WARNING TO MAORIS
A JUDGE'S COMMENTS. (Pμ CJurno Puw Aefloounoir.) AUCKLAND, May 19. A warning to Maoris was issued by Mr Justice Chapman in the Supreme Court today, when a young' Maori named Iwi Hohaoa entered a plea of guilty to a charge of abducting from her home a Maori giri under the age of 16 'years. Counsel for accused stated thai the girl's departure from her home was an ordinary caao of a Maori boy running away with a Maori girl. Even the police were in some doubt aa to the girl's age at the time, and it was agreed that ehe was now over,the ago of ]6, at which, it was not unusual for Maori girls to be married. Addressing the prisoner, his Honor said: "I zm going to give consideration to your good character, and to the fact that you have served your country, but I cannot allow this offenoe to pass without punishment. You will receive a short sentence of imprisonment. The object of this is to let till the Maoris know that this thing cannot b« done. If a man comes before the oourt doing what you have done —taking a young girl away from her parents—he comes for punishment. The next man who does so will get a more severe punishment than you. You will be sentenced to threo months' hard labour."
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19200520.2.70
Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 17940, 20 May 1920, Page 9
Word Count
228WARNING TO MAORIS Otago Daily Times, Issue 17940, 20 May 1920, Page 9
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