OFFENCES BY MAORIS AT GISBORNE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22243, 6 November 1937, Page 12

OFFENCES BY MAORIS AT GISBORNE

PROTECTION FOR NATIVE WOMEN 0 (rttia association telegram.* GISBORNE. November 5. Commenting that members of the Maori race would agree that their womenfolk had to be protected, and adding that it was a case calling for exemplary punishment. Mr Justice Ostler to-day sentenced Watarav. i Tatae. alias Walter Wilson, to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour for indecent assault. The evidence on which a jury convicted the accused showed that he had driven a 17-year-old girl tn his whare against her will, given her a black eye. and otherwise injured her before threatening her with -i knife and frightening her into spending the night with him. Tatae. it was stated, was a married man with iwo children, but for some time’he had been living with an elder sister of the complainant, the sister having been present at the time of the assault. Teki Mauhana. convicted on two charges of carnal knowledge of a girl aged 14, was sentenced to six months imprisonment, the Judge commenting that Maori girls were entitled to the same protection as Europeans. Two other Maoris. Hohura Kukurangi and Neehi Teera. for carnal knowledge, were admitted to probation for 12 months, a condition being that thev pay the costs of the prosecution. The Judge commented that, m these cases the Probation Officer’s report was favourable, and it appeared that the girls concerned were of easy Vl ]Tor breaking and entering and the theft of motor-tyres from a garage where he was formerly employed, Ferdinand John Chambers was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.