CURRENT CRIME

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 101, 1 May 1945, Page 4

CURRENT CRIME

MAORIS PROMINENT

COMMENT BY JUDGE

The proportion of persons of Maori blood charged with crime at the present session of the Supreme Court was the subject of remark by Mr. Justice Callan to-day when addressing the Grand Jury. His Honor said there were 23 indictments against 24 persons, and there was nothing unusual in the number or nature of the indictments.

"There is, however," he said, "a feature which I think calls for some remark. In eleven of the 23 indictments it appears that members of the Maori race are charged, and of the 24 persons charged it appears 12 are natives, including in that number some persons of less than full Maori blood. It looks as if the proportion is unduly high. Also, although not so marked, that feature has been present in criminal proceedings for some time past.

"I do not intend by calling attention to this to cast any reflection upon the native race," said his Honor. "I think we should remember that they have not our background. We pakehas have behind us many centuries and many generations of Christianity and civilisation. Our Maori brethren have not. There is much that is admirable in their own way of life that might with advantage be imitated by us."

Appropriate Question His Honor said it was not for him to diagnose the phenomenon he had mentioned, or to propose remedies. That was not his office, nor did he feel he had the capacity. But there were certain things so obvious that he ventured to put them forward by way of some questions. He felt they were appropriate questions for consideration by those who had the necessary capacity to diagnose the causes and possibly bring to effect appropriate remedies.

When members of the native race committed a crime they had to be brought to trial, and if convicted they had to be punished, he said. That was necessary for the preservation of law and order. "But if we go beyond that and seek for causes and remedies, ought we not to acknowledge that in most instances where a Maori commits a crime the cause for his wrong-doing can be found in some fault or evil in our own wav of life to which we have introduced our Maori brother?

"For example, are we pakehas doing all we can and all we should to keep the Maoris from over-indul-gence in our strong drink, the evil effects of which may be more marked in them than in us? Another thing. are we doing everything we can and ought to keep from the evils and temptations of our town and city life the members of the native race, who have not the training or heredity to assist them to resist those temptations and to avoid those evils of pakeha creation?"