Page 2 Advertisements Column 1

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 1884, 16 January 1875, Page 2

A somewhat curioue, if not arausingasgau t case was heard at the Resident Magistrate's Court, Wellington, a short time ago. Both the complainant and defendant were Maoris. The prosecutor was a girl about 15, and the defendant a man of fully 40 summers, who cl'iiraed the it,irl as his wife by gift. The girl, or rather child, was adverse to the union, and refused to go with the defendant, who thereupon used fores' to compel her, and in the words of the European witness, from the whaling station at Porirua, l? dragged her by the hair of the head." The defendant made a very e'ever defence. He said the girl's father was willing for him to have her, bub her mother oljected. Defendant also called a uaiive of his hupu, who had likewise given him the girl, being soai® distant relation— probably a grandfather — who claimed the right of gift. The Magistrate d plored the Maori customs of marriage, the giving and taking being extremely fine points to decide, but he would rule that no man could forcibly take a waihiue without hor consent, and consequtntlj Sued the defendant 20s and coats. • We are glad to inform our reader* that a New Gentlemen's Clotting Establishment h s opened in Polien >treet, two doo s from Mary street, named the Thames Borough Clothing Mart.—Advt. :

Two twin brothers are said to be so much alike that they frequently borrow money from each other without knowing it..- ■- ■ ■; :.-.■ ■ : , ■ ' "■■■:.■ ,