NATIVE LANDS COURT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1852, 8 September 1874, Page 3

NATIVE LANDS COURT.

Daring the sitting of the Native Lands Court yea terday afternoon an application was made by fe Rihitou Mataia for a succession order for the share of her brother Hoaui Mataia, deceased, in the Komala North block at Ohinemuri.—Mr Wilkinson, native interpreter, appeared od behalf of the claimant, and a number of the Hauhau portion of the natives appeared to oppose.—The Judge stated that there seemed to be so much opposition brought forward that he was afraid that he would have to fall back on the 37th section of the Native Lands Act, 1873, which states that in the event of there being any difficulty in the way, or any likelihood of a disturbance amongst the natives, the Court should adjourn the case until such cause of disturbance was removed.—Mr, Wilkinson called the judge's attention to the fact that this was not a question that affected the title or ownership of the Komata block, that had already been decided at a sitting of that Court hold four years ago. A Crown grant had already been issued, so that this was'merely a question as to who was the proper person to succeed Hoani Mataia, deceased. The Hauhau portion of the natives, who were now opposing him, had made several applications for a rehearing of the block, which had been refused by the Chief Judge, and such being the case they had no right to oppose this application unless they could prove that they were better entitled ■to Ho:.ni Mataia's share than his sister was.—The Judge said that it was very unfortunate, but some portions of the new Act wero so very unsatisfactory that it was almost impossible to put any block of land at all through the Court: it was in - the power of natives, if only counter claimants even, to stop the proceedings of any Court by merely stating that if' the matters were not adjourned a disturbance would be the result. If he were hearing the case under the old Act ho would not hesitate, but go on with it at once.—Mr Wilkinson stated that in that case it would be well perhaps for the other side also to threaten a disturbance, and so the CouJt would be in the position of having to choose between the two.-The application was adjourned, to be heard at Ohinemuri.— Mr Wilkinson applied for costs, but the Judge said he was precluded by the new Act from granting costs, otherwise he would have done so.-