A MAORI MARRIAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 December 1915, Page 6

A MAORI MARRIAGE.

A GIRL UNDER At!E. POLICE ALLEUE AX OFFENCE. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. Crookc, S.M., a Maori, Rangi parikopa, was charged with unlawfully carnally knowing a Maori girl under the age of sixteen years, and another Maori, Rangi K. Toliu, was charged with abetting the alleged offence. The alleged offence was said to have taken place at Parihaka between November 3 and 27. Both eases were taken together, and Mr. A. H. Johnstone appeared for both the accused.

In outlining the police case Sub-In-spector Fouhy said the girl was taken from her home to Parihaka when she was an infant. On November 3 she was married by the Maori custom to Parikopa at Parihaka, and they lived together until November 25, when the girl left "her so-called husband" and went tolive with her father at Puniho.

The girl's father said She would be fifteen years old on January 13 next, and he knew because "it is written in my book." The entry was made on the day of the child's birth. The girl was brought up by the accused Toliu, from the time she was quite small until now. Rangi Tohu is the son of the late Tohu who was a chief. Rangi Tohu went to Puniho to see witness about the marriage of the girl with Parikopa, and said it was his wish that the marriage should take place. Witness replied that Tohu had adopted the child and so she was Tohu's child, but witness wished Tohu to know that the girl was not yet old enough to be married. Witness did not hear Tohu make any reply to that. That was the only time Tohu went to witness prior to the marriage. Witness was not present at the marriage, and did not know when it took place, but the visit of Tohu before the marriage was either in October or November. The girl came to witness's house last Saturday week, and had remained there ever since. To Mr. Johnstone witness said he had sixteen children, but one was dead. Tohu gave the girl her name. One of witness's sons was at the marriage. Kepi Manu, son of the previous witness, described the. marriage of the parties according to Maori custom. They had been married for three or four weeks when witness, took his sister home. The witness was not cross-examined.

Tlie girl then gave evidence. She said she did not know her age. She had been living with "Pane" u'p to the time she returned to her father's house. "Pane" wag the name by which Tolm was also known. She was married to Rangi Parikopa at Parihaka, but she could not say when. Shi< hail never been to school and did not know the names of the months, and so she could not say how long she had been married. At the marriage there was no clergyman present, and 110 entry was made in any book. The first time witness heard she was going to hi? married was the day she was married. It was "Pane" who told her she was going to be married.

Cross-examined, witness said she had only been at school for one week, but could not say when that was. As long as witness could remember she had lived with Tohu, Other witnesses with corroborative evidence closed the case for the Crown. •Mr. Johnstone submitted there was no ease against Tohu, who acted perfectly bona fide and did not aid or ab»t any offence. The Magistrate, however, said he had no option but to commit the men for trial. The accused pleaded not guilty, and were committed to the Supreme' Court for trial.