MAORIS INVADE LAND AND BURY THEIR DEAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 407, 16 July 1928, Page 11

MAORIS INVADE LAND AND BURY THEIR DEAD

PURCHASER OBJECTS NATIVES TO PAY DAMAGES When a number of Maoris sold a piece of land to a butcher at Kerepeehi they were under the impression that the sale did not preclude their right to bury dead members of the tribe there. A Maori died, and in due course the relatives invaded the butcher’s property, dug a grave despite his protests and interred the body. That was on August 22, 1927. Since then two other natives have been buried in the same property. Seeing prospects of his holding being transformed from his own farm to somebody else’s cemetery, the butcher invoked the aid of the law. This, in effect, was the story told by Reuben Conner in the Supreme Court this morning to Mr. Justice MacGregor, in asking £ 100 damages from Tamehana Peeke, Paratene Hotene, Mark Burton and Ernest Barber, labourers of Kerepeehi, and an order preventing further burials. The plaintiff Conner said that when the Maoris came on to his land and began to dig a grave he called the local constable, and in his presence ordered the natives away. The majority went, but some refused absolutely to leave. To bring the body to the ground it had been necessary to remove part of a fence. Since the issue of the writ two more bodies had been buried in the same grave. When he bought the block Conner said he ordered the Maoris to remove certain buildings upon it. This had been done. “It is quite clear the Maoris have trespassed, and apparently continue to trespass,” said his Honour. “As regards the damages, there was very little destruction, but the trespass was an aggravating one.” The court issued an injunction as desired. The plaintiff was awarded £25 damages.