HIS FIRST DAY HOME

HIS FIRST DAY HOME. Aki Witeria a Maori in uniform, was charged with the theft of persimmons, tomatoes and watercress, value 1/1. the property of Koung Young, with having damaged goods in a Chinese fruit shop at Newmarket, and with having assaulted Constable Hill. The circumstances were that the Maori went into a Chinese fruit shop in Newmarket yesterday afternoon, lie stood there and picked out persimmons, tomatoes, etc.. and ate them, and then took some watercress and started to go away, despite the calls of the Chinese woman behind the counter that he should pay for the fruit. Constable Hill noticed the woman following the man out of the shop and expostulating. He inquired what was wrong and on being told he asked the Maori to pay, and the latter refused. The constable went to arrest the man and the hitter put up a strenuous lfght in the shop, the struggle causing damage of fruit and other goods in the shop before Witeria was overpowered and handcuffed. The man did not seem to be drunk. Witeria said he was a returned soldier, who got home yesterday, and that he was supplied with liquor by a civilian, and did not remember what had happened in the Chinese shop. He was wounded in the right arm. Accused was fined  2 and 17/8 costs and expenses.Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 112, 11 May 1918, Page 6