SISTER'S CHEQUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23767, 21 September 1940, Page 8

SISTER'S CHEQUE

MAORI BEFORE CODRT EVIDENCE OF FAMILY CUSTOM COMMENT BY THE BENCH [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] KAITAIA, Friday A Maori, Puku Ngawaka, appeared before justices in the Police Court on charges of the theft, forgery and uttering of a cheque belonging to his sister, R. N. Ngawaka. Accused, who was represented by Mr. J. B. Reynolds, pleaded guilty to forgery and uttering, but not guilty to theft. R. N. Ngawaka said she did not accuse her brother of ' stealing the cheque. It was a family custom to cash each other's cheques.-and they thought it in order if any one of the family signed the cheque. They were in the habit of doing tilings as a family rather than as individuals. She owed money to her brother and lie had been very good to her. Witness said she had nothing against him for cashing the cheque, but objected to the money being spent on drink and wanted to get it back from the licensee, who, she thought, was hound to give it up. Witness continued that she did not want to proceed against her brother and said under examination that she did not know he had signed the cheque until she was interviewed by the police. At this stage the Bench said it was obvious witness was shielding her brother. Constable Griffiths stated that, when he interviewed accused he said his sister had given him the cheque to cash for her and that he had merely traced over her signature, which was already written on the cheque in pencil. Declining to dismiss the charge of theft, the Bench committed Ngawaka to the Supreme Court for sentence on the charges of forgery and uttering and for trial on . that of theft.