MAORI WOMAN FROM FAR NORTH HAS SENTENCE REDUCED

Northern Advocate, 30 November 1937, Page 6

MAORI WOMAN FROM FAR NORTH HAS SENTENCE REDUCED

‘‘She defied the Native Department, the County Council, the police, and twice treated the Magistrate’s Court with disrespect,” commented Mr G. N. Morris, S.M., when Maraea Heke, a middle aged Maori woman, appeared before him at Whangarei today. The woman gained consideranle notoriety in the Far North. Facing an indictable charge respecting the pulling up and destroying of survey pegs, she failed to appear at the sitting of the Court at Kaitaia on November 12. A bench warrant for her arrest was issued, and after a two days’ search through the wild Northern Hokianga, 'it was executed, and she was taken to Auckland to serve a two months’ sentence, inflicted, in her absence, on a charge of committing mischief by pulling up and burning parts of a bridge. Her application for a rehearing of this latter chai’gc was granted by Mr Morris, and she was brought in custody from Auckland to Whangarei yes-tex-day.

When the charge was read to her by an interpreter, she pleaded guilty.

Magistrate’s Comments.

The Magistrate outlined the facts as he knew them to accused, vvhr _.dmitted them to be true.

“In the first place,” he said, “as far back as last June, Mr Ropiha, of the Native Department, reported to the department that the road to which you j objected was on the survey line, andj advised your husband to pull down the | fence you had built across it. Mrj Dale, the Native Supervisor, Judge’ Acheson, and Mr Ropiha made repeated efforts to stop you doing the things with which you are now charged. It was only after the officials of the Native Department found they could do nothing about it, that they advised the Mangonui County Council to take the matter up with the police. You were summoned to come before the court at Kaitaia in October, and when you did not appear, Mr Hewitt, the magistrate, sent a message, which was delivered to you by Sergeant Claason. I understand that the same day you received the message you pulled up the bridge. In November you were supposed to come before me at Kaitaia. I waited until midday, and then sent the police with a warrant, but when they arrived you were nowhere to be found.”

Disrespect Not Intended.

At this stage Heke said she had not intended to show disrespect to the court. “The reason I did not appear in October,” she said, “was that one of the constables had knocked me about, and that I was not feeling well. For the November sitting I made every endeavour to catch the cream bus, but missed it after a three-mile walk. The reason I was away from home when the police called with the warrant was that the tide was in. and I could not cross the river after missing the bus.” The Magistrate: The only thing that is new is your allegation that you were knocked about by the police. Why didn’t you mention that in your letter to the Minister? Accused: I did so. Mr Morris: Now that she has had a few days in Mt. Eden gaol, does she still feel inclined to defy the law? Accused: I have made up my mind to have nothing further to do with the matter. I am satisfied that the road *s in the correct place, and will cause no more trouble.

Mr Morris: I will be largely guided by the police, who will have to deal with any further trouble if it arises. Senior-Sergeant Finch; She has given an assurance that there will be no further trouble, and the police will have no objection to anything that is done. The Magistrate: It appears that the portion of the sentence already served has had the desired effect, and that there has been a genuine change of heart. In the meantime, lam going to believe that she does not intend to give ny more trouble. The Quality of Mercy. In reducing the gaol sentence to probation for 12 months, the Magistrate told Heke that she was being treated very leniently, and pointed out that if further trouble arose she was still liable to 12 months’ imprisonment on the other charge of pulling up survey pegs. Owing to her large family and poor circumstances, he made no order for payment of costs or making good the damage done. Accused was told to report to the Kaitaia police fortnightly. “I hope you do not let me down,” he told accused, as he left the bench. “If you do, I will have to be very severe.”