EXPENSIVE JOY RIDE.

Matamata Record, Volume XIII, Issue 1111, 3 April 1930, Page 1

EXPENSIVE JOY RIDE.

NATIVES FINED. At the Putaruru Court on Thursday, before Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., three natives, Rupert Wilson, Pomare Wilson and Mat Wilson, pleaded net guilty to charges of disorderly behaviour whilst drunk at Tirau. Mr. Mason appeared for the fendantsJohn Perenaia, a native labourer, residing at Tapapa, stated that he went with the accused in a truck to Tirau, thence on to Okoroire, where they had several drinks. They stayed about an hour at the latter place, leaving for Tirau. They stopped near the blacksmith’s shop there and all had drinks out of a keg. He did not know who drove the truck away from Tirau. He admitted that they went out for a joy ride. To Mr. Mason: They had about half a dozen drinks at Okoroire. He did not know who bought the keg of beer, and he first saw it in the truck. There was three gallons of beer in the keg. / Ernest Wilson, . carrier, of Tirau, deposed to hearing loud talking and bad language outside his premises. On going out and remonstrating with the natives witness had to listen to offensive language. He could not swear who used the bad language. To Mr.'Mason: He had seen accused in the truck on previous occasions. He was pretty certain that the accused were those who had made a noise. Constable Murphy gave evidence as to being called to Tirau on the night in question, where he saw a number of natives who were singing out, etc. He saw one man lying under the trees, whom he thought to be drunk, but when that native saw witness’ uniform he kicked off his shoes and ran like a hare. - The other 'natives cleared out in the truck. Rupert Wilson, the driver of the lorry, and one of the defendants, stated that they only had a couple of eers at Okoroire. They had no drink in the truck. They went to the pictures at Tirau. There w&s a large number of natives about at the time. The Magistrate said that he did not believe the defendants. They would be convicted and fined £2 each, with costs, 20s each. An application for time in which to pay the fine was refused. .