ROAD DISPUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22900, 1 December 1937, Page 15

ROAD DISPUTE

MAORI WOMAN 5 S CASE CHANGE OF ATTITUDE PROBATION NOW GRANTED [bt telegraph—own correspondent] "WHANGABEI,, Tuesday <f She has defied the Native Department, the county council and th© police, and has treated this Court with disrespect," said Mr. G. N. Morris, S.M., in the Whangarei Police Court to-day, when rehearing a case against a Maori woman, Maraea Herepete Heke, who was charged with wilfully damaging and destroying a quantity of bridge planking, valued at £2, the property of the Mangonui County Council. Defendant was recently sentenced to two months' imprisonment in her absence on the charge for which a rehearing was later granted. She was also charged previously with pulling up and destroying survey pegs for a road being put through her property, to which she objected. The magistrate stated that defendant had been summoned to appear before a magistrate in October at Kaitaia, but failed to do so. On that same day she broke up the bridge planking. "You were supposed to appear before me in November, and I waited until mid-day before issuing a warrant," added the magistrate. "When' the police arrived at your home you had apparently run away, for you were not there." Defendant said she did not appear before the Court in October because she was sick. She missed the November Court after making a three-mile walk to catch the cream lorry, which had gone. "I have made up my mind to do nothing further that is wrong, and I am now satisfied the road is being constructed in the right place," said defendant. "I understand that any further grievances must be dealt with through this Court or the Native Land Court." Senior-Sergeani E. Finch said the police had no objection to the granting of probation. The magistrate reduced the gaol sentence to probation for 12 months, and ordered defendant to report to the Kaitaia police fortnightly.