MONCHALANT MAORI.

Wairarapa Age, 9 May 1924, Page 5

MONCHALANT MAORI.

IN THE DOCK. ALLEGED THEFT. (“The Age” Special.) Wellington, May B.—When Niniwa Heremia, a well-known chieftainess from the Martinborough district and one of the few remaining Wairarapa rangitiras went north for a holiday recently she apparently left her house at Lyall Bay in good order. On her return, however, she found a thriftloss individual named Miroi Uripini, asleep on a couch and the food in the house all consumed. He had previously been the object of Niniwa’s benevolence but he was shiftless and she ordered him off the premises. Charged with breaking, entering and theft Miroi sat .complacently chewing in the dock at the Supreme Court. He was not represented by counsel but accepted the services of an interpreter. Uripuni said “No” to everything. He put no qustions to witnesses, neither did he address the jury, although his plea was one of not guilty and he had nothing to say in defence. Consequently the jury, without leaving the box they unanimously found Miroi guilty. When asked if he had anything to say Mirdi blinked his one good eye, removed his gum, and nonchalantly said “No.”.

Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice, said he required to know more about the man and remanded him for sentence until Saturday.