NAPIER.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3730, 8 December 1880, Page 2

NAPIER.

This day. A Supreme Court writ in the case of the Oamaranui Block, owned by Sutton, but which he has been deprived of by the Maoris for the last ten years, was served to-day by the sheriff's officer. A party of eight men went to serve the writ, and on their arrival at the pah, it was found that all the men were absent; and from, what consequently transpired, it appeared that they had determined only to leave the women and decrepid men there, in the belief that thd Europeans would not use force to eject them. The bailiff and his assistants waited all day 'trying to find some of the men, but were unsuccessful, and at last having failed in their repeated efforts to get the women to leave peaceably, they were obliged to use force. The women declared that they

would sooner die than leave their land, and taunted the Europeans with sending a war party against defenceless women and children. A sudden fancy then took them, and they began to strip, declaring that they would be removed naked, and when at last they were carried^ out; kicking, struggling and/screaming! they wore only chemises. Possession was then formally given to Mr. Sutton, and goon the women seemed reconciled, and asked Satton to send them his cabs to convey them to Tareha's Pah, and this was done. Tareha was acqnainted with the proceedings, and acknowledged that the orders of the Supreme Court must be obeyed, and three men were left in possession, the remainder returning to town. All seemed satisfactorily settled, when two hours later a native policeman and eight Maories went and removed the men in possession. They stated that Capt. Preece's agent and Mr Hamlin had informed them that the ejectment had been carried out by the orders of Mr Sutton, and not of the Supreme Court, and that though they would yield to the Court they would not yield to Mr Sutton. ;' ' ....,,•; '„•!■ .-'\ ■■■' ■•■ .V.; '