LOVE OF FINERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 June 1917, Page 6

LOVE OF FINERY.

(LEADS MAOBI WOMAN INTO TROUBLE. CAJOLED BY TRADESPEOPLE Gis'borne. June 25. In cases of forgery involving about •12000, heard in the Supreme Court todajr, before Mr.' .Justice Hosking, accused, a middle-aged Maori woman, Tepaea Tait, pleaded guilty. Mr. Lusk, of Napier, in extenuation, said accused had the Maoris' love of finery and jewellery. Before the offences were committed accused came into a little money from the sale of lands. Then she began to come into town, and acquired tho habit of expenditure in such articles. In the present case accused was more sinned against than sinning. It was hard to speak with patience of those tradespeople with whom slie dealt. One draper allowed her credit for over £7OO within six months. A jeweller allowed her to run up an amount of over £4OO in two days. The case was best explained in accused's own statement to the police that she did not want the goods, but they were pushed on her. She had not the strength of mind to reaist the tradespeople. In another case another jeweller sold her one article—a ring—for £l2O. All the goods were now in the hands of the police, unused. There was no attempt made by accused to dispose of them. As accused was pressed •for payment, she landed herself within the clutches of the law. It was not a •case or circumstance where the woman should "be gaoled. The accused would make any reparation. 'His Honor commented on the seriousness of the offences, but held that the accused was not criminal by intent. The police report was that accused, though clever, was simple in many ways, like all Maoris, and had succumbed to the flattery of tradespeople that the articles suited her. She did not like to refuse them. If all Maoris were dealt with by tradespeople in the same way, some sort of protection for them would 'be necessary. This remark was greeted with applause by the public in attendance. As other cases might follow, he would not make further comment. To send accused to prison would not act as 'a deterrent. He ordered accused to come up for sentence when called upon, on | condition that she contracted no debts without tlie consent of the agent of the Public Trustee for a period of five years, and that her husband entered into a bond of £IOO on her behalf.