CLAIMS ON FORESHORE.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3136, 7 March 1879, Page 2

CLAIMS ON FORESHORE.

THIS DAY.

(Before His Honor Judge Johnston.)

His Honor took his seat at 11 a.m;

The Judge's Clerk read the commission and gazette notices referring to the Court. =

.Mr Martin Puckey was iworn to act as interpreter. *

Mr' Miller said he appeared for; the Thames Harbor Board.

His Honor asked Mr Miller if the Board had any notice of any other than native claims. ;

Mr Miller said that Ihe Board had had no official notice of European claimants. His Honor then read over the names of the claimants as follows:—Honi Nahi, Nikorima Foutotara, Baika Whakarongatai, W. H. Taipari, and Brown.

F. C. Dean, sworn, deposed—l am clerk to Thames Harbor Board. I produce Government, chart of port of Thames. (Witness explained the position of the foreshore). His Honor said that the position on the plan did not agree with the description in the warrant, which described (he port as a circuit of five miles round Opani point. BE HOHEPABBOWN. ' ] Hohepa Brown, sworn, deposed—l belong to the tribe of Ngatitwanga. I am one of the big people of the tribe. I make this claim for myself personally—for myself and the tribe. I have no Crown grant for the land I claim. No Crown grant has been issued. The piece I claim is a strip marked blue on plan between Grahamstown and Shortland. The Government bought out a portion oft the tribe's interest—the largest share. (The names of the members of the tribe holding interest in the land wai read.) The tribe used it for pipis. (Mr Dean said that the land claimed was 4 acres and a half—about two chains wide.) v ; Examination continued — Those who sold their interest, sold'it many years ago. I, Honi, and Matiu Brown hare claims

now. We will take £200 for our claim, as it is the last of our mud..

By Mr Miller—l have not sold the land. There is a wharf on the land which belongs to me. My hapu derived their title to the land through their ancestors. I exchanged land on the shore with members of my family for this land. It was Crown granted to me and seven others. I did not know that the others sold their interests for £2 10a each. I don't remember Matiu Brown, my wife, getting £2 10s for my interest. I had another piece next to this one, which! sold. There were only two owners to that piece. We had £40 for the whole. I asked £200 for my land because it is the last of the mud. I have not sold the piece to Graham, and he does not hold it. I have not received any money on the land.

Conrt adjourned till 1.45.