SENT TO PRISON

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 134, 9 June 1942, Page 2

SENT TO PRISON

AGGRESSIVE MAORI

SOLDIER OH ASSAULT CHARGE

"You interfered with this Maori girl without any right at all. She was so scared she had to seek the protection of the police. You are very aggressive," said Mr. J. Morling, S.M., in the Police Court this morning, when he sentenced a Maori soldier, Monty Hunia, aged 21, for assault. Hunia admitted the charge of assalting a Maori girl, but denied that he assaulted Constable D. C. Stobin while in the execution of his duty. The constable and Sergeant O'Halloran both stated that at 7.15 last evening a Maori girl complained to them that she had been assaulted by a Maori soldier. Near the Amusement Park the girl identified accused as the man who nad assaulted her. On being spoken to, Hunia became abusive, and when asked to accompany Constable Stobin to the police station accused said, "That'll be the when you get me up there!" He then struck the constable on the chest. Hunia, who had to be thrown, resisted violently on the way to the station. Sergeant O'Halloran said there were a number of Maoris about at the time, and the scene looked ugly, as some of the Maoris tried to rescue Hunia. Hunia told the magistrate he only pushed the girl, but did not strike her. For assaulting the girl he was sentenced to two weeks' imprisonment; and on the other charge he was convicted and discharged.