MAN WHO MASQUERADED AS WOMAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 655, 6 May 1929, Page 1

MAN WHO MASQUERADED AS WOMAN

IN COURT IN FEMALE ATTIRE

Magistrate Takes Lenient View

CLOTHES ORDERED TO BE BURNED

STILL garbed in woman’s clothing, Kikora Ilune Haora, Takapuna’s boy housemaid, appeared in the Police Court this morning. ..-Viter pleading guilty to imposing on his employer, Haora made the startling request, through Sub-Inspector McCarthy, that he be permitted to wear women’s clothing in the future. This was promptly refused by the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, who said the clothes should be burned. Haora was ordered to come up for sentence within six months if called upon.

HAORA, the story of whose escapades was told exclusively In Saturday’s Sun, looked a rather pathetic and decidedly feminine figure as he stepped into the dock. He was dressed in a long brown coat with a wide collar and a fur stole was round his neck. He wore a closely-fitting black hat, and his face bore a liberal coating of powder. The young man appeared supremely conscious of the concentrated stare of a crowded court gallery, which had assembled to catch a glimpse of the young masquerader. - “A vaudeville artist, aged 26,” was the police description of accused, according to the charge-sheet. Haora was charged with imposing upon his employer, Bernard Kissin, of Clifton Road, Takapuna, by falsely representaing that he was June Hara, a female, and obtaining employment as a housemaid at 25s a week up to May 4. The charge was brought under section 52 of the Police Offences Act.

Haora, relaxing for a moment his pensive attitude, pleaded guilty In a clear but high-pitched voice. “Are you appearing, Mr. Singer?" asked the court orderly of Mr. R. A. Singer, who had just entered the court. “Thank you, no,” replied the solicitor. Haora was not represented by counsel

“If he is a man he must take off Ms hat,” commented Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M., and Haora slowly drew off the hat, revealing a mass of curly black hair bobbed in the approved stylo “This unfortunate person apparently has more liking for woman's work than maa’e,” said the sub-inspec-tor, who proceeded to give the story of Haora’s life during the three months when ho successfully held the position of housemaid. The magistrate remarked that he had read the story, alluding to the detailed account of Haora’s exploits, already published In The Sun. “We cannot allow him (o masquerade in this fashion,” he ssserted. “There is nothing serious in this case,” the sub-inspector hastened to assure him. “But you never know what may be the result of such a thing. Ido not think that this per son meant any harm, but endless complications might have arisen, “Women who have spoken to him refuse to believe that he is a

man. 1 do not think he realises what he is asking, but he wants an order made so that he may be allowed to wear women's clothes in future.” “He must not do that,” said the magistrate decisively. “Take him up and burn his clothes. Can he not ha sent back to his at Whangarei?” Sub-Inspector McCarthy: He has a brother in Auckland—ln very poor circumstances. “There are many cases in historv of this sort of thing,” said Mr. Hunt meditatively. “The man has a feminine mind and a masculine body.” Giving no sign that he had heard the sentence, which ordered him to come up for sentence within six months, Haora slowly left the dock amid the titters of the crowd and

shouts of “Silence” from the orderly. One eager spectator at the back of the court had to be spoken to severely before he would climb down from the form which he had mounted in an endeavour to see over the heads of those in front of him. Haora was arrestea by Sergeant Brown, of the Devonport police, at about 5.30 last evening. The capture was made at the house of one of the young man’s friends.