A MAORI BOY'S LAPSE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 219, 23 February 1915, Page 3

A MAORI BOY'S LAPSE.

of a motor cycle. '' ■:. TUTTED FOB BEXTEXCE.. A young Maori lad, McWilliaai LVpfiVa ppcared at the Magistrate's Court, New I'lymc.uth. yesterday, on remand, eharg--d with the theft of a motor cycle, the property of ('. Street, of Smart Koed. Sub-Inspector f'cnhy prosecuted, whilst I Mr F. i'j \\ ilsou appeared for accused, "lie services of an interpreter v.'ere dis pensed with, as licensed had a thorough knowledßo cf Erjjii'di, and was ;:'so a good writer Charles Edward Street, farmer, and dealer, n siding at Bell Block, deposed that, at 10 a in. on Sunday, 1-ltii February, he, left his motor cycle under some trees at the corner of Smart and Tkvon roadi. Oil retuniii;g at ;i p.m. lie found that tlie motor cycle had gone. Next morning he heard in New Plymouth that, a Maori boy had been seen at Bell Block riding the bicycle towards Tikorangi. Witness next saw the motor cycle on Wednesday morning, when a lad named Fred Smith was trying to ride it at Waitara road In reply to a question, Smith said that Eopiha had loaned him the cycle to practise on and he could not make it go. Witness ilid not take possession of the cvcle. but went, to Waitara, and found Constable Boulton. On returning, the .motor cycle was outside the post office, but the post master said accused had "one for his life across tile peddocks. The cycle cost ,C"0 twelve months ago, and was as pood as imw. Tie recognised tli" mn"hinc outsid" the court as tlie one he lin'l tost. Frederick "Richard Smith, who reside! with his father, a farmer at Hiiirs>ngi, deposed that he had known accused ail Ids Jife. They lived close together. On th-> Monday evening, witness saw accused on the motor cycle, which he Raid 'n> had bought from Honcyfield. Accused asked witness to have a ride. Witness attempted to do so., but could not, as there was no benzine. Tile following evening accused again invited witness to have a ride. He showed witness bow to start the machine, and witness rode for a quarter of n mil", when'the ma-j chine stopned and witness could not .vain st'-'rt it,. Mr Street then cant'; j along and spoke to witness, but did not claim iho cvcl". which witness wheeled hack to accused, who said that he would fix it up. To Mr Wilson: He thought accusal was between" fifteen and sixteen years of age. Accused lived with his father, who was in the hospital at the time with o crushed hand. Walter Stone depose that lie resided with his father, a farmer at Huirangi. He saw the bicycle in question in front of his gate about a quarter past nin» on Moiulav. On Wednesday, he again saw it underneath some trees inside accused's "ate. Accused was cleaning th" motor cycle. In reply to a question, accused so id | that he had gone in for a motor bike j and was going for a spin, as soon as he !?ot it cleaned up. T.ater, accused ; said he had bought the machine off New- j ton King, second hand for £9O. Newton i King, he added, had another one, a Royal Ituby, for Tie wanted £ls. Accused offered to sell the motor cycle j to witness for .C"0 Accused then went, to get the mail from the post office opposite. leaving the motor cycle where" it was. As accused did not return from the Post Oflice, witness asked the Post master (Mr TTerrick) where lie was. and was told that Ropilia had gone across tlie paddock. Witness then met Mr Street and Constable Boulton, who toot, possession of the motor cycle. Witness had met Mr Street earlier in the day looking for a motor cycle. Constable Parris Boulton, who has recently been stationed in Waitara, gave evidence as to proceeding to Waitara road with Mr Street., on the evening of Wednesday, February 17 th. Thev saw the cycle produced on the side oi (he road, which. Mr Street claimed wa-. his. Witness searched for accused, but cou'd find ro trace of him until late that night. Next morning 1m found accused near the postmaster's residence, and arrested him. Accused said nolhivg on arrest, but on route to New Plymouth, said. "Oh, I took the bicycle from Smart Road last Sunday morning." and also said that lie would pleadv guilty He also said that he was sixteen last February. Op the night of the 17th, while see rolling for the accused, witness went, to the father's hut and found a pair of pliers and a book, which Mr Street identified as having left in a bag on the motor cycle. Cross-examined.: Witness undcrstool accused to mean that he was sixteen '•ears this February. In reply to the usual questions, accused. who had nothing to say, pleaded guilty, and was committed for scntenci to the Supreme Court, which is sitting at Palmorston North this week.