DISLOYAL UTTERANCE.

FIRST MAORI CONVICTION. {ST" TEJ.EGRAr-H.— CORBESPOIOJENT.] ' TE AWAMUTU, Saturday. Trs Governments decision' to conscript the. Waikato Maoris resulted in a native named Taiwhaie appearing before Mr. E. Bawson, S.M., at the Te Awamutu Court oh a charge of making disloyal utterances. This is the first.- case of its kind, applying to a native, under the War Regulations. The police raid the majority of the members of the Waikato tribe, are hostile to conscription, and only those located by the police had been registered.* The accused, it seems, was one of a party at Kihikihi recently, ~-when it was suggested what a fine soldier he'would make. He retorted, the evidence stated, that if he received £1000 he would not go and fight, and expressed the desire for a German victory, and German occupation of New Zealand. Cautioned by the police he twice repeated his words. The case was brought as a warning to other natives, who, the police reported, were giving & wood deal of trouble over the conscription I issue.

The accused was convicted and was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour, but a warning was issued that leniency would not be shown in future.