NATIVE LANDS COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 376, 24 March 1871, Page 2

NATIVE LANDS COURT.

FEIDAT, MARCH 24. [Before Judges Manning and Munro, and two | Native Assessors.] Aboha Land Cl/AlM.—The Court sat this morning for the purpose of announcing the decision to which they had come upon this very extensive claim, upon which they have been taking evidence for more thaa two months. —The respective tribes who claimed —Ngatimaru, Ngatitametera, and Ngatipao, or Thames tribe, on the one side, and the Ngatihauas, or Waikatos, on the other —were represented by their counsel or agouts. There •was also a very numerous attendance of natives, the floor of the large apartment in Fort Britomart being crowded with men, women, and children of the native race. His Honor Judge Manning said that the Court, being desirous that the natives should, if thej thought fit, return to their houses, had resolved to make known their decision without obliging them to wait until the judgment of the Court, with the reasons for it, should be written out in full, and delivered in solemn form. He would inform them of the pith of the decision, and that was that the Court recognised the superior claim of the Thames tribes to the laud— Ngatimaru, &c. This was the effect of the deliberation between the judge*, aud consultation with the native assessors. He would, however, ask Harawirihaka to inform the natives, in Maori, of the opinion of the Nat ive Assesssrs. — Harawirihaka said that he sustained the claim of Ngatimaru because they were on the land, because they continued on the land.—Mr. Mackay inquired in what form the Court would make out the certificate, whether it should be made out in the name of Ngatimaru, Ngatitamatera, and Ngatipao. If so, they could then have the land surveyed, and settle their respective shares. Any further subdivision might be made a reference to the Court.— Their Honors thought that was a subject which might be deferred for tho present.—Mr. Hesketh intimated that when the judgment Bhould be formally delivered, he would ask for costs. —This ended the great Aroha land claim, and the natives separated.