ABDUCTING A GIRL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 8

ABDUCTING A GIRL.

CHARGE, AGAINST, A : MAORI. - 181 I*LKGBiPH— PEESS ASSOCIATION.) '■'■'•' ~: ! Auckland, February 10. • A young Maori, named Wharematangi,. appeared before Mr. Justice Edwards at : the' Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court this afternoon,- oa a" charge of abducting a' girl under' the age of" sixteen 1 years from the' :honieof'her guardians at.Taupo; The prisoner was also indicted on. a charge of Having entered improper/ relations 'with, the girl. ,\ : ".. ■■~•';■■■. ./.' ....:■•' , .The evidence' given ; for the prosecution showed that the Maori, girl concerned in the case was 14 years of age.- Her guardian had occasion to ask'the prisoner; in. November, last'to keep away iroin his ward as. she was only a child, and he. promised'to do so. The girl, however, disappeared during , the, night of: December' 5,, and .was found by hor foster father, and.' ii.'-.policeman.. ,a« ; daylight, two . morning's .later,' /sleeping in the same room' as the prisoner at a maori settlement about .30 miles away.. •. : '; -The subject of the abduction stated thafc she had never told :tho ■ prisoner' that: 'she was 16. She went "away.''with' him reluctantly. ■ •.'■'

'■■ His Honour ruled that it was .immaterial to the chafgo whether the girl went -voluntarily or not. ' The prisoner ; stated from the: witness' box ; that his age was 19, and that he-had known the girl for about a year.'. The! latter urged him to take her, as his .wife, - and he would have done so but for the objection of'her people. 'He honestly believed that' the' girl was ; 16.. He admitted improper .relations with the girl prior to the .date of the alleged abduction, but. denied having 1 induced her to; leave her home. VWhile riding- on a : Sunday evening with a companion he -saw : the- girl sitting on the roadside : near: her guardian's place.; Witness,' told her to,-, go ■to ■her , own home,' but she said, "Not for the King or Queen." Her horse was in a gully close by, and. .sho rode' away with" him," telling his father, on arrival at ; .liis,home that she had come to be .prisoner's wife. .•' '.

.-''■-.Hia Honour. (to, prisoner): .You. say .that the girl, was greatly in'love with you;; not you-with her? ■:'■■.; ;■•.'. Prisoner :,.¥es.. ~!-... ,'.-,- . ■ ' .-;. , ', Hiki corroborated the ; : evidence -of. his' son. (the prisoner), concerning the girl's persistency in wishing to remain.as the lat-ter's:-wiie,, despite .their protestations, i.'According- to .Maori'-custom, girls .were sometimes, taken as wives', at the.age :of 'ten.: Often they were, betrothed soon; after birth.' Mr. Prenderga'st:' Is ithere any: marriage ceremony? " ~\ Witness: Sometimes a committee is formed •to give, in' marriage.- 'My- wife and ■'■I:-, took each other without- any-ceremony; - :: - .; : In.charging the jury his Honour,said the suggestion of; Maori ■ customs 'must be. dismissed, as Native; law., was'. only recognised iii. connection: with/land. :The.inain'. l>C[uestipns.to be decided were whether the prisoner, knew the girl to be 1.6 years of- age, and whether he took her away or'she took hiih; . After, a retirement of half an hour the jury- returned - a verdict of guilty ■ on' both counts./.. •;•-, : ; ■ ; ': . : » ■'■'.'■:■■•:■■■ • Prisoner-was remanded for sentence:- .