A MAORI ELOPEMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14074, 4 December 1909, Page 3

A MAORI ELOPEMENT.

NATIVE MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. ■An interesting case affecting Maori marriage customs came before Mr Justice Cooper at the Supreme Court when Hirini Pita, a youth of 18, for whom Dr. Bamford appeared, pleaded not guilty to a charge arising out Oi an elopement with his cousin. ' The girl stated that she and the prisoner were in love. She did not get on very well with her parents at home, and had asked prisoner to elope with her, for otherwise she would go to the bush and die. Dr. Bamford called Rata Remi, a Maori, o7 years of age, who said he had lived amongst the Natives all his life. If the parents did not consent in such cases as that before the Court, the young people would run away, and if they continued to live together the marriage would be recognised. Mr Tole: Is it not the usual custom to get the consent of the parents':' Witness: It might happen that the young people are afraid the parents might not consent. Mr Tole: Therefore, the parents are powerless ? Witness: Then the grandparents step in and give their consent. Mr Tole : But if the grand oarents refuse?

Witness: The young people then run away to another tribe. Mr Tole: It seems like an endless moving on. Suppose a daughter of yours took a fancy to a young man you objected to, and ran away? Witness: I would bo very angry if he eloped witli her without my consent.

Mr Tole: Would it still be a marriage ? Witness: Yes, it would be a lawful marriage among the Natives. My own daughter ran away without my consent. I objected to the man at the time, but I don't now. Mr Tole: Does every Maori consider this the custom ? Witness: I think so.

To combat this evidence, Mr Tole called the girl's father, aged 40, win said that in his parents' time severil young peonle who had been refus-d their' nnrents' consent would run away to other relatives, who would cause them to live together, and if they did so and children were brought to thcii peace would be restored and the -CLatives would bring them back to + hoir parents. That would be a marriage. Mr Tole: When two young people like these ran away together would that bo a marriage? Witness: No, not unless with the grandparents 'consent. Mr Tole: But some consent must be obtained ? Witness: Yes.

Tho Rev. William Gittos, Wesleyan Minister, called by Mr Tolc, said he had been acquainted with Maori customs for over sixty years. There was certainly never a Maori marriage unless the consent of the parents was obtained .and in cases of high rank that of the tribe as well. Such a

was indispensable, according to Maori laws and customs. His Honor: Say there is an attachment between the parties, and the girl, knowing she can t get the consent of her parents, elopes and gets the consent of her grandparents, is that suliicieut ? Witness: No, your Honor, not without the parents' consent. Dr. Bamford: Have you not heard of unions of this nature where no consent has been given!' witness: Yes. Dr Bamford:-Ire not the children of such unions recognised. Witness: I'm not quite sure. Dr. Bamford: Are they not entitled to succeed to their parents' property!-' Witness: No. The jury, without leaving the box, returned a verdict of guilty. His Honor: If you like, Dr. Bamford, I shall state a case for the Court of Appeal. It is a very important case, with peculiar features. Dr. Bamford asked his Honor no; to do so. His Honor said he did not wish to inflict any punishment upon prisoner. Prisoner would be ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.