SERVING THE WRIT AT OMARANUI.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 252, 15 December 1880, Page 4

SERVING THE WRIT AT OMARANUI.

(H. B. Herald) On Tuppday morning o bailiff who bad volunteered to serve the writ in the Omeranui case, accompanied by spiral assistants, sod by Mr Sutton, MHR, the owner of the land, and Mr Grindell, interpreter, {iroceeded in vehicles to Oniar»nui. It was known thftt Captain Preece, sct ; r!(? under instrureions from tbe Native Minister, t;fid warned the Nativps that the writ of the Supreme Court would shortly be served, nnd the party expected to find the pab full of Natives, They were therefore surprised, nn arrive], to see that the piece was to all nppearanne deserted. The usual comp'ement of ill-bred curs, cnte, and hens, found in every Maori village, were wandering about in sleep? fashion, hut fbn whares seemed tensnf'leee, not n human being appearing. However, just as tho pah was about to be searcher?, two oncient creatures dressed like women, but looking more like dried mole mummies, cisme hobbling up, followed by a pipcnnniny or tvrr. A third old woman next mnda her appearance, and then a flora looking young woman of Armizonian build, who had around her a small troop of children. An ex» amination of the pab revealed no. one elee, save nn old man ploughing in a field nenr by, who mode fff as soon ae he saw (ho party. Mr Grindell, interpreting for the bailiff, pxplained the object, of the visit, and sake! where the men were. The reply was that they were all out sheep-shearing or doing other work at the neighboring station?. Mr Grindell said he was informed that Captai-n Preece bad told them of the intended service and tbe visit. To this the Amuzon answered that Cuptain Preece's message wap that the Government did not wish them to turn out, end that they were not to go for Mi Sutton. The unexpected absence ot any wen placed the party in somewhat of a quandary. It was felt that to turn out a few helpless old women and children wns not a very noble undertaking, and accordingly renewed search woe made for tbe men of the hapu. Not one, however, could be found. After sorce discussion as to the best method of proceeding, a conversation in substance like the following ensjed : — Mr Grindell : We do not want to use force. Just walk with us outside the pob, or we will drive you in tbe cabs. Old woman No. I. (excitedly): No; we will never, never, never lenve. No. 11. (more excitedly) : Chop me up into piece3 and throw the bits outside the pah, I will never go olive. Mr Grindf-ll : But the Supreme Court says this land is Mr Button's, and you were ordered to go five years ago. Young Amazon: We did not sell the land to Mr guttcD, and we will not go until we are thrust oat. We were sitting peaceably id our homes when the noise of your war party aroused us. A war party of pakehas to make war on old women and decrepit men !— The women then became moat excited, gesticulating violently as they all ppoke ui, utiiu, ami bliiiKTug their fiats at the invaders.— Relieved by this outburst, the women talked more collectedly, asserting that another piece of land bad been given to Mr Sutlon inßteud of Omaranui. — Mr Sutton explained tbat he h&H rejected the lend offered, becense it wns not of equal value. — The Europeans retired for a consultation, the coDclueion come to being that the men had purposely left the pab, believing that the Sheriff would not execute the writ upon women only. The coielusion was artived at from the taunts of the women, and their evident confidence that they would not bo disturbed. — Tbe women suddenly passed from (he extreme of excited anger to good humour, the youngest one asking, in a bantering tone, if the pakeh&s bad decided which of them to chop up first, and suggesting that a commencement should be made on her. Mr Grindell tried tbe effect of flattery, telling the young woman that she was too young and handsome to be chopped up. Though a Maori, she proved herself a true daughter of Eve, exclaiming, with b pleased naivete, (> Ah, tbat makes me mild." — This led to a conversation of a more peaceful character, the young woman before referred to proving herself an adept at repartee id Maori fashion. — Tbe Europeans, after an hour's talk, retired to the carriages, to wait in the hope tbat some men of tbe bapu would come op. After an hour's delay only one old man, lame and stupid —apparently the one seen earlier in the day— came to the pab, end tbe bailiff and his assistants were forced to the unwilling conclusion that they would have to eject women only. At Mr button's request Mr Grindell again attempted to induce the women to leave peaceably, explaining that it was not Mr Sutton who demanded that they should leave, but the Queen, through her tfficers, who had declared that the land must be given to Mr Sutlon. They were finally told that if they would not go quietly the bailiffs would, much against; their will, be obliged to uee force in ejecting them, The writ was. read over to them in English end Maori, and Mr Grindell again explained how matters stood. A new development then presented itself. After again declaring tbat they " would never leave the pah alive tbe youngCßt woman suddenly exclaimed that if they took her they would have to take her neked. In pursuance of this threat ebe "let go the halyards," to borrow a nautical expression, and prepared to let everything go with a run. This fairly non-pluseed the bailiffs for a time, but Mr Grindell had to tell the women, tbat, however shocked the bailiffs might be, they must do their duty. Upon this the Amazon stripped off her upper garment, and as her wardrobe was of a limited character it seemed probable that Bbe would fulfil the threat. The other women also followed suif, and tbe bailiffs, who bad again advanced, retired once more to the carriages. Nothing wss done for ebme time, the,eun began to go down. At last it was felt that, however, dieagreeable the task might be, it had to

be performed, and the bailiffs returned to the enclosure. They first laid hands upon the old man, who was crouching upon the ground. Tbe Amazon, who appeared to be the leader, caauistically urged that the seizure of the old man was sufficient assertion of the authority of the* Court, Bod urged the bailiffs to retire. Mr Grindell again expleined tbat every roan, woman, and child in the pah must be put beyoud the bounds of the disputed territory. Upon this the women further divested themselves of their all too scanty garments, and at last stood each in an article of dress corresponding to the shirt of the male creature. This proceeding was very puzzling, but the women's idea seemed to be that if they were removed in a state of nudity the ejectment would assume the shape of an outrage, and secure for them Bympathy, if not aid, from other Maoris. Perhaps, also, the episode could be conveniently distorted into an attempt on the part of the Europeans to use such force that their clothing was all torn from them. Several times the bailiffs advanced, but, not unnaturally, they had no " stomach" for their work, seeing the shape it had taken. As time began to press, however, they again took hold of the old man and carried him to the rails of the enclosure. Tbe women in their undress gathered round, yelling, gesticulating, and pulling the old man back until he appeared likely to be torn limb from limb. His bearers dropped him suddenly, when he made off with surprising agility, and was not again seen. The bailiffs, after a pause, then seized the oldest and ugliest creature. She kicked, struggled, and yelled violently, and as she was assisted by the Amazon in a manner similar to that by which the old man was rescued, it was not an easy task to get her into the cab. It was expected that, once inside, she would remain quiet, but this anticipation proved fallacious. She sprang out again, and there was a renewal of the struggling, but the second time she was deposited in the cab she remained quietly, owing to Mr Grindell's persuasions. The Amazon was next seized, and she, too, at first struggled, but for a reason creditable to her sex. Boon went quietly. There was no difficulty with the others, who, with the children, were quickly bundled into a cab. Their discarded ciotbing was then handed to them, but they flung it back into the faces of the bailiffs. A real feminine fit of crying was the finish, and all seemed better for it. The Maoris were, then driven beyond the boundaries of the disputed land, an offer being made to carry them to Tareha's pab, but they sulkily rejected it. On the way they somehow imbibed an idea that they were being taken to prison, in consequence of which they jumped out of the carriage and sat down on the road side. — A vain search was made all through the pah and the fields for any other inhabitant, and then the sheriff's deputy took a twig from a tree, and a sod from the ground, and handed them to Mr Sutton, thus giving him possession in the formula prescribed by the law. — A number of Tareha's people who were hoeing in a field near the pa then came across. The men seemed intelligent and sensible L j»nd_w!ien--the_jwh.ole. -proceeding was "narrated to them thoy expressed approval of the manner in which the writ had been carried out, and added that they did not blame the] officers of the Court for what had occurred, though one said, "The matter is not finished yet." A formal notice in Maori, stating that the land had been delivered to Mr Sutton, was then fastened to a posfc, and .the party returned, with the exception, of three men, who were left in possession. AVhen the cabs came to where the women were by the roadside they seemed to be. quite reconciled to the ejectment,, and as Tareha's men had explained that Mr Sutton did not wish to carry th'em'jto' prison they asked for the use of the carriage to take them to Tareha's pah.. This was readily granted, and after donning their clothes, which were brought to them, they were driven off. The crops and the chattels in the pah were formally seized by the sheriff's officer for the cost of the .suit,, amounting to about £160, but Mr Sutton caused the natives to be told that they were at liberty to, remove all their belongings, as he did not wish to make the ejectment a greater hardship than he could help. At Tareha's pah a stoppage was made on the return journey, and Tareha was "interviewed." He seemed to consider the ejectment as final and conclusive, as did the women, who, seated in a circle, were quiet, though sad. Thus ended a very disagreeable task, but one which was necessary as an assertion of the power of the law over Maoris as well as Europeans.