MAORI COURT-MARTIAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9173, 13 October 1915, Page 8

MAORI COURT-MARTIAL

CHARGE OF DESERTION RESULT OF MOTHER’S APPEALS TO HER SON. Press Association. AUCKLAND, October 13. The trial by court-martial of two members of the' 2nd Maori Reinforcements on charges of desertion was held at Narrow Neck Camp this morning. The proceedings were carried out according to the rather, peculiar formalities attending trials under military law. Tho court-martial consisted of Lieutenant-Colonel Harcourt Turnex (president) and Captains Kewish and Kitchener. Captain Pullen appeared as prosecutor, and Mr Biernacki for one of tho accused (Corporal J. M. Hopa). , The first accused, No. 16/979 Corporal Jury Martin Hopa,'was charged that he, at Narrow Neck, when under orders for embarkation for active service absented himself without leave from tho 2nd Maori Reinforcements' from September 14th until apprehended by the civil police at Taupiri on September 24th, and that he was then in plain clothes. Accused pleaded guilty. The prosecutor, in his preliminary address, said it was not in dispute .that accused was- subject to military law. Ho was charged with desertion, and it was a fact that this offence had been very rife amongst members of the Maori force. ! It was specially desired to bring home to the Maoris generally that desertion was a serious matter. Accused left Narrow Neck Camp oh September 14th to attend a concert- at Devonport, and came back at 9 p.m. Ha had some conversation with the guard, and went away again, crossing to Auckland and going to the house of a friend named Silver. There he changed into mufti, and caught, the late, train to Huntly,- afterwards going to the Maori “King” at Huntly. Ten days after his desertion he was arrested at Taupiri.. In a statement subsequently he said he sniV “ King” Mahuta, and the latter told him that if he signed a hook he would be free. The prosecutor added that he had subpoenaed the “King” for accused’s benefit, but tho “King’s?’ statement t° him had not ' corroborated accused’s statement in any respect. It was generally believed by the authorities that Maori deserters were being helped by some of their own race, and it was desired to detect persons carrying on this practice. Captain Alexander-Main, camp adjutant at. Narrow Neck, stated, in crossexamination, that accused’s,, parents were very keen on buying him out, and declared they were old and top poor to support themselves.. They were told to make a statement of their finances, but it did not then appear that they were in very straitened circumstances. They were not told the cost of a discharge, which was £26 or £2B. They, might have gone away with the impression that the matter had been definitely fixed, whereas it had not. Other men had been discharged under the same circumstances. “KING” IX WITNESS-BOX. “King” Te Rata Mahuta,/who iw the next witness, entered the courtroom with a retinue of some half-dozen natives of various ages. He was exr ainined through an interpreter. He stated that the accused came to him one morning (not early) last month. He had known 'accused a long time, as ho had lived close to Waahi. Captain Pullen : “Have you a book at your pa?” Witness: “That is in possession of the people.” “What is'its purpose?”—“To put'on yooord our desires, to be sent to Dr Pomarc.” / “Has the book: anything -to do. with military matters?”—-“There is a reference to military matters in it.” . V “ What is that?”- —“The reference is that those who wish to join the forces may 'do so, and that those who object may bo permitted'to remain.” “By whose authority is the book placed in your pa?”—“ By authority of the people generally." “Is it ia Government hook?”—“No.” “Is it printed?”—“No. There is writing inside it.” ‘(Do you ever look at this hook?” “Oh, it is placed before me on occasionsVthat I may.see it.” “Is there any entry.by Hopa in it?” -—“No. - ” ' “Did you tell Hopa that- if the police came it would be all-right, because he had signed your book ?” “No.” , In answer to a further, question the witness said He had not asked • Hopa to write in the book,* and Hopa. had not right to say he did. , Witness did not know accued had enlisted when he saw Him on the morning in : question. - Mr Biernacki said his defence' was that accused was 1 under twenty years of age. He understood the Defence Department had invariably refused to allow men under twenty to go away without their parents’ consent;* and that this applied to Maoris as well as to white troops. It was ’ not possible to produce accused’s birth certificate, hut evidence would he called to prove that he was under twenty years bid. THE MOTHER’S STATEMENT. Wairearota Hopa, accused’s mother, stated her son enlisted without the knowledge of . his parents, and they did not hear of it till some weeks later. She immediately wrote to Dr Pqmaxe to return him to them. She waited a long time for an answer; then came to Auckland to see what could be done for her son’s release. A letter then reached her, and in it Dr Pomare said he had referred the matter to the Defence Minister. Witness detailed conversations with Captain Peacock, Camp Commandant at Narrow Neck, and Captain Main, who told her that if she paid expenses she could expect her boy to be released. Sho then went away to Waikato to get the money (£2B), but when she returned with it she was not admitted to the camp, and was not allowed to see Captain Main. Sho accordingly handed the money to her son, who afterwards told her .Captain Main refused to take it, and had .said. “I wouldn’t let you go if your mother offered ■ me £100.” To Captain Pullen: Witness said accused was born on July 13th, 1896, and if •ho had , stated to authorities that he was twenty-three he was telling an untruth. .Accused’s father gave corroborative evidence. Addressing the court Mr Biernacki pointed but that the accused did not himself wish to leave the force, hut

deserted in response to the appeals of his mother. ' . .Captain Peacock;, called by the president, stated that some of the Maoris under his charge at Narrow. Neck had* been “bought out” by their relations. This was allowed, only in' exceptional .Circumstances. A recommendation was generally obtained from ’the re! orbiting committee in the ■ applicant’s district; arid each case'was closely investigated. Probably not more than twenty discharges had been granted in this way out of 1000 men trained, un--der him at Narrow Nqck and Avondale. Accused’s mother had spoken’ to him, hut had - said nothing about her son’s ,age'. He referred her to the adjutant (Captain ■ Main), as he was then off duty. Later lie heard that she had offered part of tho necessary money!--The court- found the accused guilty of desertion and retired to consider the sentence. The latter will be communicated to-the Judge AdvocateGenefal, and must be confirmed by him before being made public; SECOND CASE. Hori Mohi, a-'private, was charged with being absent without leave. Too much liquor resulted in accused missing his transport. There was no intention to desert. Accused was found guilty. ’ : ■