MAORI FINED FOR ASSAULTING FARMER

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1936, Page 4

MAORI FINED FOR ASSAULTING FARMER

[Special to “Northern A&vorate”! KAIKOHE, This Day.

“Assaults of this nature are frequent in this district, particularly by Maoris, and, as it was a brutal and cowardly act, I ask the Bench to inflict a severe/ penalty,” commented Constable F. H. McNutt in the Kaikohe Court, when John Pirihi, a Maori, aged 35 years, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully striking Frederick Colin Russ, a farmer, aged 53, at Orakau, Kaikohe.

The circumstances of the case were outlined by Constable McNutt, who said that at 5.30 p.m. on Thursday Russ was removing cattle on his property when the accused approached him and stated that one of the cattle was his. Russ denied this, and following that he was struck on the face by the accused, a l£in. gash being inflicted. The accused said that if the beast was not handed over he would strike again. However, Russ refused, and the accused went away. Medical attention had to be called to Russ.

The Bench took a serious view of the matter, and said that assaults were becoming too prevalent. The accused was convicted and fined the maximum penalty of ‘£ 10, with £5 costs, in default two months’ imprisonment.