MAORI COUNCIL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 341, 30 September 1932, Page 6

MAORI COUNCIL

Our District Representative)

NATIVE COURT OF JUSTICE IN SESSION AT WHAKATANE

/From

An interesting* description of the proceedings at a Maori council, which among the natives fulfils the same purposes as the European court of justice was recently given a "Morning Post" representative by Mr. S. Shalfoon of Opotiki. In this case Mini Tamaipooa the chief of the Waioeka Pah had laid information with the Maori Council whose headquart.ers are at Whakatane, that the Pah-.. Committee were neglecting their duties. There were three eharges. 1. That they were allowing* animals -to roam about the pah. 2. That members of the pah had invited members of the other tribes in the Opotiki district to hold the July religious ceremonies at the Waioeka Pah without first obtaining the consent of the chief. 3. That they had permitted liquor to enter the pah. The chairman of the committee was Merito while Hori Powell, a wellknown farmer near Whakatane and Teihi an ex-native policeman acted as "Crown prosecutors." The court was carried on in an exactly similar manner to a European court, but there was one unforeseen incident. The chairman ordered all witnesses out of the court and out of hearing- of the court. His instructions were duly carried out, but when one witness was called whose duties kept him in the court it was found he had been present through the whole hearing. Nevertheless the court heard his evidence. The court found the pah committee guilty of the first charge and fined them £3. The second charge was dismissed as several of those concerned' were land owners in the pah and had the right to issue such an invitation. on the third charge the council decided they had no jurisdiction as the alleged offence had oecurred over three years ago.