THEFT OF MONEY

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 22 February 1935, Page 11

THEFT OF MONEY

VERDICT IN “SPIRIT” MAORI WOMAN GUILTY HAMILTON, Feb, 2. A verdict ofi guilty on four counts was returned by the jury after a short retirement in the case in which a. halfcast Maori woman, Martha Orinsby, aged 34, was charged on five counts of stealing sums aggregating £56 6s from an Indian retailer, Parhbu Govind, of Otorohanga. Sentence was deferred. In his opening address the Crown Prosecutor, Mr H. T. Gillies, said the moneys were extracted from Govind at spiritualistic seances conducted by accused. In respect to the first count, involving £3O, it was doubtful if accused intended to steal. The money was used in connection with races, and the jury need not pay much attention to that charge. On the other counts, there was no doubt that money was obtained by tricks. Continuing his evidence, Govind said that at a meeting on January 20 the spirit demanded £2O from him. He said he had only £3 6s. The “spirit” told him that if he did not produce all the money he could his three-year-old girl would' die within three hours. Witness said he was afraid, and paid over the £3 6s.

Detective C. P. Belton said that, when questioned, accused said any money she obtained from Govind was a loan. Accused signed a. statement in which she described the seances at Govind’s place. She admitted receiving loans totalling £23 from Govind, out denied that there had been any threats.

Accused, who was represented' by Mr K. Whow, said she went to the Te Awamutn races on December 15 and won £4B. She told Govind she had a system for “picking winners” and he wanted to know all about it. The system consisted of table rapping, the numbers of the horses likely to win being indicated by the number of raps. Accused went to the Auckland races on Boxing Day but did not have any success, as favourites won. Govind gave her £lO on December 30 and accused and Mrs Govind went to the Auckland races on January 1. They lost the money and when accused' told Govind she had bad no luck, but that she would return his money, he said: “Never mind about that. We are all one family.” Accused denied telling Govind bis child would die in three hours if he did not give her money. Cross-examined by Mr Gillies, accused said she could not; recall what horses she backed at Te Awamutu and Auckland. She only consented to the table rapping after Govind had insisted. Mr Justice Fair, in his summing up, directed 1 the jury to consider only the four counts of the indictment, involving £26.