SOLDIERS AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16215, 28 April 1916, Page 7

SOLDIERS AND POLICE.

CHARGES AGAINST NATIVES.

NOMINAL FINES IMPOSED.

At the Police Court yesterday (our native soldiers—George )!onen, Tommy Raki, Jack Hakaria, and James. Ruatara--were charged before Mr. F V. Frazer, S.M., with attempting to hold communication with a prisoner in lawful custody. Ruatara was also charged with assaulting Sub-Inspector Mcllveney while in the execution of his duty. The four accused pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them conjointly. Ruatara denied that he struck anyone.

Sub-Inspector Mcllveney, who prosecuted, stated that on Easter Monday a number of native soldiers assaulted another native in Customs Street. The police intervened, and one of the mm was locked up. About 40 native soldiers subsequently went to the. police station, and demanded the liberation of tho prisoner. The sub-inspector parleyed -villi the men for some time without success. One of them counselled the others to rush th« station. The police opposed the attack. Rautara struck the speaker a heavy blow on the chest, and caused him considerable pain. Conspicuous in the grotfp was Bo wen, who described himself as a Jamaican, but who, the sub-inspector believed, was a negro. Rautara was drunk at the time, and others had had liquor. Sub-Inspector Mcllveney stated that he had withdrawn the chargo of obstructing the police. Tho magistrate informed the accused that the civil law applied to soldiers as well as to civilians, and under the Army Act soldiers were subject to civil law, except for military offences. It appeared that the trouble was due to a combination of drink and misunderstanding. Ruatara was tined £1, Bowen 15s, and Raki and Hakaria 10s each.