CHARGES DENIED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1937, Page 8

CHARGES DENIED.

CASE AGAINST MAORIS.

ONE ACCUSED ACQUITTED.

I In addressing the jury in the trial of Hirini AllisoA, a young Maori, charged with unlawful carnal knowledge of a Maori girl aged 14 years and 4 months, his Honor, Mr. Justice Fair, at the Supreme Court to-day, said the evidence given was mostly from Maoris, Who had found difficulty in expressing themselves clearly. This difficulty had tended to obscure the main factors. In charges of the kind alleged against the accused it was dangerous to rely upon the uncorroborated evidence of the girls making the complaint, and the jury had to consider what outside testimony there was to support that evidence. It was alleged by the Crown, represented by Mr. V. R. Meredith, that on October 11 last two Maori girls had been picked up and given a ride on a truck driven by Hirini Allison and Kahurangi Karikari. The girls had been taken to some manuka scrub, where, it was alleged, the offences had taken place. In the trial of Hirini Allison yesterday both Allison and his companion gave evidence denying the allegations. They said they had stopped the truck in order to repair the exhaust pipe. Mr. Hei, for the accused, addressed the jury, iwho, after a retirement of threequarters of an hour, returned a verdict <»f, not guilty, and Hirini Allison was discharged. The trial of Kahurangi Karikari, companion of Allison in the truck, on-a charge of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl aged 13 years and 9 months, is being heard to-day. The accused pleaded not guilty.