TAUPO FISHING RIGHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19215, 2 January 1926, Page 7

TAUPO FISHING RIGHTS.

TROUBLE WITH THE NATIVES. RANGER FINED FOR ASSAULT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TAUPO, Thursday. An unusual case was heard in the Police Court at Taupo, before two justices of the peace, when James Kennedy, a <ranger, employed by the New .Zealand Tourist Department, was charged with assaulting a Maori, Tupara Maniapoto. Evidence for the plaintiff was given that Kennedy had threatened some Maori boys. When Maniapoto came upon the scene Kennedy, with no provocation, brutally assaulted him, eventually knocking him down and "supplementing his fists with his boots. A pakeha onlooker interfered, but Kennedy insisted on his aggressive attitude, until finally the Maori hurriedly left the scene.

It was stated that the local police had warned the natives not to retaliate upon Kennedy, who for some time had been causing annoyance among native fishermen by attempting to compel them to buy licenses. Until the fishing rights of the lake had been settled at a conference to be held in the near future the Maoris were being allowed to fish without licenses, although this fact was not definitely admitted by the Tourist Department. The department had indicated to its rangers that the Maoris were to be left alone, but Kennedy had been over zealous, the ill-feeling that had existed since Kennedy's coming to Taupo six weeks ago, culminating in the prosecution. Kennedy was convicted and fined 50s, with costs. John Rameka, a Taupo Maori, one of the offended natives, was charged with assaulting Kennedy on a cate after the incident. Rameka, who was admittedly under the influence of liquor at the time of the offence, was admonished by the bench and warned against a renewal of hostilities.