£70 FOR CANOE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19158, 15 November 1927, Page 12

£ 7O FOR CANOE.

gAWN UP FOR FIREWOOD. (CBXM ASSOCIATION MLBGBAJC.) SIgBOBNE, November 14. Ah unusual case came before the Magistrate, Mr Levvy, S.M., at the Port Awanui Court on Friday, arising from the destruction of a valuable Maori relic, a totara eanpe called "Whakatatarawuraire," 43 feet in length, hewn out in 1874. Some months ago the canoe was sawn up by Kereama ((Jraham) Aupouri for firewood, the sequel being a claim for £7O by the Paramount Chief of the Ngatirangi tribe, Pene Heihi, who claimed ownership of the canoe.

In evidence, Pene Heihi said he was over eighty .years of age. The canoe was his, and he was claiming £7O, but the actual value of the canoe was between £2OO and £3OO.

The defendant, in evidence, said the canoe, when he cut it up, had been neglected for many years, and was split from end to end.

"You vandal!" said the Magistrate angrily. "What do yon mean by cutr ting up such a priceless relief" Defendant replied that he had done it because the canoe was broken up. "Tell him I don't believe him," said the Magistrate to the interpreter. After some further evidence had been heard as to the neglected and suncracked condition of the canoe, the Magistrate said that £7O seemed a lot of money to allow, but in view of the evidence that it was in a sufficient state of preservation to be put in a museum, he did not think it was too much. He awarded plaintiff the full amount of the claim with costs.