WARNING TO MAORIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1927, Page 8

WARNING TO MAORIS.

WRONG ADVICE ON

MARRIAGE.

INFLUENCE TOWARDS BIG AMY

REFERENCE TO RATANA

<By Telegraph— Special to "Star."! WANGANLT. this dav

Hori Turia. found guilty of biganiv, apj-eared at the Supreme Court before Mr. .Justice McGregor for sentence to-

lne judge said he was satisfied that accused knew his first wife was alive, although, being a Maori, he did not know of the seriousness of his offence. It >\ns plain that accused was under the influence of some other person or persons, who induced him to go through a second form of marriage. Those persons should haxc known better. *1 he evidence iji regard to these persons was not <|uite convincing, utlnrui-e they would have been brought no. He wished accused to understand that lie had committed a serious offence, and he wished all other Maoris in a similar position to take notice. It was apparent that but for some outside form of influence accused would not ha\e gone through his second marriage.

It had lx>en suggested that followerof the Ratana movement up the river had been associated to some extent with these bigamous marriages, and bad been advising their follower- that the on!v proper marriage was that contracted in tfieir church. They were entirelv mistaken rn that, added the judge, who v.ent on to point out that such persons weie liable to punishment. It was desirable that these facts should be known bv Maoris, in order that such practices should be stopped.

Accused wa s then ordered to come up for sentence within two years if called upon, and to pay £20 towards the cost of the prosecution, the aggregate costs being £65.