A NATIVE COURT CASE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3355, 6 December 1919, Page 5

A NATIVE COURT CASE.

ALLEGED INTERFERENCE WITH I WITH JURY. GISBORNE, this day. The Supreme Court, was occupied in | hearing the claim for £SOOO damages I made by severarnatives against David Cameron, J. R. Murphy, and D. Hair, : for trespass by draining Repongaere , Lake, thus affieolting the Maori eel ; fisheries. The case is being heard by a mixed jury of natives and Europeans. When th 0 case resumed this ; morning, counsel for defendants complained that some Maori members of the jury had been conversing with the natives interested. They had endeavoured to influence them after the Court had taken evidence on the subject of alleged interference. His Honour, Mr Justice Chapman, stated ho would adjourn the trial till Monday. Hi s present [opinion was that the statements of witness called, by Mr Burnard, counsel for th e defendants, had not been answered, and he would probably be impelled to discharge the jury without any reflection boiug made on & nv individual juror.