FROM MAORIDOM

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7449, 25 May 1911, Page 1

FROM MAORIDOM

DANGERS OF CITY LIFE HOW A YOUNG HALF-CASTE WENT ASTRAY. BPEOIAX TO THE ” TIMES." AUCKLAND. May 24. An ■ interesting feature of Maori . characteristics'was discussed at the Auckland Supreme Court this morning in connection with the sentencing of two young prisoners—Charles Kiwi Wilkinson, a half-caste Maori, and William Boyd—on charges of forging and uttering and conspiring to obtain money by fraud, the forgeries being upon accounts in the Bank of New Zealand, in. which Wilkinson was employed. Mr Earl appeared for Wilkinson arid Air Lundon for Boyd. Air Earl submitted as mitigating circumstances that Wilkinson, who was only eighteen years of age, was a- halfcaste by birth, but wholly a Maori in. upbringing and education, having beenliving as a European, for some two years past. He was the son of a gentleman who held an honourable position in tho Civil Service, and who up to the' time of bis death- a lew years ago was one of the oldest members of tho Government service. This gentleman formed an alliance with a Alaori woman, of rank, and did his best to givo the prisoner a good education, so that ■ultimately ho would he translated into a European. At school tho hoy showed promise,’and on the death of, tho father tho two guardians appointed' decided to proceed with'his education. For two years he received tuition in a commercial college at Auckland, and then secured a, position in tho Bank of New Zealand. Air Earl drorv attention ton tho great disadvantages ■"under which. ■ tho boy laboured in being translated to a position for which the traditions of his race unfitted him. It was a lament-• able thing that' the boy committed tiro offence within a few months of his employment, but it showed, thatwhen a ,r Alaori was suddenly taken away from Alaoridom ho was under ..disadvantages. , in:.withstanding tho stress and tempta--tiohs'of city life." As'a rule, tlm Alaori ' .was given to “show,” and to personal conceit and vanity, and that was lire prisoner’s weakness.; Ho , was nqt ad- , dieted to gambling,’’'drinking,- of evil. , living, and tho hereditary’wqakness,of the race, had led tho boy into hjs nre* 1 sent trouble... Wilkinson, had-jlmadc a full confession, and bad it nut _ boon ■ for that it was - probable-a conviction Would never have been recorded. Infif this case an experiment was made by j the father to make this h6y a pakeha|',; ; and it was carried on by of the father’s best friends,*: bpt itlj'haa." lamentably failed, and it was a, matter for consideration whether it was a proper thing to transplant from Alaori customs - a youth of tHis- - class to a posi- ' tioir in a bank, among' associates who were.from rich . families, . with , good clothes, all going to amusements and recreations. Tho mother had been greatly distressed at tho crime, and had gone back to her people in the King Country, and she wanted to take her son back to Alaori life with her. In replying to Air Earl’s statement relative to tho native race, Air Tolo pointed out that . millions of pounds had been and were being spent on tho Alaoris, who wore being uplifted. His Honor: I agree with Mr Earl that Alaoris are rarely fitted for town life. ; . . Air Tolo mentioned that Alaoris ana half-castes were employed in various branches of the public service, and were working admirably find -honestly. Tho condition of tire race was Icing improved.:; ~ 1 His "Honor; Still, for the present , generation they aro more fitted for farming or country-life than for"town life. Air Earl said lie had no intention of reflecting on the race generally. Hie r-emarks applied more to tho specialfeatures of a case like ibis before tire court, in which a youth was suddenly transplanted from Alaoridom to a position amongst the stress and- temptations of city' lifc.j His Honor intimated that he could not grant probation. Prisoner had committed two offences, and had shown considerable ability in cunningly plotting and cunningly carrying out, on one occasion, two swindle.*on his employer, to gain money for himself and his friends. On the first: count prisoner was ordered to bo detained for eighteen months for reformative treatment, and on: the second count ordered to como up for -scntenfO when called upon. , ■ . , His Honor said there : was not very much difference between the 'two prisoners, as Boyd had willingly joined in ’ the plot to rob the Bank of New Zea- »■ land. He .also would be sentenced to eighteen months’detention. His Honor added that he would communicate tho special circumstances of both cases tr. the president of the Prisoners’ Board, ,