THE ROAD TO JUSTICE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 279, 28 March 1889, Page 2

THE ROAD TO JUSTICE.

A curious circumstance has been brought under our notice in connection with the conviction of Henare Kohure, who was sentenced to three years by Judge Richmond, on a charge of indecent assault. The prisoner, it appears, was first arraigned before a Native Committee at Karaka. The Committee tried the case, came to the conclusion that tha man was guilty, and adjudged him to be fined in the sum of £5O. The money, however, was not forthcoming, and the prisoner was therefore handed over to the pakeha officers of justice, to take his chance at their tribunal. This was not a merciful alternative so far as Henare Kohure was concerned. He was, in a very short space of time, committed for trial at R.M. Court, convicted at the higher Court, and sentenced to three years’ penal servitude ! Had he paid the £5O in satisfaction of the demands of the Native Committee, there is every probability that nothing further would have been heard of the matter, and that competent jurisdiction would have had no part in the final settlement. The sentence of the Court was not a bit more harsh than was deserved, so that the question is again opened as to how far this mimicry of justice should be tolerated. It would be interesting to know what becomes of the moneys paid to these Committees ? Are the latter of assistance in the administration of justice, or does the part which they take upon themselves only serve to thwart it ? There is no doubt that in regard to minor offences the Committees do a certain amount of. good, but the question arises as to whether or not the evil in the one direction outbalances the good in the other. In the case of Henare it would have been a grave miscarriage of justice if he had got off with the light penalty of £5O ; but on the other hand it is hard to sheet home crime to those charged before a Court which gives the prisoners the benefit of every doubt, and had not this ease been well got up on behalf of the Crown, the probability is that Henare would now have been free to return and taunt his . prosecutors in the first instance.