An Expensive Frolic.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 560, 22 January 1891, Page 3

An Expensive Frolic.

COMMEMORATING THE NEW YEAR. The aboriginal is noted for his peculiarly receptive faculties. He soon picks up, by imitation, a great many of his white brother’s proclivities. Unfortunately it is the bad, rather than the good, points which he copies. The consequence is that he sometimes gets, to use a slangy phrase, ‘‘considerably left.” Some of the Maori gentry reaped the bitter fruits of experience in the R.M. Court yesterday morning. The lesson is not one to be forgotten hurriedly, for it cost them the tidy sum of £25 13a, with the usual alternative in store for those who do not pay. It all arose out of a desire to fittingly celebrate the incoming of the new year. It appears that an European band was out on New Year’s Eve, when tha residents in and around Waerenga a-hika were treated to a musical melange. Fired with an enthusiasm begotten of example, the Maoris, who were in great force, improvised another band, in which kerosene tins were the chief instruments. The sequel of their adventures is told above. , The natives thought the opportunity one for levying blackmail, and where money was not forthcoming displayed their resentment by resorting to violence. In Mrs Cahill’s case there was nothing very certain beyond the fact that that iady, in defending her property, had received a a black eye. The accused endeavored to prove an alibi, but as it only rested on his own evidence this broke down, and the defendant was convicted and fined in all £3 10s 6d, > He was allowed a fortnight to pay it in, The natives also visited Burrowes’ place. Here they demanded three shillings, which was refused, and then the war commenced. In the fray, the gate, fence, and windows were broken. The owner was armed with an axe, and something serious would certainly have happened had not other Europeans come upon the scene and pacified the combatants. There were five men charged in this case, and these were identified by various persons. The defences set up were peculiar. One man was quite innocent. He had heard the noise and strolled along to the scene, but had taken no part in it. Another had been told by the natives that they were going to have a “Sappy New Year,” and as he never witnessed the ceremony previously, he followed out of curiosity. When he saw wood and sticks flying around his curiosity was satisfied, and he stood aloof, to get a crack with an axe for his pains. Another admitted he was present, but it was with tha purpose of dissuading the others from going to extremes. Of course he was quite innocent, and took no part in the fray. Two others fell back on the alibi defence, but as one of thesa was knocked down by Burrowes with a stick there is no doubt tha wish was father to the thought. These five gentlemen were fined £3 each, when the costs and damages were allocated between them their respective shares of the expenses was £4 10s 6d, with a prospect of one month in which to think over the matter. Mr Booth took the opportunity of reading tho delinquents a severe lecture on their foolishness, and a great deal of what he said could be taken to heart by whiter and belter educated people than Maoris, who, as Mr Booth said, seem to imagine that they could destroy property and disturb people because it was the first day of the year. The natives fiftve paid bitterly for their experience, and no doubt it will have a beneficial effect in the future. Respect for the law must be impressed on European and Maori alike,