A FATHER'S CRIMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 232, 2 October 1933, Page 3

A FATHER'S CRIMES.

FIVE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT.

Remarking that the offences the prisoner hud committed were extremely grave and the punishment must be severe, his Honor, Mr. Justice Herdman, this morning sentenced Tirci Browne to iivo years' imprisonment with hard labour. Browne had admitted two charges of incest with two of his daughters. Mr. Noble, for the prisoner, said it was a very sad and deplorable case. Browne was a three-quarter-caste Maori, 44 years of age, and the father of 1"> children, ten of whom were alive. He had lived in the backblocka of Coromandel and for many years had been farming his wife's property. He had been held in the highest esteem, and was chairman of the school committee. He did not drink, was honest, and industrious. "Cases of Maoris interfering with their own children are very rare," said Mr. Noble. "I have only known of one other case, and in that one the Maoris were so incensed that the offender committed suicide. In the present case the offences were committed during the temporary absence of his wife. I can only ask'the court to deal as leniently as possible with the prisoner." His Honor (to Browne): You have shown yourself to be an utterly depraved man. It would appear you have 10 children, and had committed the oli'eiices upon two of your daughters and attempted to upon a third. That is all I have to say about your case. You will be sentenced to live years' imprisonment with hard labour. '