MAORI ELECTION

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 57, 8 March 1923, Page 8

MAORI ELECTION

PETITION AGAINST SIR

M. POtyARE

GIVING .OF MONEY AND DRINK

ALLEGED

WHY THEY DANCED A HAKA.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PP.ESS ASSOCIATION.) *

TAURANGA, This Day,

The hearing of the election petition against the return of Sir Maui Pomare for the Western Maori constituency was continued to-day.

The evidence of Eangi Marumaru was continued. He was further cross-exam-ined by Mr. Myers concerning the grant of £2. Witness denied asking for money from Pomare, who then said witnesses could have anything up to £20. Wit-, ness did not agree with Pomare's Native policy, and then wrote and told him that he would not support Ponwe, and told him to do what he like with witnesses' dishonoured cheques, which he held. Further evidence was called regarding the re-employment of men on the railway works at Matapihi on the lines of the evidence given yesterday. Regarding the charge that the Natives were supplied with liquor during Pomare's meeting at Muir's gold mines, near Te Puke, Tawhiwhi Ngatai stated that when he went into the kitchen of Muir's house, about twenty men were there. He was invited to have a drink, and had whisky neat. A few minutes later a meeting was held outside, and after speeches more whisky was supplied, and then Taite, who was not sober, made a speech, and said all present would support Pomare. As Pomare left the Natives danced a haka, but, speaking for himeelf, witness said' he danced as "the result of feeling happy from the whisky and not in honour of Pomare." The. meeting lasted from •• between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. till dusk, and the drinking continued after Pomare left. Witness made a statement later of the occurrence to one Winiata when on holiday from Muir's mine. . He did not return to the job, fearing 1 the sack for making the statement, but that was only his imagination. Pera Harawira gave corroborative evidence.

Regarding the charge of drinking at the Star Hotel at Tauranga on the day of the election, Tawhiwhi Ngatai said he arrived in a motor-car, and, after voting, he and others purchased drinks at the Star Hotel. They had several drinks during the day. They tried other hotels, but failed.

A Native woman testified that she saw three Maori men coming out of the Star Hotel, and talked to two of them, who, very apparently, had been drinking. Further evidence was also adduced in regard to the bottles of beer or stout taken to a house at Matapihi,, and there consumed. One Native made a speech, calling upon the few present to vote for Pomare, and asked his hearers if they could "get a ten horse-power and a three horse-power at the same price, which would they sooner have?"

The evidence generally was tedious and uninteresting.