WOMAN HANDCUFFED.
ASSAULT CASE FOLLOWS. GISBORNE, Sept. 18. A curious case of assault was heard by Mr E. L. Walton, S.M., at the sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Waipiro Bay. Defendant was a Maori, Tulii Karena, who was served with a summons in the name of Sonny White, who pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Mere Arihi Waiti. It was explained by Sergeant Sparks that White was a member of the Ratana Church, and was a Maori policeman under a certificate issued by Ratana, the certificate purporting to entitle White to maintain order among the members of the church in Tokomaru Bay. Accused was called in connection with a domestic dispute between Mere Waiti and her husband over church matters, and on his arrival at their home at Waipiro Bay, he handcuffed the woman. She ran out into the street, and neighbours later severed the handcuffs with a file. Sergeant Sparks stated that White had informed him that the handcuffs had been supplied by Ratana. Defendant explained that he had been commanded by the Church to handcuff the woman.
The Magistrate, to the interpreter: You tell him that his Church cannot give him any rights to do such a thing. The Church has no powers and they must do their work peaceably. A fine of £2 and costs was imposed, and an order was made for the confiscation of the handcuffs.
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Bibliographic details
Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 250, 19 September 1933, Page 2
Word Count
233WOMAN HANDCUFFED. Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 250, 19 September 1933, Page 2
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