HOSTILE MAORIS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 86, 10 November 1939, Page 5

HOSTILE MAORIS

WHAT BEER CAN DO DEMONSTRATION AGAINST POLICE "JUST A KEG PARTY" Mr W. H. Freeman was on the Bench when two Maoris, Karauria King! and Roinana Kingi, were arraigned on charges of procuring liquor whilst under a prohibition -order and entering licensed premises. Mr Smith appeared for the XKingis. 'Prosecuting, Constable H. Hedley tletailed a visit that he and Con- . stable Fuller had paid to the Kingis' house at Poro Poro late on the night vof August 25.

'At ten forty-five p.m. oii August

25 I received a 'phone call advising

me that the Kingis were holding a i party and that there was a good Vleal of singing and shouting going r-oa/' said Constable Hedley. "I com- • nrunicated with Constable Fuller • and Ave proceeded to Poro Poro, ar:riving there at about 11 p.m. "I knocked at the front door and was admitted, and Constable Fuller entered at the rear. 1 saw a room full of people and some Maoris play "ing a game of chance and drinking 'beer. I asked accused where the. liauor was and was shown a fivegallon keg. "I then began to take notes. One of the Kingis approached me and asked us if we would go into another room and talk things over." continued Constable Hedley. "All the Maoris present were under the influence of liquor. Constable Fuller and I accompanied the defendants into a room and while there we heard sounds of things being removed. "These noises we took to indicate "the removal of the keg. We came out into the room where the liquor had been and saw that the keg had been removed." Constable Hedley said that one of the accused, Karauria Kingi, had then adooted a hostile attitude towards Constable Fuller, against whom he had a grievance. The constable added that these men look for trouble when they are drunk.

Mr Smith said. that the two defendants were living in the same house and on the night in question they were having just a keg party. Both natives had only temporary prohibition orders out against them and consideration should he given to the fact that they had applied for the orders themselves when they realised that liquor was getting them into trouble.

Both pleaded guilty. On the first charge. Karauria Kingi was convicted and fined £2 and 15s costs and on the second count a £2 fine wn.s inflicted with the addition of 17's costs. Romana Kingi had fines of £2 and £2 with costs aggregating £1 Is recorded against him.