MR SEMPLE SEEKS SPANKING FOR MAORI CHILDREN

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 4

MR SEMPLE SEEKS SPANKING FOR MAORI CHILDREN

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Travelling by car to address Mangakino residents, the Minister of Works, Mr Semple, was involved yesterday in an occurrence which could easily have wrecked the vehicle. Near Waitahanuipa, between Turangi and Taupo, a steel rod, seven inches long and a hall-inch thick, penetrated the left front tyre, but a sudden blow-out was avoided. Two Maori children were seen running away from the road when the car, which carried a Government driver and five passengers, was brought to a halt. Mr Semple investigated and found a steel rod held upright in a metal casing forming a plate, which had been "concealed in the pumice road surface. Mr Semple called a number of Maori children in the vicinity to the scene and warned them that this action could have caused the loss of several lives. He obtained from them a promise to tell the parents of the children believed responsible, with a special request for a salutary spanking, and said it was a pity a policeman was not nearby.