CHARGE AGAINST MAORI.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1925, Page 18

CHARGE AGAINST MAORI.

ALLEGED THEFT OF CLOTHING

"I think this case must stand or fall! by the charge of theft," said Mr. Justice j Herdman in the Supreme Court, in summing up at the conclusion of a' case in which Hora- Whare was charged j with the theft of certain articles of; clothing, and a rug, of a total value of j £3 l/o, the property of Ben Pirana, and alternatively with having received the goods, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Mr. J. J. Sullivan represented accused, and Mr. V. R. Meredith presented the case on behalf of the Crown. The case for the prosecution was that accused aud Pirana went to Buckland's sale at Pukekohe, and that certain purchases were .made by Pirana. On return 1 ing .to Porana's home, accused slept -the night in the house, and left early in the morning. After he had gone it was dis l covered that the parcel of goods was missing, and also a rug that had been on accused's bed. Pirana admitted to Mr. Sullivan that, when they were returning from Puke- j kohe, accused also had a parcel. j Tlie defence was a denial of the theft,accused affirming that the goods found at his place when the constable called were his own, having been purchased by him. ' His Honor said it was obvious that one side or the other was not teli'.ng the truth, and it was peculiarly a case for the jury to decide. The jury returned a verdict of "Not guilty."