A QUEER CHARACTER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 116, 1 May 1911, Page 11

A QUEER CHARACTER

VICTIM OF CURIOSITY AXD H • SPITALITY. The man whose occupation takes him to the Law Courts has many opportunities for observing and studying the best and the worst which go to make infinite variety in the natures or offenders brought up for punishment. Men of- all kinds may be seen. The timid, -the brave ; the intellectual rogue, the mental degenerate, the hardened criminal, the unlucky weak-willed backslider : they form a deeply interesting kaleidoscopic view of human nature for the man who looks ami learns. One of the most unusual and interesting breakers of the law appeared on Saturday at the Xapier Magistrate’s Court on a charge of drunkenness. He was a diminutive little chap, Andrew Poulka by name, standing under four feet high, an African Pigmy, living well up to the standard of beauty which his race is known to possess, Andrew had imbibed too freely at Hastings a few' days ago and had been undergoing repairs in Xapier gaol. When charged with the offence he pleaded guilty and then in broken English, but with a touch of true eloquence, pathetically sketched his history. He states that

he is about 60 years of age- and his wrinkled face certainly gives a colour of truth to his assertion, bar from being mentally deficient, he exhibits an unusual amount of intelligence. His head of the brachy cephaltic type, is large and weil formed. He belongs to the Hama Hama tribe of pigmies, which inhabits Central Africa. He states that he knew Stanley, the great explorer. and on coming to Zanzibar he, with his father and mother, who were both under 3ft. 6in. high, were taken by a German doctor named Fritz and brought to New Zealand, where he was exhibited in halls, etc. This was about 20 years ago. and he toured through Napier, Wellington, and all the principal towns. After making all the money in this way that was possible, Poulks says this rascal basely deserted him and his parents at Woodville. His father, he st des. was 109 years of age and his mother was 60. Both died in New Zealand and Andrew was left to shift for himself. Since then he has been a stranger in a strange country, earning now and then a little money in order to live, or rather to exist. On comine to town, men ( ?) buy drink for him and then amuse themselves with his strange antics. It may seem a curious thing to some people that an African Pigmy could have any love for home, but

Andrew Poulka still hopes and longs for the time when he will again live among his own people, where he says he has plenty of land and money. He is only a little nigger, but if his story is true he deserves sympathy, not illtreatment from the people.