SEQUEL TO FEUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20723, 17 November 1930, Page 12

SEQUEL TO FEUD.

ARSON TWICE ADMITTED. MAORI WOMAN'S OFFENCE. FLOUTING OF THE LAW. Appearing in tho Supremo Court at Oisborno a little over a year ago, a Maori women, Aui Kouka, admitted a charge of arson and was ordered to conic up for sentence if called upon within two years. Last week she appeared before Mr. .Tusfi.e Blair on a similar charge, the premises roncerned on both occasions being the same and belonging to a neighbour with whom there had been a lengthy feud. Commenting that the law had been flouted and that it was impossible to overlook tho second charge, tho Judge ordered the prisoner to lie rlftaiiiocl for reformative purposes for a period not exceeding 12 mouths. Mr. J. Kinder, who appeared for tho prisoner, characlerised tho case as an extraordinary one. Ihe prisoner resided at Tokomaru Bay where her husband had a small farm adjoining a section occupied by certain other natives. I'or some years there had apparently been a feud between the neighbours. The neighbour's house was set alight, but, though tho neighbour knew wfio was responsible, no action was taken. A further attempt was subsequently made to burn tho neighbour's house, and the prisoner, appearing before a Maori meeting, admitted both attempts, following which she was brought before the Court last yar. She was then convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within two years. " A Very Difficult Case." Counsel said that. the. prisoner and her family had been frequently insulted by tho neighbour, this goading her into a further attempt to burn tho house down. The prisoner was not of a naturally mischievous disposition and had attempted to become friendly with her neighbour, but her advances met with nothing but insult. It was a very diflicult caso, for the prisoner had a family of four young children and an increaso was expected short ly. Replying to Hh Honor's question whether the neighbour admitted being the provoking element, counsel stated that tho pestering of tho prisoner had been going on all tho time. His Honor pointed out that his difficulty was that lie had to administer tho law. " Prisoner," he said, " you tried to set (ire, to your neighbours' house at a time when they were actually in the house. It was a very silly and dangerous thing to do, for if they had been burned you might have faced a very serious charge and been sent' to gaol for the rest of your life. Had this been your first offence, 1 could havo adopted tho course of tho other Judge and ordered you to come up for sentence if called upon. Tho effect of that sentence was that, if von behaved yourself and did not attempt anything of the sort again, nothing more would be heard about if. You disregarded that warning and havo done exactly tho same thing again. Detention for Twelve Months. "The Court cannot, give you two chances though I should like to, and to do so would simply bo making a farce of tho law. I havo given your case a great deal of thought and 1 am anxious to help you if 1 can, but you have not profited by the warning and help you were given by tho other Court. I shall punish you in such a way that, if the Prisons Board is satisfied that this sort of thing will not occur again, you will bo released." Tho prisoner was ordered to bo detained for reformative purposes for a period not exceeding 12 months.