SHE DID NOT KNOW

NZ Truth, Issue 1274, 1 May 1930, Page 2

SHE DID NOT KNOW

WHAT HAPPENED +- INTOXICATED MAORI GIRL SUBJECTED TO SHOCKING TREATMENT

SCORE OF YOUNG MEN ENGAGE IN DRUNKEN ORGY

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Levin Representative.) While their elders mourned for the dead at a Maori tangi at Manakau, a number of young men adjourned to the local hotel and there indulged m an all-night carousal. In the drunken orgy which followed,, so the police allege, a young girl, after being brought to a state of unconscious intoxication, was deprived of some of her clothing and then placed on view m a motor truck. Remarking that they could consider themselves lucky, the magistrate dismissed the charge of assault against Fitzgerald Bell and Llewellyn Bevan, who appeared before him m connection with the affair.

•THE incident happened at Manakau 1 on the night of February 17, and the sequel was staged at the Levin court, before Mr. G. L. Stout, S;M., when Fitzgerald Bell, a halfcaste, and Llewellyn Bevan^ a Maori, were charged with aggravated assault. They pleaded not guilty, and on the advice of their counsel, Mr. W. E. Leicester, of Wellington, elected to be tried by jury. After a legal argument as to whether the accused had this privilege, the charge was reduced to simple assault and the case proceeded with before the magistrate. The court, which was packed with Maoris, was cleared on the application of Detective Russell, who prosecuted. Mr. Leicester opposed the application, but His Worship ruled otherwise. "This is not a cinematograph show," he declared. "There has been enough hilarity already." Outlining the case, Detective Russell stated that on February 17 a tangi was held at Manakau. Bevan picked the girl up at the Manakau Hotel and took her back to the tangi m his car. Then Bell came on "the scene and took her back to the hotel and there supplied her with liquor. Some of her clothing was removed. While she was m that state, .Bevan and one or two other men came out to have a look at her. The whole affair was the outcome of a drunken orgy. In her evidence, the girl, who is aged 17, admitted going to the hotel and having port wine and brandy. After the fifth glass she did not know what might have happened. That was 11 p.m. and it was not till next morning she discovered that some of her clothing was missing. Mr. Leicester, m cross-examination, was proceeding to ask .the girl if her grandfather had complained about her to the police and threatened to have her removed from the neighborhood, when » the magistrate intervened. Counsel said he did not want to insult the girl, but the suggestion was that she was of loose character. HOTEL AT MIDNIGHT His Worship: Even if she was, it would hardly excuse your clients. Continuing her answers to Mr. Leicester, the girl stated they had been happy and friendly at the tangi.. Counsel: I suppose there was a lot of kissing and hugging going on? — No. Turu Potama, farmer, of Kuku, said he-'-had 7 attended the tangi and had reached the hotel at midnight. He saw there a motor truck belonging to Bevan. After having had a "spot," Bevan told him to go outside and he would show him something. He did so and saw the girl m the back of the truck and felt disgusted With the state she was m. She was not fully dressed. Before his arrival she had been

covered with a coat, but Bevan removed this. There were a lot of young fellows about who were going into the hotel at intervals and having drinks. Dave NichoHs, of Kuku, told the magistrate that he was coming out of the hotel when he heard a lot of laughter and saw the girl lying m Bevan's truck m an indecent position. Mariu Nicholls, of Kuku, told a similar story. Mr. Leicester submitted there was no evidence of assault. The only thing that might be termed assault was Bevan's action of removing ihe coat from the girl. Nobody had touched her. Detective Russell's contention was that if the removal of the coat and exposure of the girl was not assault, he did not know what was. Counsel: The worst that could be said about Bevan is that he took the coat off and that the men all stood round looking at this unfortunate girl. REMEMBERED NOTHING There was no evidence of force, he added, and force seemed x to be regarded as the main ingredient of an assault. In any case there was no evidence against Bell. The magistrate agreed that there was no evidence against Bell. It was not an assault to give a young girl drink, as far as he knew, though possibly it ought to be an offence. Bevan, who said he was 21 years of age, stated that when he reached the hotel the girl was already there. He had to take her home, as nobody else would. It was not correct that he had removed the coat, nor had he touched the girl. When he saw her the coat had been removed and about fourteen men were standing around. Counsel: Is it riot a fact that you invited; the, girl jnto your truck to take her home? Bevan: Yes. She sang out to me to go' over to it. He added that when he took her home she was just coming to. His Worship said he thought that the only evidence at all against either of the men was that given by Potama, who said he saw Bevan removing the coat; but it was hard to apportion the blame. ' No doubt the girl was interfered with by these boys. They. seemed to have been m a state of muddle through drink. He did not feel inclined to convict Bevan on^ such slight evidence. j 4No doubt the girl had been interfered with* and Bell had got her into a state of intoxication m which she remembered nothing; One could surmise who removed her clothing, but there was not sufficient proof to lay the blame on Bevan or Bell. These two young men nevertheless should consider themselves lucky land not get into trouble m the future.