MAORIS IN TROUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1932, Page 15

MAORIS IN TROUBLE.

SERIOUS OFFENCES.

COMMENT BY JUDGE.

TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT,

A number of half-caste Maori youths appeared for sentence at the Supreme Court, before Mr. Justice Herdman, yesterday, and, in every case except one, the offences to which they had pleaded guilty were of a serious nature. "I understand that in the 'old days the Maori chief used to look after youthful delinquents," said his Honor, "but that certainly does not seem to obtain in these days."

The first case was that of George Ashby, a young man who had been committed from Kaikohe on a charge of breaking and entering a dwelling house and stealing a quantity of valuable property. His Honor said prisoner had been previously convicted and sent to the Borstal Institution. The only course to adopt now was to impose more severe punishment. He would be sent to Borstal for a further period of two years.

"Outcast Among His Own People."

Sentence of two years' hard labour was passed upon Davis Harry Gilbert, of Ngunguru, who had been committed from Whangarei on a charge of breaking and entering the post office at Kiripaka and stealing the safe, postal notes valued at over £90, and a quantity of postage stamps and documents. Accused, said his Honor, had been previously convicted, once on a charge of being an idle and disorderly person, and once for theft. "The police report in your case is a very bad one," continued the judge. "It states that you are regarded as a criminal who would not hesitate to commit a serious crime; or cause bodily injury, if aroused. I understand you are an outcast among your own people." Habitual Criminal. When Ngawati Slade, from Whangaroa, appeared for sentence on a charge of breaking and entering a store by night, it was stated by the Crown Prosecutor that accused had previously been declared an habitual criminal. His Honor said Slade's first conviction was in 1906, since when he had been in serious trouble several times. He had been liberated by the Prisons Board in 1930, but had not profited by .the leniency extended to him. Sentence of three years' hard labour was imposed, and Slade was re-declared an habitual criminal. Burned Down a Store. Thomas Baker, William Repia, Jack Phillips and Mack Baker appeared for sentence on charges of breaking and entering a store at Hokianga and committing arson.

"It seems that you deliberately set fire to the store, valued at £250, and that the building, together with stock of the value of £7:10, was destroyed," said his Honor. "The storekeeper expected some attempt to be made on his property, but was unable to prevent it. Three of you have been previously convicted, but the boy Mack Baker has not. However, there is little to distinguish one from another." His Honor pointed to the seriousness of the crime of arson, which, he said, was punishable by imprisonment for life. He ordered all four to be detained in reformative detention, and also to six months' imprisonment with hard labour on the charge of breaking and entering and theft, the sentences to be concurrent.

Three years' reformative detention was the punishment meted out to William Wi Hongi, a Maori youth from Kaikohe, who had pleaded guilty to breaking and entering and theft.