THE RAHOTU RIOT.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1918, Page 2

THE RAHOTU RIOT.

EIGHTEEN NATIVES BEFORE Tffi COURT. A sequel to the riot which took plac at ltahotu on ftfcireh 2S last, when . number of Maoris attacked Coustabl O'Neill while he was attempting to ai rest Nolio (Billy) Te Whiti for com mitting an aet of gross indecency, tool place at the New Plymouth Magistrate' Court yesterday, when 18 natives ap poared before Mr. A. Crookc, S.M., t answer several charges arising out o the disturbance. Sub-Inspector Hut ton appeared to prosecute and Mr. P. I Fitzherbert represented the defendant: Great interest was manifested in th case, the court being crowded, ; large number of natives being presenl The apparent ring-leader of the dis turbance was Nolio Te Whiti, and si; charges were preferred against hinjfivo separate charges, and one in con junction with the other natives cod cerned, of taking part in a riofc. Noho Te Whiti was charged with com mitting a indecent act, using indecen language, assaulting police Coustabl O'Neill in the execution of his duty, as saulting Edward Duggan to prevent th lawful apprehension of himself, and re sisting Constable O'Neill in the execu tion of his dutyi Turoa Kahukura and Pipi Leatherb; —using obscene language in a publi , place. Turoa Kahukura, Rangt Porikapa, Jo Tamakaha, Tara (Harwood), Kapi Koli Moehu, Porikapa, Turu Turn Whare pouri, Tuaiinekora (Big Dick), Tamaka ha, Pakira, Okiroa, Watson, and iPip Leatherby—Assaulting and obstructin Constable O'Neill in the execution of hi duty. r Wi Patena, Noho Te Whiti, Pakiro Okeroa, Eruiti, Pipi Leatherby, Wat son, Porikapa, fiangi Kumiti, Turu Tur Whare pouri, Tnahinekore (Big Diclc' Tamakaha, Turoa Kahukura, Rangi Pori .kapa, Joe Tamakaha, Tara (Harwood] Okiroa Kira Ruamiti and Kapi Hole Moehu—Taking part in a riot on th main road. Mr. Fitzherbert intimated it was ill tended to take all the cases to the S» preme Court, as they were indictabl offences, and suggested that in view o that a good deal of the time of th Court might be saved. INDECENT ACT AND INDECENT LANGUAGE. On the application of Sub-Inspecto Hutton, the charge of committing i grossly indecent act, against Te Whit: and also a charge of using obscen language, against the same accused were taken first, as forming the founda tion of the following charges. On being charged, Te Whiti pleadei not guilty, and elected to be tried bi juryConstable O'Neill, Rahotu, said tha on March 28 he was on the main rosu at Rahotu at about 5.45 p.m., cOnversin! with Mr. Walter Green. Defendant walked out of the main entrance dooi of the hotel and proceeded, towards thi hotel urinal. A few moments latei when witness looked in that direetior he saw Te Whiti committing an indecent act at the hotel gate, which is about seven yards on the hotel side oi the urinal. He drew Mr. Green's attention to it. Te Whiti came towards thom and witness warned hiin, and said he would probably take action. He told accused it was a serious offence in a civilised community. Accused stood and grinned for a while and then pushed his body against witness said, "Do what you b—well can, you b Witness pushed him back and accused said, 'Til fight you, you b- — Accused gripped witness round the body and attempted to throw him. Witness ultimately threw accused, who said, he would go quietly if he was let up. When he did let him up accused said, "Go to h—l, you b ." The whole affair took place on the foothpath of the Kahui road. It was sale-day and there was a good many people, about. Tt was broad daylight at the time. The back window of the post office residence overlooked the place where the offence was committed. He nad never done or said anything to Te Whiti to cause hiin to take up the attitude ho did towards witness. He and Te \Vliiti nad been good friends up to that time. To Mr. Fitzherbert: It was raining heavily at the time of the occurrence. Walter C. G. Green, farmer, Rahotu, in corroborating the evidence of the constable, said he could not repeat all the bad language he heard at the time. There was a great deal of such language used that day. Private Paul Will cox. of the 38th Reinforcements, Trentham, John Christopher Carr, assistant manager of the cheese factory, and Edward Duggan. farmer, Rahotu, also gave corroborative evidence. In answer to the usual question accused had nothing to say, and was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at New -Plymouth, to be held on May 13. ASSAULT, RESISTANCE, AND RIOT. By agreement the remaining charges against all the other prisoners were taken together. All pleaded not guilty and elected to he tried by jury. Constable O'Neill repeated his evidence •as given in the previous eases. He also said that while he was struggling on the ground with Te Whiti a number of other natives gathered round. Te Whiti said he would go quietly if lie was let up. As soon as lie got up, Te Whiti said: "Go - hell, you b ." Witness took off his overcoat and proceeded with accused under arrest towards the post office. Whil;> going along the road Kapehoki Moehu took hold of Te Whiti and tried to pull him away. Witness pushed him oIT, and Te Whiti rushed for a telegraph post and caught hold of it. A further struggle followed and witness Was immediately surrounded by a hostile mob of howling Maoris, Headed bv Big Dick (Tuahiuekore). He (witness) was then rushed at by other Maoris, who assaulted and kicked him. Wm. Kothery, Edward Duggan, Angus Cameron, Waiaua Stewart (a Maori), Alex. Stewart, F. Kirk, .1. Harris, .1. C. Carr, and Private Wilcox, who were in the vicinity, came to the assistance of witness, wh' > was trying to handcuff Te Whiti and < -ke him to the lock-up. He was null' ,|l' Te Whiti several times anc. i! -nd pmichco. Early in the struggle * ' .••v. Tara (Harwood) break through Europeans, who were assisting witness, and deal him a blow on the head witli his first. The Natives attacked the Europeans who were trying to protect witness. He lieard some of the Native women shouting to the men, and one of the men (Turoa Kahukura) called out to om l the women in a very loud voice. ! your mouth, you ." Turoa had his' caaAa# waa He ]

could not get the handcuffs on To Whit! because his wrists were too big. The Furopeans who wore assisting witnesswere assaulted by (lie 'Maoris and pulled back every lime they tried to help, One of the Maoris (Pakora Okeroa) rushed through the crowd and struck witness. At that time Te Whiti had three of witness' fingers in his month. He was on 2 the ground struggling. with To W'hitt. l He called t.o,tjie Europeans to help lum, j and Mr. Duggan.camp to his assistance - and he got his fingers' out of Te Wluti's - mouth. Froip the start he advised Te c Whiti to go quietly, atid thobthcr Euro--3 pearis also advised Jipi to go,ifluietly. He . then got To \9Tiiti on to the road. llr. ) Duggan eftioe to af.sjst wjiflpfts, and Te f .Wliiti bit his fingers a>sa„jfiad kicked . him in the lower paf.t; of tji9 bod) r . The whole struggle lasted ab.oijt an hour. He thought there would be about fifty > Maoris engaged in ,the struggle. . He ! recognised Pipi Leatherby and Eangl Porikapa, who rushed at witness, saying, . "(live it to the Irislj b —Porikapa £ also joined. in with' the others, saying, - "He insulted my brother; give it to the . 1) TJiey wfei-e. prevented from . striking witness bv Messrs Duggan and Rothery. Big Diclc was prominent in _ the affair from the commencement, and t, made frequent attempts to assault witt ness. Taurakaha rushed at witness and . was shouting, and he saw him attack 3 Mr. Thomas Fleming, and he was also . struggling with Mr. Kirk., He was . shouting wildly in Maori throughout. His son, .Joe Tamakaha, also took a simif lav part in the row. Rarjgi Porikapa s was one of the prominent offenders, and Rangi TCumete, Watson, Okeroa, liruitl, g and other Natives were all taking part j in the assault, Rangi Porikapa struck . witness on the head. At the end of the . struggle witness felt dazed and bruised ; and considerably upset. His left eye was black, three fingers oil the left hand j were badly bitten, and his hands were bitten in other places. He saw Mr. Dugt gan's thumb, which had been severely . bitten He also saw Mr. Jaekush being j kicked by the Natives. During the ■ whole of the time the conduct of the Natives was most violent and extreme. Witness sent for Mr. Hughson, J.P., and j on his arrival he advised witness tp let B the prisoner (Te Whiti) go and proceed against him by summons, which he did . while Mr. Hughson was there, which was only for a few minutes, and a Native 9 came up behind him and punched a hole f through his umbrella. Witness had never „ given the Natives any cause for such hostility. He had noticed they had taken up a different attitude towards him since he had been appointed to secure their registration under the Military Service Act. Their attitude was dis- [. tiuetly hostile. He thought another rea- , son for their hostility probably was the fact that Te Whiti was a son of a former , chief of the tribe, He bet Te Whiti go, as he could not hold him. Tt was rain- . ing heavily, getting dark, and the Maoris were still assaulting him. [ To Mr. Fitzlierbert: There may have , been if) Europeans present. His injuries were not all caused by Te Whiti. . On the morning after the assault he [ jumped a 4ft. Gin. fence to show some , 'of the Natives standing about that they ' had not got, him "beat." Ho was pretty . sore at the time. He could not say , himself what damage Big Dick had done. Tie saw him assaulting the other liuropcans and "putting in the boot." Walter C. G. Green gave corroborative evidence, —Cross-examined by Mr. Fitzherbert he said he had no grievance against Rangi Porikapa. He hud on one occasion to speak to him about the language he was using within hearing of witness' wife. He was not opposed to the Native race. He did not say ho would have to pack up his swag amt get out if nothing was done about the Maoris. He said if something was not done it would soon be time to migrate. Private P. Wileoi), after giving evidence, was cross-examined by Mr. Fitfcherbcrt and said he was pot present at the end of the row. He did not know that Ti> Whiti had any ribs broken, or that his eyes were blackened and his whole body bruised. Re-examined by Sub-Inspector Hiltton witness said it was quite likely Te Whiti would have received some of the blows-and kicks of the other Natives, as both he and the constable were rolling about on the ground and the crowd was surging backwards and forwards. He did not think the constable used undue violence. John Christopher Carr, in his evidence, said someone in the crowd shotted: "T.et's get some bottles and we'll shift the pakeha b then." He could not say .who had said that. He thought there would be quite (10 Maoris present. Kdward- Duggan in his evidence said that though there was a big crowd of Maoris in the affair there were only about a dozen whom he knew taking part. The only one whom he knew who was using bad language was Pipi Leatherby. To Mr. Fitzherbcrt: He had never 'known Leatherby behave in such a way before. He had evidently been drinking. He did not think he would have acted as he had done if he had been sober.' Witness had known him for a number of years and always found him a very decent chap. Evidence in support wqs also given by William Rothery, farmer, Rahotu; Aligns Cameron, dairy factory manager, Rahotu; Sidney F. Llewelyn, factory assistant, Rahotu: Augustus .Tackusli, farmer, Warea; Alex, Stewart, butcher, Kahotu; Frederick Kirk. farmer, Omatii; Waiawa Stewart (a Maori), laborer, Rahotu: Thomas Fleming, farmer, Rahotu; John N. Harris, foreman for Ihe Parihaka Road Board; Thomas P. Jlughson, Rahotu ;\ and Constable Houston, Opunake. The latter slated lie was ordered to proceed to Rahotu on the night of the occurrence, as it had been reported there had been a riot there. He. reached Rahotu at : about It was raining heavily and the township seemed quiet. After satisfying himself thai; everything was all right he went to the police station and found Constable O'Neill looking as though he had been severely haWleit. • That closed the case for the prosecution. Tn reply to the usual question accused all pleaded not guilty anil reserved their defence. They were all committed for trial on the several charges against them at the ne.vt sitting of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth, to lie held on May 13. Hail was allowed accused in £25 each ! and one surety of C:! sin each case. i The Court rose at !) p.in. i