MOTOR-CYCLE USED

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1935, Page 9

MOTOR-CYCLE USED

CONVICTION OF YOUNG MAORI. TAKING HIS DANCE PARTNER HOME. Because he had no way of taking his dance partner- home from Waitara to Inglewood, Robbie Raumati, aged 19, a Maori, used a motor-cycle belonging to another man and returned it later damaged to the extent of 14s 3d. That was, on July 3 and he was convicted and ordered to pay for the damage by Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., in the Police Court at New Plymouth on Monday. Raumati, who was placed on probation for assault at Urenui in March, 1934, had it extended when he was concerned with the cutting down of another Maori s fence at Urenui. He pleaded guilty to a breach of his probationary license. Senior-Sergeant E. T. C. Turner stated the facts of the case. Raumati said he did not know he had damaged the cycle and was prepared to pay for the damage- T, “The police at Waitara say Raumati is a good lad but wild,” observed Mr. Woodward. Raumati explained what had happened. Three of them had left Waitara in a car for a dance at New Plymouth, and Raumati and another agreed to put in three gallons of benzine each if the driver would go via Inglewood so that arrangements could be made for partners. . . He put his three gallons in, said Raumati, but the other man said he would purchase his at New Plymouth and later said he had no money. _ . The driver took the party back to Wai-

tara, Raumati expecting to be able to find some transport from there. There was nothing to be done in the end but to use the cycle belonging to' Reginald Horsup. It was a wrong tiling to do, said Mr. Woodward. While permissible in Maori fashion, no doubt, such liberties could not be taken with a European’s cycle. Celebrating a Win. The victory of his football team in a match at Hawera on August 24 led James McKay, New Plymouth, to join his team mates in celebration afterwards. He was convicted and ordered to pay 10s costs for a breach of his prohibition order. McKay explained, after pleading guilty, that he had not disobeyed the order before. After reaching New Plymouth he had stayed in town instead of going home. Mr. Woodward: Was he drunk or unsteady? .. Senior-Sergeant Turner: He showed signs of having had liquor. McKay consented to take out another order prohibiting him from obtaining liquor for another 12 months.