he would be allowed to make a statement before, sentence was passed, and was committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence. Bail-was allowed. self .tltM), and two sureties of £SO each.