WAITARA TANGI

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1930, Page 9

WAITARA TANGI

PRISONER’S ATTENDANCE EXPLANATION in parliament ABSENCE OF ESCORT DENIED wishes of The relatives MR. POLSON’S COMPLAINT (jpy Wirer—Parliamentary Reporter.) , • , ’ Wellington, Last Night., An incident which occurred at the recent fuperal at Waitara of Sir Maui Pomare was mentioned in the House of Representatives to-day by the member fbr Stratford, Mr. W. J. Polson. , Mr. poison said that during th? celebrations a Maori who had been sentenced poiije days previously to imprisonment for three months was released from gaol and wjis. allowed to remain in:.Waitara ahd take a leading part in th© tangi. For four or five days fie . flahnted himself in front of people who ha ’ been responsible for securing his sentence for a serious crime.

Mr. Polson' understood a prisoner could be released under escort to tenable him to attend.the funeral of a re- >' lativte. He added that he did not see any escort, with the man and he.asked I under what authority the Justice Department had released the- prisoner for four pr jive days for such a purpose. “If we are going to imprison people for crimes,” said Air. Polson, “they should undergo their sentence and riot bo released to attend tangis or anything else. The feeling in my district is strong about the matter and I am ■ compelled to tpke, this means of ventilating it.” Tnp Minister of. Justice, the Hon. J. G. Cpbbe, he was exceedingly sorry “the.'gupstion' had been raised. He did ?uot bjlame Mr. Poison, but he -und.er- ' stbod ’iliii some individual in Waitara had besn persistently pursuing the matto?. Thp. circumstances were that the relatives of Sir Matii Pomare wished that the 'man, who was a relative himself, should'have an opportunity of attending 'the ilitferal, and he was permitted tp go'., under' escort. It was the practice- iji such onset to send as an escort a policeman iff plain clothes as such attw di.d not betyhy - himself too much,: t for it yiroulii be inconvenient and cause i'Offence to the. relatives if a man had a policeman in uniform by hie side all the iimte,.'. ? ■ - .

The escort had accompanied the prisoner" arid 'kept hiffi under constant observation. It would have b??n ri matter (>t regret to the relatives the man had not been allowed to attend j the funeral, for he believed the man hid been required to give advice in connection with cei’tain matters of funeral procedure. Mr. Cobb?" said he did not know anyj thing ribpiit his haying 'been released, jlfor fnur'or five'days. He did not t-hifik ||any member of the Houfie would objdef-' ■ ! -tp temporary release under the circumj 'cstafteee.