MORE WORK FOR THE NATIVE MINISTER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 8 December 1880, Page 2

MORE WORK FOR THE NATIVE MINISTER.

(by telegraph.) Napier, December 7. The Supreme Court writ, in the case of the Omaranui block, owned by Mr. Sutton, but which he has been deprived of by the Maoris for the last ten years, was served to-day by the sheriff's officer. A party of eight went to serve. On arrival at the pah it was found that all the men were absent, and from what subsequently transpired it appeared that they had determined to leave only women and decrepit men in the belief that the Europeans would not use force to eject them. The bailiff and his assistants waited all day trying to find some of the men, but unsuccessfully, and at last, having failed in repeated efforts to get the women to leave peaceably, they were obliged to use force. The women declared that theywould rather j die than give up their land, and taunted I the Europeans with sending a war party against defenceless women and children. A sudden fancy took them and they began to strip, deolaring that they would be removed naked, and when at last they were carried out struggling and screaming, they wore only chemises. Possession was then formally given to Mr. Sutton. Soon the women seemed reconciled, and asked Mr. Sutton to send them cabs to carry them to Tareha's pah, and this was done. Tareha was acquainted with the proceedings, and acknowledged that the orders of the Supreme Court must be obeyed. Three men were then left in possession, the remainder returning to town. All seemed satisfactorily settled, when two hours later a native policeman and eight Maoris went and removed the man in possession. They stated that Captain Preece, native agent, and Mr. Hamlin, had informed them that the ejectment was carried out by orders of Mr. Sutton and not of the Supreme Court, and though they would yield .to the court they would not yield to Mr. Sutton. This agreed with the statements made by the women to the effect that Captain Preeoe had told them that the Native Minister had instructed him to inform them that Mr. Sutton was the author of the proceedings. If this be so a great victory over Maori trespassers on European land has been lost. All assistance was refused to the sheriff, and he was left to act on his own responsibility, which seems to bear out the assertions of the Maoris.