NOVEL NATIVE CLAIM.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2167, 24 August 1907, Page 2

NOVEL NATIVE CLAIM.

Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, August 23. A Royal Commission, consisting of Native Land Court Judges Jackson, Palmer and Rawson, sat in Christchurch to-day to in" ii-ire into the claims of the Taiaroa family to a. 100acre reserve at Milford. The claimants alleged that upon the sale in 1904 of the Murikatui block, comprising over seven million acres, in which a portion of Otago and Southland noav stands, the Hon. Taiaroa. one of tho vendors, in the place of accepting ono of tho numerous reserves set apart for the natives in the Otago Province, elected to take a 100-acre block in Milford Haven, from which the Maoris for many years before had been iu the habit of getting tlieir greenstone, the property being therefore'of considerable value. The grant was made verbally by Mr. Ma ilt el!. the Commissioner who bought the block, and confirmed 20 years later by a letter from him. Mr. Sheridan, who represented tile Department, produced the original papers in connection with the sale of the block, and pointed out that although all th e other reserves at present in the occupation of tho Maoris were set out in the title, no mention whatever was mack of the alleged 100-acre reserve at Milford. Mr. J. Taiaroa, grandson of tho original claimant, states that the quarry had been worked by a company under lease from the Government, and had been exhausted. The familv claimed £3OOO for . the block and £IOSO as compensation for standing out of the benefits of the other reserves. The Commissioners will report direct to the Government.