THEFT BY YOUNG MAORI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20130, 15 December 1928, Page 16

THEFT BY YOUNG MAORI.

MONEY AND JEWELLERY. FUNDS OF NATIVE COUNCIL. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] OPOTIKI. Friday. Jack Kora, junr., a native, aged 22, appeared before justices this morning in the Opotiki Police Court charged with breaking and entering the house of' Keri Wai, a native, and stealing £75, a silver watch, a gold and greenstone chain, a gold ring and a leather bag, of a total value .of £IOO. Constable Breed prosecuted and Mr. A. L. Arrow-smith appeared for accused.

Evidence was given by Kiri Wai Matiu that tho money was tied in a handkerchief and placed in a bag, which was locked. The bag was put in a tin trunk. The money belonged to the Waioeka Native Council and had been collected for tho purpose of building a dining room at the pa. Witness missed the bag on November 29. She had not authorised anyone to remove the bag. Constable Breed said he made inquiries in Opotiki and found that accused had spent about £7 in town the day before. Witness went to the pa and interviewed accused, who at first denied any knowledge of the whereabouts of the bag. Later witness discovered the bag in a Imdge, but the money had gone. Accused then took witness to a place where lie said he had bidder the money. No money was to be found, but witness saw evidence that it had been placed there. So far the money had not. been recovered. The constable stated that accused had given every assistance in the endeavour to find the money. i Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence.