NATIVE LANDS COURT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1850, 5 September 1874, Page 3

NATIVE LANDS COURT.

The Native Lands Court opened in the American Theatre, Shortland, yesterday morning at 10 o'clock. H. A. H. Munro, Esq., was the presiding judge, assisted by Native Assessor, Wiremu Hikaiu. A large number of natives were preseat to take part in the proceedings, including To Moananui and several of the Ohinemuri chiefs. The Judge read an application from Mr James Mackay, jun., to have all the Ohinemuri cases, to the number of 14, adjourned to some future silting of the Court.—This was assented to by To Moananui and Rika Paka on behalf of the Ohinemuri natives.—The claim of Te Hihitou Mataia for a succession order for the share of her brother in

the Komata North Block at Ohinemuri, was allowed to be heard at this sitting of

the Court.—A wish was expressed by Te Moananui that the Court for the adjourned blocks should be held in December, next.

—The Shortland and District cases were then gone on with, and several were adjudicated upon; only one, however, has any interest for the European residents of the Thames, that being the Pukohekohe or Tanutanu Block at Tararu, used as a cemetery by the residents of that place. —The block next through in favour of six claimants, all of whom most singularly happen to be women.—We understand that Mr Puckey, the Native Agent here, will take steps at once to purchase this

block on behalf of the Government.— Several blocks were dismissed on account of no map being produced.—The withdrawal of the Ohinemuri cases has reduced the work of the Court to within a very small compass, and unless some of the few remaining blocks happen to be contested, the Court will in all probability be over by about Tuesday next.