Maori Father Found Guilty of Son’s Death By Starvation

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22697, 23 July 1948, Page 6

Maori Father Found Guilty of Son’s Death By Starvation

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 23. The death of a male child, aged eight years at Tahere, near Kaikohe, i n January led to the father, a fullblooded Maori named Pou Kahi Wiparata, aged 38, a driver of Rawene, being charged before Mr. Justice Gresson and a jury with unlawfully failing to provide the necessaries of life to the child, whereby its life was endangered. The accused denied the offence which was alleged to have occurred between December 18, 1947, and January 1, 1948. "This is not a very common offence,’’ said Mr. Cleal, in opening the case for the Crown. “Although committed by a Maori, it is not the type of treatment to which the native race would subscribe. If the Crown evidence is accepted, it appears incredible that a father would treat his sick child In such a way that it subsequently died." Outlining the evidence, Mr. Cleal said the district nurse would describe her visits to the Wiparata family which, in November, comprised the accused. his Maori wife and five children. The eldest. Hold, who died on January 1. was the child concerned in the charge. Mr. Cleal said the nurse saw Hold, who was ill just before Christmas. She left some pills and instructions for the mother to inform her if the child did not improve. When she did not hear from the parents, she sent a message for the accused to meet her. He did not come and 'lie nurse heard of the chi'd's death 15 hours after it occurred. Dr, G Kemble-Welch. of Rawene, said he conducted a post mortem exmaination on Hold He had not seen anybody so grossly emaciated. There was practically no food in his intestines and only a small amount of fluid in the stomach. He was sure the child had not had a meal for 24 hours or a decent meal for a week. He would not have recovered without food but might have with medical attention.

After a short retirement, the jury returner! with a verdict of guilty. The accused was remanded for sentence.