MAORI SOLDIER'S CRIME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16268, 29 June 1916, Page 5

MAORI SOLDIER'S CRIME.

FORGERY IN BANK BOOK.

RETURN TO CAMP ORDERED.

A young Maori corporal, Tarakitai Hira Heketa, appeared in the dock in the Auckland Supreme Court yesterday morning to answer a charge of a breach of probation by committing forgery. Mr. Justice Chapman had not taken his seat, but as it was known that His Honor has a strong objection to dealing with prisoners in uniform the accused was put back to don civilian clothing. Heketa, it "was charged, had obtained possession of a Post Office Savings Bank book belonging to Miss Langley, torn out the lady s name and substituted his own, and changed the credit amount from 5s to £500 15s. He admitted his guilt when before the Court on Friday last. His Honor, after reviewing the case, said the prisoner had previously been convicted of forgery, and thought that his object in the present case was to impose on people by showing that he had a substantial balance to his credit at the oank. The accused was given two years' probation in 1914, but the question arose whether the fresh crime had been committed in that period. There were difficulties in the way, and His Honor thought they would be best met by discharging the prisoner from arrest and directing the police to hand him over to uie officer commanding at Narrow Neck. fini l i! S ? I ner j T M training is almost finished and I am nearly ready for service. lam anxious to go. yotnrseJMrJ 1 fntnro. h ° P ° yo ° ™ iH behim! Prisoner : I will. His Honor : Don't try to forge the trouble Slgnature ' or y° u get into