MAORI CHARGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 157, 4 July 1940, Page 10

MAORI CHARGED.

THEFT ALLEGATION.

COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL.

SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE GIVEN.

Scientific evidence -wae called by the police to-day when a Maori, Hohepa Tamihana Hapi (30), an aircraft meehanic. was charged, before Mr. J. Morling, S.M., in the Police Court, with breaking? and entering on June 7 the shop of Harry Louis Solomon, Upper Queen Street, and stealing Iβ diamond rings, three greenstone tikis and two silver cigarette ca-see, of a total value of £180. The owner of the shop said two holes had been made in the plate-grlaee window and the jewellery mentioned in the charge had been stolen. He identified jewellery shown him by the police ae jewellery etolen from hie shop. Roy Stephen Trayee, jeweller, of Civic Buildings, eaid the accused called at his shop about 1.30 p.m. on June 18 with a six-stone diamond ring whicih he eaid he wished to sell. Accused eeid the ring 'belonged to his wife's first husband. Witnese told Hapi to return later. In Hie meantime witnese sent the ring to Solomon in order to ha>*e it valued. Solomon retained the rinjr, and at 5.30 -pjm. the same day, accused returned to witness' shop, he wae met by Detective McKeown.

Evidence was given by Detective McKeown concerning a conversation he had with accused in Trayes' shop. Accused said he. had bought the ring from an unknown man in a city hotel and added that he only bought the one ring. Witness searched accused and in one pocket found a silver cigarette case containing eight diamond rings. A tiki was found in another pocket. Accused then said he had bought the lot from the man in the hotel for £40. Hapi gave a description of the man, but despite extensive inquiries this man could not be found. He was not known at the hotel mentioned by Hapi. After taking a lengthy statement from accused, who gave a detailed account of hi* meeting with the unknown man, Detective McKeown said he went to Hapi's room in Scotia Place. In this room witness found in a suitcase two tikis and a tyre lever. "

Kenneth Massey Griffin. Government Analyst, said he found powdered glass in some fresh scratches made on the tyre lever. He compared this with particles of glass taken from the plate glass window of Solomon's shop. Witness found that the specific gravity and refractive index of the powdered glass from the tyre lever agreed exactly with the glass taken from the shop window. Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.