NATIVE LAND COURT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1111, 19 June 1913, Page 4

NATIVE LAND COURT.

The Native Land Court, sitting at Palmerston North under the presidency of ] udge Gilfedder, has dealt with a number of applications for succession and partition. Successors have been appointed to the following deceased Natives : Wereta Pineaha, lhaka Ngamuia and Maharata Renata.

The following blocks of native land have been partitioned :-r Himatangi 38, also 4D3, 5A No. r, and Ngakororo rA section 6.

A road has been laid off between Himatangi Nos. 1 and 2, in pursuance of the Act of last session. Considerable interest was manifested in connection with the application of Roore te Rangihenea for probate ot the will of Retimada te Kama.

Mr lunes, instructed by Mr Baldwin, appeared for the applicant, while Messrs C. T. Elers, Kuku Karitiana, Wiremu Eparima and Napoleon Heta appeared on behalf of various claimants, who sought to show that the Roore le Rangihenea mentioned in the will as devisee and executor is not the applicant, but bis fosterfather of the same name who died eight years ago. It was decided to grant probate of Retimara’s will to Roore te Rangihenea and Waikapurangi, who will take the interest of the testator in Himatangi amounting to 165 acres. As there is an intestary in respect of the other lands, the adopted child of the deceased (Hohepa Paewai), who is a wealthy young native at present in Melbourne, will take the interests at Takapau, while the deceased’s niece (Maari Rangikatana) will take those in the Taupo and Tokaanu districts. The widow of the deceased will get a life interest in Rakautatahi iG block in the Hawke’s Bay district, so as to secure for her the dwellinghouse of the deceased. Efforts will be made to obtain and return to their owners a greenstone patu called rereao and other heirlooms which the deceased is alleged to have held as trustee and custodian for some native families.