CABBAGES FROM GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19418, 28 August 1926, Page 15

CABBAGES FROM GARDEN.

QUESTION OF OWNERSHIP. TWO MAORIS PROSECUTED. "You cannot hurt a Chinaman's feelings more than by stealing his cabbages," remarked Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, when two Maoris, Joe Mana and John Hemopo (Mr. Beattie), were charged with stealing vegetables value at 10s, tho, property of Tong Sue Hong. Evidence was given. by Hong through an interpreter that he saw accused taking cabbages from his garden. He told them to stop and they used bad language. They had two sugar bags with them-and were cutting vegetables with a knife. They took about a dozen cauliflowers and half a dozen cabbages. Cross-examined by Mr. Beattie witness admitted that he did not own the land and paid no rent for it. A constable gave evidence that accused admitted taking four cauliflowers and one cabbage.' They, were employed making roads on the property, which was being cut up, and they said they did not know they Were doing wrong in taking the vegetables. The place where the vegetables were taken from Was 60 or 70 yards from the road. Wilfred William Winter said he had tho contract for roading the property, which was owned by a Mr. 1 Anderson. Witness had access to the whole property. He had covered about 40ft. of tho cabbages with earth. People had been taking the cabbages and he had seen whole sacks taken in broad daylight in front of the Chinamen. Witness had told accused they could take cabbages. The Magistrate: He is very generous with other people's property. Mr. Beattie safd the Chinese were squatters on the land and were really trespassers. The owner of the cabbages was really Mr. Anderson, who owned the land. He did not object to the Maoris taking them. ■ The magistrate said it would be all right if Anderson took the cabbages, but not if a third person did so. However, the theft was very trifling and very technical. The cases would be dismissed under section 92 of the Justices of the Peace Act. Accused would be ordered to pay for the vegetables and also to pay the costs of the prosecution. , ============== I