Apology made on marae

Press, 12 June 1984, Page 21

Apology made on marae

PA Napier The police and Maori elders have praised a special marae gathering where a Taradale youth apologised to a policewoman he had assaulted. John Rangi Francis Tareha, aged 17, asked for the chance to apologise before his elders at Waiohiki marae when he appeared in the District Court at Napier earlier in the week. The move was welcomed by Chief Inspector Roger Richards, who was present at the marae ceremony on

Thursday. “It is the first time in Hawke’s Bay this type of apology within a marae has been attempted,” he said. “From a police point of view it was useful and contributed quite a lot to Maori-police relations.” He said that if Maori youths has to make this sort of apology more often it could deter them from committing crimes. “It’s fairly humiliating for the youngsters to have to do this sort of thing in frontof their elders,” he said. At the gathering last

week, the policewoman, Constable Rawinia Maru, was accompanied on the marae by three relatives and Mr Richards. They were afforded full Maori protocol and listened to speeches before Tareha apologised and presented Constable Maru with a bouquet. The police party then stayed to lunch. The assault took place in a Napier hotel. Constable Maru needed treatment for a black eye and bleeding nose.