POLICE COURT. THIS DAY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8829, 12 July 1890, Page 2

POLICE COURT. THIS DAY.

Saturday, July 12.—Boforo 0. 0, KotfcJo, Esq., B.M. ALLEGED ASSAULT ON MAOIU WOMAN. Arnold Goorgo was charged with (iswilill on Mere Kipo, on tlio Uurrott Hou'l, on May 12. The greater part of tho ovidonoo wun heard on Monday lust, when Mio honring was adjourned till to-day. Mr Pardy represented tlio police, and Mr Roy appoared for the aecuaod. Major Brown interpreted for tlio polico, and Mr Stockman was present m intorprotor for the accused. John Hooker, for the defence, continued his evidence. He said : All tho questions I asked Mere Kipo three weeks ago were ' in Maori, and she thoroughly understood all I said to her. No further conversation on the assault took place between us. I have known Mere Ripo for 20 years. I have been brought •in contact with the Maoris all my' life. I mentioned the conversation •to my wife the same afternoon or night. I have mentioned the matter to several persons since this case came on. I mentioned the conversation to Constable Gray, one or two days before the case came on in Court, and I spoke to him a few moments. I told him pretty well the same as I have said in Court, I suppose. I also mentioned the matter to Mr Holmes coming down one night. I told him I had had a conversation with Mere Ripo, and that she told me it was not George's boy who had committed the assault. I don't recollect saying anything further to him ; I might have Baid something else. Mere Ripo's Moturoa whare is about a quarter of a mile from A George's house, as the crow flies. They live at two places — at Moturoa, and at Ratapihipihi — off and on. By Mr Pardy : I understand enough of the Maori language, to talk to any Maori — especially those ' I have known for years. I have conversed with "Mere Ripo hundreds of times on various '.hings. I can't remember what we talked about in the conversation prior to the one in question. The only conversation I can remember is the one that took 'place about young George at Moturoa. At this stage witness asked Mr Pardy if he expected him to remember incidents as i.ar back as 20 years. — Mr Pardy informed witness fiat witness was there to answer his questions and not he (Mr Pardy) to answer witness's. I think that the Maori word for red hair is uru. I think that is tho way to spell it. The Maori word for red is whero I think. I think that is how it is spelt. I can't spell Maori words well. The two English words " whero " and " were " are much alike in pronunciation, but have different meanings, and there may be two Maori words similarly alike. I think I can write in Maori the conversation that I gave in Court on Monday last. [Witness here wrote down on paper what passed between him and Mere Ripo.] I have written down the Maori to the best of my ability. To the best of my belief this is the whole of the conversation (written down) we had on this question. My recollection is fairly good. I should say it was sufficiently good to enable me to say that what I have written down is a true and complete account of the conversation between Mere Ripo and myself about the assault. I will swear that what I have said passed between us. I cannot recollect the exact words I said to Constable Gray. I don't remember the exact words I said to Mr Holmes, but I remember the substance, viz., that Mere Ripo told me that it was not George's boy who committed the assault. I can't remember the words of these two subsequent conversations with Constable Gray and Mr Holmes. I saw Sergeant Duffin on Sunday last, and he told me I had^ better be careful or Mr Pardy would have me up for perjury. I don't remember what I said to Sergeant Duffin. I am not sure whether it was yesterday or the day before that I saw Sergeant Dnffin. I swear to this. I don't think I replied to Sergeant Duffin. I can't explain why my memory is so good as to what took place between myself and Mere Ripo, and so bad as to what took place between Constable Gray, Sergeant Duffin, and Mr Holmes. Out of ail the hundreds I have repeated this conversation to I can't remember any more. The Maori for red hair is, I think, " Uru uru whero." I don't know whether this applies to any particular part of the body or head. I think it applies to the head. [Mr Pardy : Why ? Witness: Because the hair grows on the head. Mr Pardy: Does it ? I don't think you ought to answer like that, because there is no ill-feeling between you and me. Witness: There appears to be.]-I have heard the Maoris use the words for red hair. I had no conversation with Mere Ripo on this subject before this one in question. I told her that Alfrad's son was accused, and she said it was not Alfred's son who had beaten -her. It might have referred to any"^ Alf : iv, but I took it to be Alfred George. There are other Alfreds in Tarane'ri I suppose. When she put out her hands before her she said " tongata- nui," which I took to' mean a big man, but it might have been "a stout man. I don't know the two Maori words on the paper (produced), bat 1 believe the first word refers to hair. My conversation with Sargeant Duffin yesterday or the day before did not refer to this case. I suppose *'ie reference to perjury meant this caso. Re-e:"\mined : I did not take notice of what Sergeant Duffin said to me, but he used that sentence I have mentioned. He di-l not stop and talk to me on other it tters, but went on. The natives round Fojiroa call Alfred George nothing but Alfred. By His Worship: The Maori for wluekers is,"pahau." It may mean the hf'r on the face generally. I think the last day I was examined was on Monday last. Ire ollect ray evidence on Monday. The stateir ?nt I have given to-day in writing may not be placed the same, but has the same meaning as the statement I gave on Monday.' I only give the substance of the conversation with Mere Ripo, but I swear the Maori wards I have written down to-day were tlio exact words used by her, aid by me, but the spelling may not be co Tect. She may have used more words than I have written down to-day, but I can't remember.' I did not go down to see Mere Ripo specially about this matter. Before going down I had heard that accused was suspected. I never heard of thf -c being any trouble about it. I knew tho matter was in the hands of the police then. I have known the George's for many years. I told Mr A. George on Monday last for the first time about the conversation. I spoke to him. I knew that the proceedings had been begun against young George when he , was brought back from Bulls. This was about a fortnight ago. When I heard it I was neither surprised nor sorry. When I heard accused was charged the fact that I had had a conversation with Mere Ripo of course came into my mind. I did not communicate to accused or his parents then, as I thought the conversation, as a statement, was of no value. I did not think anything about it, till last Monday. I ■came to Court on Monday last as a looker on, but I went away when Mere Ripo was called. I was in Couit in the evening before I was called, but not for a great while, I did not know I was going to be called as a witness ti" Monday night. Richards, my cabman, told me that accused was suspected, I think. I don't remember any other person than those I have mentioned to whom I spoke about this matter. Mere Ripo aid not use the English word Alfred, but said "Aparidi? 1 I have always heard the Maoris pronounce it this way, Imi tl» word Alfred Jn ipsuMnfif *9 Jw,

Jfino Goorgo ro-called said she rememlmrotl tho visit of her son in tho beginning o£ May lust. During his stay the day hoforo ho loft — thoro was pig kiUing 'loiio ftl tlio house. Arnold assisted (o kill. Ho wore his old trousers, and only n iiin#!ol, an woll &h I romomber. Those troimont wore tho only old pair he had homo. F wimhod tho trousers afterwards, uh (hoy wore dirty after tho butchering liiiHifiofiii. Thoro might liavo bcon a little blood on thorn. Arnold never montionod about tho washing. It i» about fifteon iiiinutctf walk from our place to More Ripo'n. The Court adjourned to 2 o'clock.